Cities in Nepal
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From the Kathmandu Valley to the Terai Plains
Here is the list of 12 Cities in Nepal
1. Kathmandu
Known For : Pashupatinath Temple Swayambhunath Temple Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Kathmandu, the city of peace, lives true to this description. The city is charming, busy, bustling, serene, alive and asleep - all at once. The capital of Nepal, Kathmandu is the most accessible city in the country - it is Nepal's only metropolitan city as well.
Best Time: October to April
2. Pokhara
Known For : Phewa Lake Devi's Falls Sarangkot
Pokhara, the 'Tourist Capital of Nepal,' is the second-largest city in this Himalayan country, after Kathmandu. At an altitude of more than 900m, it is one of the highest cities, making it the base for many world-famous treks. The highlight of the town is its Lakeside, which is the boating hub, lined with shops, cafés, restaurants and pubs that make up this postcard-perfect town.
Best Time: October to April
3. Janakpur
Known For : Janaki Mandir Ram Sita Vivah Mandap Ram Mandir, Janakpur
Janakpur is a city in Nepal which is believed to be the birthplace of Goddess Sita and the place of her marriage with Lord Ram. Also known as the City of Ponds, Janakpur boasts of more than seventy ponds that dot its verdant landscape. Here you can learn more about the ancient and revered Hindu epic, the Ramayana and its significance today. Visit the actual sites mentioned in the great epic and listen to local lore as well!
Best Time: October - March
4. Lumbini
Known For : Maya Devi Temple Ashoka Pillar, Lumbini Mayadevi Pond
set in the Himalayas near the Indian border, the beautiful town of Lumbini is the birthplace of Lord Buddha. Lumbini is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and has a plethora of ancient stupas dating back to 2000 years and monasteries that were built by past dynasties. People come here from all over the world to this abode of Buddhism to study scriptures, meditate, practise yoga, trek, learn more about Buddhism and find inner peace.
Best Time: October - March
Nepal Travel Packages
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Muktinath Darshan Nepal Tour: Kathmandu & Pokhara
Kathmandu(2N) → Kushma(1N) → Muktinath(1N) → Tatopani(1N) &...
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5N/6D Luxury Nepal Tour: Kathmandu Pokhara Nagarkot
Kathmandu(2N) → Pokhara(2N) → Nagarkot(1N)
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Explora Nepal Hol...(4.8
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4 Nights 5 Days Nepal Tour Package
Kathmandu(3N) → Nagarkot(1N)
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6-Day Enchanting Nepal Tour with 3-Star Hotels
Kathmandu(3N) → Pokhara(2N)
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Travel Together W...(4.8
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4-Day Nepal Heritage, Religious, and Cultural Tour including 3 Star hotel
Kathmandu(3N)
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4-Day Nepal Kathmandu Luxury Tour with Mount Everest by flight
Kathmandu(3N)
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5. Bharatpur
A lot of people visit Nepal for the attraction of the wilderness, namely Chitwan National Park. Bharatpur is the city in Nepal that falls right in the gateway of the forested area. Located in central-south of Nepal, Bharatpur is the headquarters of the Chitwan district as well as a separate metropolitan administration - one of the four metro cities of Nepal. In essence, the main Bharatpur is mostly about urbanisation.
6. Patan
Known For : Patan Durbar Square Patan Museum Uku Bahal
Patan is the third-largest city in Nepal right after Kathmandu and Pokhara. It is now known as Lalitpur. Both names are derived from the Sanskrit word ‘Lalitapattan’. The city is located just across the river Bagmati from Kathmandu. Patan has a Durbar Square that is full of statues, temples, and palaces. In addition, Durbar Square also has the ‘Patan museum’ which is a must-see attraction.
Best Time: November-January
7. Bhaktapur
Known For : Bhaktapur Durbar Square Golden Gate Nyatapola Temple
Bhaktapur is one of three medieval cities in the Kathmandu Valley, the other two being Kathmandu and Patan. It is often referred to as Bhadgaon and Khwopa and has a mix of Hindu and Buddhist population. This city is located around 12 kilometres from the capital city of Kathmandu and is divided into three squares, each of them filled with temples and other religious structures.
Best Time: October - April
8. Itahari
A sub-metropolitan city in Nepal with seven municipalities in the Sunsari district, Itahari has recently evolved into a bustling transportation junction in the eastern side of Nepal. The two main branches of the Nepal highway circulation - Mahendra Highway running from east to west and Koshi Highway running from north to south cross with each other at Itahari. And, thus, it has become a traffic nerve centre of Nepalese transportation.
9. Narayangarh
Narayangarh is a major transportation and commercial hub in Nepal. This moderately crowded city falls under the bigger umbrella of Bharatpur City and under the administrative jurisdiction of Chitwan district in southern Nepal. Narayangarh, also referred to as Narayanghat, sits with all its buzzing noises and busy crowds and ferrying traffic, right at the bank of Narayani River.
10. Biratnagar
Biratnagar is a metropolitan city located near the Indian border and is the capital city of Province No.1 in Nepal. Biratnagar is popular for its Jute Mills - the first large scale industry of Nepal and the famous Kali Mandir that holds high religious importance in Hinduism in the country. Named after King Virat, the city serves as the entrance point to multiple destinations of Eastern Nepal such as Baraha Chhetra and Ilam.
Best Time: November-March
11. Birgunj
Birgunj is a Nepali city which is based near the border of the Indian state of Bihar. It is a major point of entry for Indian goods trade. Birgunj also receives the goods coming in from the port of Kolkata. Located in the Terai region, Birgunj is the second-largest city after Biratnagar and the sixth most populated metropolis in Nepal.
Best Time: November-March
12. Dharan
Known For : Budha Subba Temple Bhedetar Dantakali Temple
Dharan is a city located near the Southeastern border of India and is a replica of Indian culture and tradition. Dharan is the gateway to the Mahabharat hills and is one of the biggest pilgrimage locations in Nepal. This low-lying hilly region is extremely clean, colourful and culturally diverse as well as a centre for football in Nepal, hence it being called 'mini-Brazil'.
Best Time: November - April
Nepal has two kinds of city and it helps to know which you are heading into. The Kathmandu Valley holds three of them within a few kilometres of each other, Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, each with its own durbar square and its own Newar character, and Pokhara sits west of them under the Annapurnas as the country's main base for trekking and lake time. Everything else on this list is Terai, the flat strip along the Indian border, where Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Birgunj, Itahari and Dharan are working towns rather than sights, hot for much of the year and useful mainly as transit or as the gateway to Chitwan. Janakpur and Lumbini are the exceptions, both pilgrimage towns with a reason to stop. For day trips out of the capital see day trips from Kathmandu, and for the rest of the country, temples in Nepal and mountains in Nepal.
This post was published by Joysurjya Hagjer
FAQs on Cities in Nepal
What is the largest city in Nepal?
Kathmandu, the capital, with a metropolitan population well over a million and the country's only international airport of any size. Pokhara is second in visitor terms and Biratnagar and Bharatpur are the largest of the Terai cities.
Which Nepali cities are worth visiting as destinations in their own right?
Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur in the valley, all three UNESCO-listed for their durbar squares, plus Pokhara for the lake and mountain views. Lumbini, the birthplace of the Buddha, and Janakpur, with its Mithila temple and painting tradition, are the two pilgrimage towns.
What is the difference between the valley cities and the Terai cities?
The valley sits at about 1,300 metres, stays temperate, and holds most of the medieval architecture. The Terai is flat, low and hot, running along the Indian border, and its cities grew as trade and transport hubs. Most travellers pass through the Terai rather than stay in it.
How do you travel between cities in Nepal?
Domestic flights connect Kathmandu to Pokhara, Bharatpur, Biratnagar and a handful of others in under an hour. Tourist buses run the Kathmandu to Pokhara and Kathmandu to Chitwan routes daily. Roads are slow, so a 200 km journey can still take most of a day.
Which city is the base for Chitwan National Park?
Bharatpur, and the adjoining Narayangarh, sit closest to the park and have the nearest airport. Most visitors go straight to Sauraha on the park edge rather than staying in the city itself.
When is the best time to visit Nepal's cities?
October and November, then March and April. Skies are clearest, temperatures are comfortable in both the valley and the Terai, and the big festivals of Dashain and Tihar fall in autumn. The monsoon from June to September is humid and the Terai is uncomfortably hot from April to June.
