Among the mostly visited place of Kathmandu, Thamel is the most significant one. It is the most happening spot for tourists where you can enjoy the nightlife when you are in Kathmandu. It is in the heart of Kathmandu. Thamel is the obvious place to sort out your affairs: it has all the airline offices, hundreds of hotels, restaurants, book stalls, shops, trekking and travel agencies.
Where is Thamel ?
Thamel is a popular place and any taxi driver will easily drop you there with few dollars. When you arrive at Tribhuvan International Airport, it’s about a 20 minutes drive.
Things to do in Thamel
Indoor activities – You can indulge in various indoor activities like wall climbing, archery, playing football, etc. Astrek has a 50m high climbing wall. It is Nepal’s tallest indoor climbing wall. There are 20 different routes so that you can experience all levels of climbing. It is inside Thamel and popular among foreigners.
Food – You can find best restaurants here which are also listed in Tripadvisor. Thamel is an excellent place to taste numerous cuisines from local Nepali taste to Indian, Chinese, Korean, Italian, continental and many more. You can also try typical Nepali food like dal-bhat, gundruk, dhido, spicy choila, juju dhau(king curd), rice beer, tongba(good in winter) and other delicious items.
Book Shops – If you like reading then Thamel has a nice collection of book shops. There are some book shops where you can also buy second hand books or sell the books you have. There are old and popular book shops like Paradise Book Seller, Pilgrim Book House, Himalayan Map house and Tibet Book store etc.
Spa and Natural Therapy – There are many spas and massage parlors in Thamel but be careful before selecting one because you might step in into wrong one. We suggest you to check Tripadvisor review before you step in. Some good spas and massage parlors offers sauna, jacuzzi, Deep Tissue Massage, Thai Massage, Ayurvedic Massage and other relaxation options.
Rickshaw ride – Rickshaw ride through the streets of Thamel might be a new experience for you. You can enjoy taking videos, pictures and selfie along the tourist market in Thamel.
Thamel market – There are so many handicrafts, antique stuff, trekking and expedition stuff, t-shirts, hemp products(bags, trousers), luxury cashmere pashmina etc to see and buy.
Garden of Dreams – It is a beautiful park inside the city where you can relax in an open area. It is located in Kaiser Mahal near to Narayan hiti museum (old Royal palace). It is also known as the Garden of Six Seasons. It is different than other parks in Nepal as it has beautiful pavilions, fountains and architecture. Here you can lay on the ground in a mat which you’ll get there and read books. There is small entrance fees.
Thamel nightlife – Kathmandu nightlife is majorly concentrated in the Thamel. Here you’ll find many nightclubs, bars, casinos. These clubs are both for locals and tourists.
Thamel map