Nepal is a small country but when it comes to Tourism, the world in itself, Why? No doubt, Nepal has 8 of the world’s 14 highest mountain peaks including Mount Everest, 10 UNESCO listed Cultural and Natural World Heritage Sites, the land of Brave Gurkhas, and the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha – The Light of Asia. If you are planning to visit Nepal in 2024 and bewildered where to go? No worries, we have listed here the top 10 best value tourist destinations that are ranked and rated by the visitors.
1. Kathmandu
Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal and the main touristic destination. With one and only International Airport – Tribhuvan International Airport, 7 out of 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, surrounding natural sites, unique and diverse culture, Kathmandu is the main touristic place in Nepal. You will be exploring Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudhanath Stupa, Swayambhunath Stupa, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Kirtipur, Pharping, Budhanilkantha inside the Kathmandu valley whereas Kopan Monastery, Nagarkot, Dhulikhel, Shivapuri, Phulchowki, Nagarjun, and Chandragiri nearby.
2. Pokhara
Pokhara is the second-largest city in Nepal after Kathmandu and as the tourist point of view, the most popular place in the world as most of the trekking trails to Annapurna Region starts from here. Because of the outdoor activities, the city is known as the adventure city as there are best places for Hiking, Trekking, Paragliding, Rafting, Bungee Jumping, and Sky Diving within and around the city.
Three out of ten world’s highest mountain peaks including Annapurna I, Dhaulagiri and Manaslu are nearby the city. Peace Temple, International Mountain Museum, Begnas Lake, Tal Barahi Temple, Phewa Lake, Gupteshwor Cave, David Falls are the main attractions to visit in Pokhara.
3. Lumbini
Lumbini is the famous sacred place for both Hindus and Buddhist pilgrims as the birthplace of Lord Gautam Buddha – The Light of Asia. There are many places to visit in Lumbini as Ashokan Pillar, Buddhist Temples, The Japan Peace Stupa, The Lumbini Museum, and The Lumbini International Research Institute (LIRI). You will find from budget to deluxe hotels for night stay in and around Lumbini and day sightseeing around the holy places is popular here.
4. Nagarkot
Nagarkot is the hilltop site for amazing sunrise and sunset views over the Himalayas including Mount Everest and well known other peaks. Located just 32km away from the capital city Kathmandu, Nepal in Bhaktapur District, Nagarkot offers the best mountain views, luxury stay, and sightseeing tours. It is one of the most popular travel destinations for international and domestic tourists.
5. Bandipur
Bandipur is a hilltop beautiful village located in Tanahun District of Nepal. Bandipur is getting popular for the village and cultural tourism. Bandipur is a living museum of Newari culture, a beautifully preserved village crowning a lofty ridge above the highway stop of Dumre. Its winding lanes are lined with traditional Newari houses. Time seems to have stood still here, although it has taken a lot of effort to preserve the magic while developing the town as a destination. Despite its proximity to the epicenter of the 2015 earthquake, Bandipur escaped with only minor damage, though a number of village houses collapsed.
6. Chitwan National Park
Popular for endangered animal species like Bengal Tiger and one-horned rhino, Chitwan National park is the famous touristic place beyond Kathmandu. Included in the UNESCO World Heritage site in 1984, Chitwan National Park offers the Elephant safari, Cultural programs, Jungle walk, canoeing, and bird watching.
7. Namche Bazaar
Namche Bazaar is the main attraction of the Khumbu region trek located at 3440m high from sea level. Highly populated by indigenous Sherpa people, Namche Bazaar is the tourism business area, especially for altitude acclimatization. Besides a good number of hotels, restaurants, and equipment stores, one can even find a proper pub and cyber cafe. It is good to halt here for a couple of days to acclimatize by walking in and around Namche as acclimatization cannot be done in a hurry. A visit to Syangboche or some Sherpa villages such as Thame, Khumjung and Khunde just a few hours walks from Namche are good options for whiling away your time here.
8. Annapurna Circuit
After the Everest Base Camp Trekking, Annapurna Circuit trek is the most popular and one of the best treks in the world. The trek passes through the banks of rivers, valley, beautiful landscapes, across gorges and through the Himalayan sacred sites. Annapurna Circuit Trek provides an opportunity to the trekkers to view the Annapurna, Dhaulagiri and Manaslu Ranges. From September to December and March to May are the best months for trekking to Annapurna Circuit. Manang, Thorong La Pass, Jomsom, Muktinath, and Ghorepani Poon Hill are the main attractions of the trek.
9. Gosainkunda
Located north to the Kathmandu Valley, Gosainkunda is the popular travel and trekking destination for international and domestic tourists. Gosainkunda is a Himalayan glacier lake popular for pilgrimage tours as Hindu pilgrims visit during the August full moon festival for they believe the lakes were created by the god Mahadev (Shiva) and getting a bath in the lake will be holy for soul and body. During the adventure journey to Gosainkunda, you will encounter the stunning views of Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, Annapurna massif, and Mt. Langtang Lirung. This is the sacred site for Hindus as well as Buddhists too.
10. Janakpur
Janakpur is the Hindu holy site as it is popular for Janaki Temple and Ram Sita Temple. The birthplace of Goddess Sita, Janakpur is the largest temples in Nepal where God Ram and Goddess Sita got married. It is the biggest temple in Nepal, was built in 1898. Janakpur is also on the holy route of Parikrama (holy circle) carried out by Hindus as a form of worship in Ayodhya, Kashi, and Brij in India as well.