Hitis, ancient water spouts, also known as Dhunge Dharas have served as integral components of Kathmandu’s traditional water supply system for centuries. The water from the Hitis serves various everyday needs, encompassing ordinary household tasks, occupational requirements, participation in religious and cultural rituals. In Nepal, it’s common to observe people drinking directly from a hiti, using it for washing themselves, laundering clothes, or even collecting water to take home for household chores like washing, drinking, and cooking. A rajkulo, known as a royal canal in English, is a dist ..read more

When people think of Nepal, the first things that come to mind are the Himalayas with its yaks and snow leopards, or the cultural and historical haven of the Kathmandu Valley. Most travelers find themselves seeking this emblematic image of Nepal, an image of hills and glaciers, narrow trekking paths and endless pastures. While the unparalleled magnificence of the Himalayas and their foothills are the face of Nepal for a good reason, travelers must not ignore that Nepal has another, equally unique, face. Underneath the shadow of the mountains are the vast lowlands, home to indigenous communitie ..read more

Nepal is finally fully open to visitors and travelers, after two uncertain and testing years. After two years of being at a standstill, the Government of Nepal is putting a special emphasis on encouraging travelers to visit Nepal in 2023, promoting it around the world as a destination for adventure, luxury, and everything in between. While any year is a good year to visit Nepal, here are 20 reasons to visit Nepal in 2023. So, what are you waiting for? The UNESCO World Heritage Sites Patan Durbar Square is one of Nepal’s UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Photo: Aleksandr Zykov/Flickr Nepal is home ..read more

All across the globe and its many cultures, people have been keeping track of Earth’s revolutions around the Sun, and have celebrated each in their own time and manner. Besides, for the sake of timekeeping, the New Year is a celebration of life, renewal, and hope. With many people taking up New Year as an occasion to hit the reset button, find new resolutions, and turn into the people they have always envisioned themselves to be, The people of Nepal are lucky enough to have eight such occasions within 365 days! In Nepal, where the culture of others is respected as much as your own, one year wh ..read more

Celebrated for eight days during the eleventh month of the Newari people’s calendar, Indra Jatra shows how the indigenous culture of Kathmandu Valley, one that has its roots in a time where history and mythology are indistinguishable, is still alive and strong to this day. For those who may not know, the Newari people are keen on taking up any occasion to come together and rejoice in their ancient traditions, and the end of the monsoons is an occasion like no other. With many thanks to give to the rain, extreme devotion and enthusiasm are displayed during this festival as it marks the end of t ..read more

Kristin Harila is on a mission: her goal is to climb all fourteen 8000-meter peaks in a breath-taking time of less than six months. She came close to this feat already in 2022, but in the last moment she was denied climbing permits for Cho Oyu and Shishapangma, the two final peaks missing in her quest to finish this project. This year she has started climbing the fourteen highest peaks of world all over again. Inside Himalayas met the 37-year-old Norwegian athlete during her brief stay in Kathmandu in between one mountaineering expedition and the other, in early May 2023. Inside Himalayas: Kri ..read more

Kiran Manandhar stands out as a pioneer in Nepal’s Contemporary Art scene.  He continues to create waves with his work, inspiring Nepali artists to take risks with their creative expression and break out of traditional Nepali art, which is typically governed by tight rules of iconography. Manandhar’s paintings are a marriage of the old and the new. He finds balance between traditional representations and contemporary notions of art.   He is aware of where Nepali art stands in the global context and he continues being a trailblazer in the emerging abstract art scene. His paintings are ..read more

Patan underwent an artistic transformation as the fifth edition of the Photo Kathmandu Festival unfolded. Curated by Photo Circle, the festival showcased public art exhibitions across six venues, ranging from streets and community spaces to galleries and other locations. The festival’s curatorial team, which included Shristi Shrestha, Diwas Raja KC, Prasiit Sthapit, Irina Giri, and Shikhar Bhattarai, played a crucial role in ensuring that the art exhibits were accessible to a wider audience. Led by festival director Nayantara Gurung Kakshapati and the curatorial team, this year’s festival chal ..read more

A festival of art is taking the streets of Lalitpur by storm. What’s all the hype about? Photo KTM Festival 2023 is an annual event that’s like no other. It’s a festival that brings the world to Patan and Patan to the world. Art exhibits from all over the world are currently being displayed in 6 venues scattered across Patan. If you’re looking for an adventure to seek out these venues and the bounty of art exhibits they hold, here’s your window of opportunity! Photo KTM Festival 2023 started on the 25th of February and will be taking place until the 31st of March. If you’re reading this before ..read more

I love travelling around Nepal. I have travelled up and down the country on public transport; staying with friends, in family homestays (my favourite kind of accommodation), hotels, and lodges of all descriptions. But while foreign tourists are usually willing to try out a number of different styles of accommodations, seeing them take a public bus is still a rarity. Apart from tourist buses that go to and from Pokhara or Chitwan or jeeps used by trekkers going to and from Besisahar in the Annapurna area, I almost never see foreign tourists travelling on public transport. Even in Kathmandu, it ..read more