Bhaktapur & Changu Narayan Temple

Bhaktapur lies only a short distance from the capital, but it could be another planet, so great is the difference in the atmosphere and sense of history. It really feels, despite the gradual encroachment of satellite dishes, that little has changed here for centuries.

There are so many points of interest between the focal centres of Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square and Dattatraya Square that it would be impossible to detail them all. A stroll through the town at a leisurely pace, however, will leave you with a sense of awe and enchantment at the beautifully preserved setting, which nevertheless has a prosaic life of its own.

In Bhaktapur there is the Wood Carving Museum, Brass and Bronze Museum, and the National Art Gallery. Visit the Lion Gate, Picture Gallery, Golden Gate and the Fifty-Five Windows Palace.

Four kilometres away stands the stunning Changu Narayan temple, with a history dating back to the 4th century. The building itself is 7th century but many of the images to be found here have a longer history, and its relatively untouristed nature makes this one of the more atmospheric temples to visit in Kathmandu.