10 Best Places To Visit In Nepal (2023) | Top Tourist Destinations in Nepal

Some Surprising & Shocking Facts about Nepal

Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal & is one of the largest source of foreign exchange and revenue for the country. With the highest numbers of world's top mountains, about 8 out of 10 are in Nepal. Nepal is a hotspot destination for tourists, mountaineers, rock climbers & people seeking adventure.

Mount Everest being the highest mountain peak in the world is located in Nepal. Mountaineering and other types of adventure tourism and ecotourism are some of the important attractions for visitors. The world heritage sites like Lumbini ( birthplace of Buddha ), is located in the south of the West region of Nepal (which despite the name is located in the center of the country) and there are other important religious pilgrimage sites throughout the country. The tourist industry is seen as a way to alleviate poverty and achieve greater social equity in the country. Tourism brings $471 million a year to Nepal.

According to the research & statistics in 2012, tourism was in growth rate of 9.8%. According to statistics from Nepal Tourism Board, a total of 598,204 foreign tourists visited the country via aerial route in 2012. The government of Nepal declared 2011 to be Nepal Tourism Year, and hoped to attract one million foreign tourists to the country in the given year. The government of Nepal has also declared Lumbini Tourism Year 2012 to promote Lumbini. The government of Nepal had also declared Visit Nepal 2020 with the aim of bringing in two million tourists by 2020. But due to the pendemic in 2020, the visit Nepal 2020 program was badly affected due to which it affected bad impact in some of the tourist destinations in the world.

As per the statistics of 2017, most of the tourists come to Nepal for observing the pilgrimage sites and heritages sites of the country i.e. 70.3%, then 34.5% visit for pleasure, 13.1% of them visit Nepal for mountaineering and trekking and remaining 18.0% of the tourists arrive for official activities, conferences, business etc. The tourism industry of Nepal was affected after the destructive earthquake in 2015, by the series of earthquakes in 2015. But after the pandemic in 2020,Nepal regained its popularity in tourism sector once again, with high number of tourists visits every month.Nepal is one of the perfect places for travel junkies to visit . The adventureous places in Nepal and the heritages importances in Nepal are the major attractions for many tourists in Nepal in the current year 2022.

10 Best Places To Visit In Nepal (2023)

• Phewa Lake - Pokhara


Phewa Lake also known as Phewa Tal or Fewa Lake (Nepali: फेवा ताल, is a freshwater lake in Nepal formerly called Baidam Tal which is located in the south of the Pokhara Valley that includes Pokhara city and is part of Sarangkot and Kaskikot. The lake is stream-fed but a dam regulates the water reserves, therefore, the lake is classified as semi-natural freshwater lake. It is the second largest lake in Nepal. The largest in Gandaki Province after the Rara lake in the comparison to Nepal's water bodies. It is the most popular and most visited lake of Nepal from tourism point of view.

• Pashupatinath Temple - Kathmandu


Pashupatinath Temple (Nepali: श्री पशुपतिनाथ मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple which dedicated to Lord Shiva, and is located in Kathmandu, Nepal. This temple has been classified as a World Heritage Site in 1979. This extensive Hindu temple precinct is a sprawling collection of temples, ashrams, images and inscriptions. Pashupathinath Temple is located on the banks of the divine Baramati River. The temple was built in the 5th century, and is one of seven monument groups in UNESCO's designation of Kathmandu Valley.

• Janaki Temple - Janakpur


Janaki Temple (Nepali: जानकी मन्दिर) is a Hindu temple in Janakpur, Nepal, dedicated to the famous Hindu goddess Sita who was the wife of God Ram According to hindu mythology. It is an example of mixed Hindu Nepali architecture[1] Fully built in bright white and constructed in an area of 1,480 square metres (15,930 sq. feet) in a mixed style of and Hindu Kingdomship of ancient Nepal.The building is three-storied structure made entirely of stone and marble.

All its 60 rooms are decorated with the flag of Nepal, colored glass, engravings, and paintings, with beautiful lattice windows and turrets. According to legends and epics, King Janak ruled Videha Kingdom from this part of Janakpur during the Ramayana period. His daughter Janaki (Sita), during her swyambar, had chosen Lord Rama as her husband, and become the queen of Ayodhya. Their marriage ceremony had occurred in the nearby temple which is also called vivaha mandap that later reconstructed by Amar Singh Thapa. The site was designated as a UNESCO tentative site in 2008.

• Chitwan National Park - Chitwan


Chitwan National Park is the first national park of Nepal. It was established in 1973 and was granted the status of a World Heritage Site in 1984. It covers an area of 952.63 squared.km and it is located in the subtropical Inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal in the districts of Nawalpur, Parasi, Chitwan and Makwanpur. In altitude it ranges from about 100 m (330 ft) in the river valleys to 815 m (2,674 ft) in the Sivalik Hills.

Chitwan National Park is famous for its wildlife and natural beauty. The national park consists of many endangered and rare species like One horned rhinos,elephants, Gharial crocodiles and Royal Bengal Tigers. Tourists from all around the world visit chitwan National park to explore the wildlife and the rare species in the world. The place is a hotspot destinations for tourists with all the facilities for tourists.

• Ilam


Ilam district (Nepali: इलाम जिल्ला is one of 14 districts of Province No. 1 of eastern Nepal. It is a Hill district and covers 1,703 km2 (658 sq mi). The 2011 census counted 290,254 population. The municipality of Ilam is the district headquarters and is about 600 km (370 mi) from Kathmandu.

Ilam is a beautiful place for peace seekers and also for researchers. The Devi temples have a great importance attached to them and many people come here just for pilgrimage. The major attraction of Ilam is the nine-cornered Mai Pokhari lake. Also known as the Abode of the Goddess, many tourists as well as Nepalese people come to visit this place. This place is also one of the most famous places for flora and fauna, which attracts biologists. Similarly, Gajurmukhi is also a religious spot for pilgrimages from Nepal and India. The Mai river and its four tributaries also emerge in the Ilam district. Sano Pathivara is another place that is famous for pilgramage.

• Lumbini


Lumbinī (Nepali: लुम्बिनी) is a Buddhist pilgrimage site in the Rupandehi District of Lumbini Province in Nepal. It is the place where, according to Buddhist tradition, Queen Mahamayadevi gave birth to Siddhartha Gautama at around 566 BCE. Gautama, who, according to Buddhist tradition, achieved Enlightenment some time around 528 BCE,[3][4] became Gautama Buddha and founded Buddhism. Lumbini is one of many magnets for pilgrimage that sprang up in places pivotal to the life of the Buddha.

Lumbini is the place with the most number of temples build by several nations like Maya Devi Temple, World Peace Pagoda, Ashoka Pillar, and many more. The place is a hotspot tourist destinations for people inside and outside Nepal. One should visit Lumbini and explore the different and artistic temples in his/her life .

• Lukla


Lukla (Nepali: लुक्ला) is a small town in the Khumbu Pasanglhamu rural municipality of the Solukhumbu District in the Province No. 1 of north-eastern Nepal.The place is situated at 2,860 metres (9,383 ft), it is a popular place for visitors to the Himalayas near Mount Everest to arrive. Although Lukla means place with many goats and sheep, few are found in the area nowadays.

Lukla contains a small airport servicing the region. The airport is worldwide famous airport with the shortest runway for the planes to takeoff and land. It features variety of shops and lodges catering to tourists and trekkers, providing western-style meals and trail supplies. From Lukla, travellers will take two days to reach the village Namche Bazaar, an altitude acclimatization stop for those continuing on.

• Mount Everest


Mount Everest (Nepali: सगरमाथा) is Earth's highest mountain above sea level, located in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The China–Nepal border runs across its summit point. Its elevation (snow height) of 8,848.86 Metres (29,031.7 ft) was most recently established in 2020 by the Chinese and Nepali authorities.

Mount Everest attracts many climbers, including highly experienced mountaineers. There are two main climbing routes, one approaching the summit from the southeast in Nepal and the other from the north in Tibet. While not posing substantial technical climbing challenges on the standard route, Everest presents dangers such as altitude sickness, weather, and wind, as well as hazards from avalanches and the Khumbu Icefall.

• Chandragiri Cable Car - Chandragiri Hill


Chandragiri Hill is one of the popular sites in Nepal to visit with your families and friends. It has grabbed the attention of several travelers all over the world due to its unmatched beauty. The place is situated on the lap of Chandragiri Hill resides a sacred temple of Lord Shiva at an altitude of 2551 meters. Chandragiri Hill is also one of the popular hill stations near the Kathmandu valley, where you can enjoy the snowfall during winter.

Chandragiri will enhance your traveling experience as the devotees of Lord Shiva come here with offerings on various occasions. Similarly, the panoramic view of some of the high peaks like the Everest range, Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh, and more attracts travelers to hiking. The place is famous for its long 2.5 km long cable car ride with a thrilling experience.

• Daman - Makwanpur


Daman (Nepali: दामन) is one of the most beautiful tourist attractions in Thaha Municipality, Makwanpur District, central Nepal. It lies on the Tribhuvan Highway, about 77 kilometres (48 mi) southwest of Kathmandu (about halfway to Hetauda) at an elevation of 2,322 metres (7,620 ft). Daman has among the greatest views of the Himalayas, extending on a good day from Dhaulagiri in the west to Mount Everest in the east.[1]

The village also contains the Everest Panorama Resort, which includes a helipad. Since the village lies on the outskirts of Kathmandu, it provides a great opportunity for the people residing in Kathmandu to observe its beauty and use it for means of recreation. Also, during winter, snowfall occurs in the hills, augmenting the beauty of the village. There is religious site near called Risheshor Mahadev Temple.