Just 32km from Kathmandu, Panauti is a perfectly preserved medieval Newari town that most tourists never visit. Sitting at the sacred confluence of two rivers (with a mythical third), the town is dense with 600-year-old temples, carved wooden windows, and cobblestone lanes. The Indreshwar Mahadev Temple is one of the oldest surviving pagoda-style temples in Nepal, dating to 1294 AD. Unlike Bhaktapur, there's no entry fee and no crowds — you'll share the streets with locals going about daily life, potters spinning clay, and women drying grain on sunlit courtyards. Every 12 years, Panauti hosts the Makar Mela, one of Nepal's most important religious gatherings. The town also offers homestays with Newari cooking classes where you learn to make chatamari (Newari pizza), yomari, and aila (local spirit). A half-day trip from Kathmandu that feels like stepping back 500 years.
Posted by Yalamber Subba · 4/28/2025