Before I even landed in Nepal, a line of snow-capped peaks reaching high up into the clouds met my eye from the plane window. The bright white of the Himalayan mountain snow, against the bright blue of the sky, took my breath away, and I continued to be enthralled by Nepal for the rest of my stay. I spent a couple of weeks trekking to and around Annapurna Base Camp as well as visiting the lakeside town of Pokhara, but for the rest of my time in Nepal, I based myself in Kathmandu, a city so fascinating I instantly fell in love.
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| The smiling Buddha eyes of Swayambhunath Temple, a serene and unique place to visit in Kathmandu |
For my time in the city, before heading back to India, I made a base at Dream Nepal Hotel, which I can’t recommend enough. Not only were the staff incredible, but the breakfast was pretty good and my en-suite bedroom cost just $30 (£22) per night. With my base sorted, I headed out on foot to discover beautiful temples and an array of unique things to do in Kathmandu, Nepal's glorious capital.
Must visit places and unique things to do in Kathmandu
See Durbar Square
Filled with crumbling temples, brick piles, and majestic buildings supported by bamboo poles, Durbar Square was a shadow of its former self when I visited after the 2015 earthquake. I had little to compare it to, but I still adored the place for its people-watching opportunities, intricate Nepalese architecture, and stalls selling garlands of bright orange marigolds by women perched under oversized sunshades. |
| Stall selling marigold garlands in Kathmandu |
Experience Tihar Festival
The day I arrived, the Hindu festival of Tihar had just begun, a mesmerising five-day event of singing, dancing and celebrations, where not only people are celebrated, but also animals and birds, too. I saw dogs all over the city draped in marigold garland offerings; some had even been smeared with bright red tika down the centre of their heads. |
| A dog is celebrated at the festival of Tihar |
As well as celebrating the animals of the city, many people had also drawn amazingly beautiful patterns using brightly coloured powders on their floors or in public courtyards. The patterns, known as rangoli, create a sacred space to welcome the gods and goddesses of the Hindu religion and are believed to bring good luck. Tihar will take place from November 6 to November 10 in 2026.
Head to Swayambhunath Temple
On my third day in Kathmandu, I found a rickshaw driver to take me to Swayambhunath Temple, an ancient Buddhist complex and Unesco World Heritage Site perched on top of a hill overlooking the city. Once at the top of the endless steps that lead to the temple complex, my eyes were drawn immediately to streams of bright prayer flags, faded from the sun, and the many mischievous monkeys hanging from trees all around. The main white temple stupa is topped off with a golden structure, on which two large eyes that symbolise Buddhism are painted. With a stroke of luck (or maybe protected by the all seeing eyes), this beautiful temple sitting high on a hill remained undisturbed by the 2015 earthquake, while many of the surrounding buildings crumbled.Take a peek at Kumari, Nepal's living goddess
Back in the city, I’d heard fascinating stories about a living goddess called Kumari, who lived in Durbar Square in the Kumari Ghar or ‘Temple of the Living Goddess’. I went back to Durbar Square to try and catch a glimpse of her one afternoon (she occasionally looks down from a balcony in a tiny courtyard inside the temple grounds), and amazingly, I was in luck. Just as I entered the courtyard, the few people already there became silent, and by chance, Kumari, a young girl in red with an eye painted onto her forehead, appeared above us.
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| Children play amongst the pigeons in Durbar Square after the 2015 earthquake |
To see her on one of these unscheduled appearances is said to bring good fortune, so of course I became enchanted with the stories surrounding her and started reading a brilliant book called The Living Goddess by Isabella Tree while in the city (bookshops throughout Kathmandu sell this, as well as countless other intriguing books about the country). The current living goddess has just been retired as of October 2025, having served in her role since 2017. Each living goddess goes through a strict selection process before gaining her status, involving sleeping in a room with severed animal heads and passing physical examinations.
Make a trip to Pashupatinath Temple
Kathmandu is full of spiritual and unique places to visit, and another I loved spending time at was Pashupatinath Temple with its burning ghats, just outside of the city. After visiting the Indian city of Varanasi a few years before, I naively thought I knew what to expect, but no matter how many times you see it, nothing can prepare you for the sight of a burning body.
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| Boys playing in the river running through Pashupatinath Temple |
After spending a few hours wandering through the temple grounds, I strolled the 5km back to Kathmandu, with thoughts of life and death running through my mind. Nepal's capital really is a place of contrasts; poverty and smiles, pollution and nature, life and death, it’s a curious place to say the least, but a truly beautiful one, too.
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