Most first-time visitors to Nepal will usually end up in Thamel after leaving the airport. Thamel is regarded as the hotspot for tourism inside the Kathmandu valley. It is a place that never sleeps, and is the most lively tourist hub for tourists and locals. Thamel is famous for its narrow alleys with various choices of shops for your recreation. You can find many restaurants, bars, travel, and trekking agencies, antique shops, grocery stores, and so on.
You can enjoy drinks in a bar or have a mellow sip of your favorite coffee in the cafes. You can go shopping for unique souvenirs at low prices or you can find your best trekking plan by visiting the trustworthy agencies available in Thamel. You will have full flex choices for both indoor and outdoor activities to keep yourself engaged.
Getting to Thamel is easy. Everyone in Kathmandu knows about this place. Any taxi driver will easily drop you there. It is almost a 20-30 minutes drive from Tribhuvan International Airport and it would cost around $5 (NRs 500).
Explore Indoor Activities
Thamel has few but the best indoor activity spots where you can lose yourself in various activities like archery, futsal, wall climbing, etc.
Indoor Sports Arena: The arena is a perfect venue if you want to try your hands on Archery. It offers a Gym/Physical fitness center, a futsal arena including slackline, a travel desk, a cafe, and a meeting hall. Located at Bhagwan Bahal, Thamel Indoor Sports Arena is a fun place for both adults and children.
Astrek Wall Climbing
Having a 50m high climbing wall and 20 different routes, Astrek Wall Climbing provides you the best experience of all levels of climbing. This beautiful place offers Nepal's tallest indoor climbing wall. This place welcomes adults as well as children. This venue has experienced staff which will make your climbing experience more professional and safer. This venue also has a bar that serves delicious food and offers free Wi-Fi for visitors. Located at Astrek Complex Amrit Marg, Thamel, this is a must-go indoor venue while you are in Thamel.
Quality Shopping
Thamel is considered a shopping paradise for many visitors. Thamel has a variety of shops that sell handicrafts, singing bowls, paintings, and other crafts. You can find beautiful souvenirs like Buddha statues and accessories. There are several stores where you can shop for all the hiking and trekking essentials you want.
To the north of Thamel is Satghumti (seven corner street) where you can find Nepali clothing stores and trekking stores. The longest street in Thamel is known as Thamel Marg and it has numerous Pashmina sellers, jewelry shops, trekking stores, and souvenir shops. Chaksibari Street, also one of the longest streets in Thamel, is famous for trekking gear stores, travel agents, and book shops.
Use of cash and credit cards
Most of the restaurants and stores in Thamel accept international credit cards. We recommend you to use cash most of the time to avoid additional charges and for bargaining advantages. Though, cards and online payment is easily available in Thamel.
Take a heritage walk
Yes, Thamel is famous for its wide selection of bars, stores, and restaurants. But, if you want to know about local art and culture, you can take a heritage walk. Thamel is blessed with ancient places like Bhagwati Temple, Vikramshila Mahavihar, Ganesh and Shiva Shrines, and many more. This walk will surely make your day and leaves you stunned with historic art and culture. Besides this, the glimpse of Newari culture and tradition would be the amazing part of Thamel.
Enjoy the Rickshaw ride through the streets of Thamel
It is always pleasing to wander the streets of Thamel on foot. But if you have never ridden a rickshaw, you should definitely try it in Thamel. You can spend your day in Thamel exploring local culture and other attractions on the rickshaw ride tour with a knowledgeable guide. If you try your excursion in a rickshaw it will cost you just a dollar or two and you can enjoy the perfect ride and take snaps along the way.
Experience live music in Thamel
Who wouldn't love live music? You can experience the colorful nightlife and live music with food and drinks. Every day, several local bands perform live music in Thamel and you can have a beautiful time enjoying local and international hits.
Plenty of clubs and bars like Purple Haze, Reggae Bar, Irish Pub, LOD, Sam's Bar, and Senate Club will be the best option for your music retreat. This experience of live music will surely make your Nepal trip more exciting and memorable. After trekking and any kind of adventure activities in Nepal, these clubs, restaurants, and nightlife recharge you instantly.
Organize a perfect trek
There are several local tour and trekking agencies in Thamel ready to plan your trek according to your choice. They can help you organize long or short treks to enjoy an authentic trekking experience. From short Dhampus-Sarangkot treks to longer treks like Everest Base Camp, an experienced adventure company like Mystic Adventure can organize the perfect trek for you.
Explore book shops in Thamel
Thamel has a nice collection of bookshops. You can find a book shop in almost every alley inside Thamel. Many coffee shops also provide book reading facilities as part of their service plan. Some famous book shops inside the Thamel area are Nepal Book Depot, Tibet Book Store, Pilgrims Book House, and Vajra Books.
Food Hunt
One of the prime attractions in Thamel is the variety of foods that it offers. Thamel is a major hub for world-class culinary to authentic Nepali (Dal Bhat). There are so many restaurants, pubs, bars, and coffee shops that serve Italian, Mexican, Indian, Chinese, and Nepalese food as per your choice. There are many coffee shops where you can spend your time reading a book or meeting your friends. Do not miss out on trying authentic and very delicious Nepali food like Gundruk Dhido and Dal-Bhat. These are some of the popular restaurants and coffee shops in Thamel with a cordial environment.
Himalayan Java
Java is famous for its Nepalese bean coffee. You will also find delicious pancakes, pastries, and breakfast plans. You can find Himalayan Java on Mandala Street.
Coffee House
Just before entering the main area of Thamel, you will find a Coffee House. It has a cozy environment and offers delicious pastries, coffee, and drinks
Roadhouse Café
If you want to enjoy wood-fired pizzas then Roadhouse Cafe can be the best option for you. It has a beautiful space and ambiance where good coffee and hot chocolate are served. There are many branches of this cafe around Kathmandu. In Thamel, you can find Roadhouse Cafe near JP School road.
Fire and Ice
This famous venue serves you the traditional Italian-style stone-baked pizzas. Not only pizza, but this place also serves refreshing drinks, desserts, and ice creams. It is on the main street on the left before you enter the Thamel premises.
Peros Pizza
Peros pizza is located at Chaksibari Marg, Thamel. Having dine-in and takeaway as their service options this place serves pizza and pasta varieties as well as continental cuisines. They also offer their special menu for your best food experience. It has a unique interior style inspired by European designs.
Hankook Sarang
This Korean restaurant offers you the best spicy dishes which come with soup, rice, kimchi, salad, and green tea. This place is famous for its authentic taste and good value. You can also try their special Kimbap and bibimbap. You will love the garden dining of Hankook Sarang instantly. This unique place is located at Chaksibari, Thamel.
Natural Therapy and Spa
A spa is even more recommended for those who are back from trekking. There are many natural therapy spots and spas in Kathmandu offering jacuzzis, saunas, and other relaxation options. This also includes Thai Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, and so on. This massage parlor also offers Trekkers Recovery Massage that eases all the stress of trekking.
You can google the best massage center and check reviews to see if it is legit or not and make up your mind from there. Some of the popular massage parlors around Thamel are Thamel Spa, Heavenly Spa, Mount Heaven Spa, and Namaste Spa.
Garden of Dreams
This famous and beautiful garden is located in Keshar Mahal, near the entrance to Thamel. Fountains, unique garden furniture, pavilions, beautifully designed verandas, and birdhouses add more beauty to this place and take you back to the classical era. Famous as the Garden of Six Seasons, this garden was created by Field Marshal Kaiser Sumsher Rana (1892-1964) in early 1920. You can read books, throw picnic parties or spend your day relaxing in the beautiful Kaiser Cafe sipping your favorite cup of coffee.
At last, Thamel is a unique place one should not miss while in Nepal. It fulfills all the needs of tourists and the atmosphere here simply boosts you up which makes you feel alive. For more information, please feel free to contact us.
