Hanumandhoka ( Kathamdnu Durbar Square ):

 It is the historic seat of royalty. The Durbar Square , with its old

temples and palaces, epitomizes the religious and cultural life of people.

It is here that kings of Nepal are crowned and their coronations solemnized.

Interesting things to see here are, Taleju temple built by king Mahendra

Malla in 1954 AD, the temple of Kal Bhairab , the god of destruction,

Nautale durbar, the statue of King Pratap Malla, the big drum and the

Jaganath temple. It was listed in the UNESCO world heritage monument list in

1979.

On the right hand corner, a large wooden lattice screen hides an enormous

gilded face of Sweta Bhairab. The screen is removed only during the Indra

Jatra festival.. there are also the Numismatic museum and Tribhuban museum

inside the Hanuman Dhoka palace building . Photography is prohibited inside

the museums. Both the mseums remain closed on Tuesday and government

holidays.

Swoyambhunath ( Monkey temple)

This is one of the world’s most glorious Buddhist Chaityas. It is said to be

2,000 years old. Painted on the four sides of the spire’s base are the all

seeing eyes of Lord Budhha. It is 3Km west of Kathmandu city and it situated

on a hillock about 77 m commands an excellent view of the Valley. This stupa

is the oldest of its kind in Nepal . It was listed in the UNSCO world

Heritage Monument List in 1979.

Boudhanath stupa

Boudhanath Stupa (or Bodnath Stupa) is the largest stupa in Nepal and the

holiest Tibetan Buddhist temple outside Tibet . It is the center of Tibetan

culture in Kathmandu and rich in Buddhist symbolism. The stupa is located in

the town of Boudha , on the eastern outskirts of Kathmandu .

History

Bodnath was probably built in the 14th century after the Mughal invasions;

various interesting legends are told regarding the reasons for its

construction. After the arrival of thousands of Tibetans following the 1959

Chinese invasion, the temple has become one of the most important centers of

Tibetan Buddhism. Today it remains an important place of pilgrimage and

meditation for Tibetan Buddhists and local Nepalis, as well as a popular

tourist site.

Pashupatinath Temple :

Situated 5km east of kathamandu, the temple of Lord Shiva , Pashupatinath,

with two tired golden roof and silver door is considered one of the holiest

for Hindus. Although only Hindus are allowed inside the temple, visitors can

clearly see the temple and the activites performed in the Temple premises

from the eastern bank of the Bagmati river. The Temple was listed in the

UNESCO world heritage Monument List in 1979

Acclimatisation day at  Namche Bazaar (3446m)

(Acclimatisation Day) We remain at Namche Bazaar for a second night to allow for proper acclimatisation to the altitude. Namche is a prosperous village situated in a large protected hollow. It gained its importance during the period when Tibetan salt was traded for the lowland grains of Nepal. Today a limited amount of trade still exists at Namche and Tibetans are often seen in the village trading rugs and Chinese-made goods, clothing, salt and dried meat. It is recommended that you take the opportunity to see both the sunrise and sunset views from the national park headquarters above the village. The stunning vista includes a superb panorama of the Khumbu peaks and great views of Everest. After breakfast, a variety of options exists. Perhaps a walk towards Thami (3810m) above the beautiful Bhote Khola River Valley or a visit to the national park headquarters to see the interesting displays of Sherpa lifestyle and culture. There is also a mountaineering display and information on the park’s flora and fauna. Your guides are on hand to offer advice and escort you on walks

(Trekking: approx 3 hours to Gorak Shep, 5 hours round trip to Everest Base Camp) As the trek to Gorak Shep is relatively short, we have the opportunity for a leisurely breakfast before beginning the day’s walk. From Lobuje we follow the broad valley that runs parallel to Khumbu Glacier. A gradual ascent enables us to build the slow, steady rhythm required when walking at high altitude. When we reach the moraines of Changri Nup Glacier, we make a series of small ascents and descents over a rocky trail lined with cairns that leads eventually to the surprising glacial sands of Gorak Shep (5160m) - reached after about three hours of walking. After a quick bite we gear up accordingly to head off towards the Everest Base Camp. The trek to the base camp can be achieved in around three hours and if trekking in the popular climbing period of March to May, we will almost certainly encounter yaks and porters supplying food and equipment to expeditions here. From Everest Base Camp we do not get views of Mount Everest, but we are able to see the notorious Everest Ice Fall that flows from the Western Cwm, which is regarded as technically the hardest and most dangerous section of the mountain. The return journey from the Base Camp to Gorak Shep takes the same amount of time. We have an early dinner so that we are able to get up early the next day for awe-inspiring views of the Himalayan giants from Kala Patar.

Patan

The ancient city of Patan , lying 5 km southwest of kathmandu, is known as the city of fine arts, The city is full of Hindu temples and Buddhist

monuments. The diversity of the medieval culture that allowed both Hinduism and Buddhism to flourish has left a rich legacy of impressive sightseeing in this city for today’s visitors.

Patan Durbar Square:

Situated in the heart of the city, constitutes the focus of visitor’s

attraction. The square is full of ancient palaces, Temple and shrines, noted for their exquisite carvings. The Patan durbar Square consist of three main chowks or countryards, the Central Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk and Keshar narayan Chowk, The Sundari Chowk holds in its center a masterpiece of stone architecture. The Royal Bath called Tushahity. It was listed in the UNESCO world Heritage Monument list in 1979.

 Krishna Mandir:

Built in 1637 AD, the temple of Lord Krishaa holds a commanding position in the palace complex of Patan. It is supposed to be the first specimen of Shikhara style architecture in Nepal . It is the only temple in Nepal having 21 spires and is completely 21 spires and is completely mad of stone.

Bhaktapur durbar Squares:

The Golden Gate is the entrance to the main courtyard of the Palace of 55

Windows, built by King Ranjit Malla. The gate is one of the most beautiful

and richly carved specimens of its kind in the entire world. This gate is

embellished with deities and monsters with marvelous intricacy. The palace

of 55 Window was built in 1700 AD. Among the brick walls in their gracious

setting and sculptural design, is a balcony of 55 windws. This balcony is a

masterpiece of wood carving. The stone temple of Batsala Devi which is also

located in the Durbar Square is full of intricate carvings. This temple also

sets a beautiful example of Shikhara style architecture in Nepal . There is a

bronze bell on the terrace of the temple which is also known as the Bell of

Barking Dogs. This colossal bell, placed in 1737 AD, used to ring to signal

curfew those days.

The main square of the city contains innumerable temples and other

architectural showpieces like the Lion Gate, the statue of King Bhupatindra

Malla, the Picture Galley, the Batsal Temple , etc. A magnificent statue of

King Bhupatindra Malla in the act of worship is placed on the column facing

the palace. It was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Monument list in

1979.