Kirtipur is probably one of my absolute favourite places to visit on a whim.
It has everything I love: great food, amazing views and gorgeous temples.
I remember walking from Sanepa to Kirtipur in the first week we moved to Nepal. The walk isn’t anything special, but I was so enamoured with the houses on the hill and the gorgeous views once we reached Kirtipur, that I decided there and then that this was going to be one of my new favourite places.
And my love for Kirtipur honestly has not subsided yet. When the sky is clear, the sun is out and the mountains are visible, Kirtipur is still my number one destination.
But what is there to do in this little village on the hill? Well, loads it turns out!
In this article I will talk about all my favourite things to do in this amazing city.
If you want my 2 cents – here are my favourite places to visit in Kirtipur.
- Bagh Bhairav Temple – Hands down my favourite spot. Keep an eye out for the goat and take a picture with the large bell!
- Chilancho Stupa – One of the best places to visit if you want some peace and quiet. I love the houses surrounding it and the amazing views.
- Uma Maheshwor Temple – Great for panoramic views of Lalitpur and the Kathmandu valley and there is an amazing little restaurant nearby.
Tip: If you are looking at visiting the city of Kirtipur I would recommend reading my article on how to get to Kirtipur. I will explain how to get there by (micro)bus from Ratna Park, how to take a Taxi or even how to walk there or get there by Scooty!
Visit the Bagh Bhairav Temple
One of my favourite temples in Kirtipur has to be the Bagh Bhairav temple.
Not only is this a beautiful temple (almost) on the top of the hill, it also has a great legend connected to it.
The legend goes that two little girls were shepherding there goats in Kirtipur. They were bored and they decided to make a little tiger out of clay. They used a leaf lying around as its tongue.
When they came back from their lunch, they noticed that one of their goats had been killed. The little statue had blood on its beak. Bhairav, they concluded had made himself at home in this little statue and had killed one of the goats. As punishment they took away its tongue.
On that place where the two girls were shepherding their flock, you will find the Bagh Bhairav temple today. In the holy shrine of the temple you will still find a little clay tiger (a Bagh). The clay tiger is made again every 6 or 7 years as the clay degrades.
When I visited the Bagh Bhairav temple the weather was amazing and you could see from miles if you were standing by the large bell. I would really recommend taking some pictures here.
There was also a large goat blocking the entrance which I found very fitting.
The area around the Bagh Bhairav temple is also pretty nice as there are lots of beautiful little streets, alleys, shrines and old newar houses to look at.
If you want to hear me tell the Bagh Bhairav story, you wan watch my video here!
Visit Chilancho Stupa
Another place I would really recommend visiting when in Kirtipur is the Chilancho Stupa.
Lots of people head to the Monkey Temple of Boudha Stupa, but to me, Chilancho Stupa in Kirtipur is just as special.
Why?
Because it is one of the most peaceful and quiet places in Kirtipur.
Kirtipur is located spread out over two peaks. Where the Bagh Bhairav and the Uma Maheshwor Temple are located is one peak, the Chilancho Stupa is located on the other one. It means that from the little streets and alleyways heading to the stupa you will have an absolutely gorgeous view of the Kathmandu valley.
The Chilancho Stupa is also the oldest monument in Kirtipur. It is believed that the stupa is one of the many stupas made by Ashoka, a 3rd century Mauryan emperor who also made the Ashok stupas in Patan.
As with many stupas and temples, the stupa square of Chilancho Stupa in Kirtipur is home to many other, smaller shrines, often from the 16th or 17th century. I would definately keep an eye out for the shrines that house the images of the four Taras.
When I visited I walked up to the Stupa from Kirtipur gate. I am not sure whether you can drive up by car. You will definately be able to head up by scooter though.
One of the things I love most about this Stupa is that it is set in a very residential area. I loved seeing the people go about their day when visiting the stupa!
Visit Uma Maheshwor Temple
The final temple that is definately worth a visit in Kirtipur is the Uma Maheshwor temple. This temple is just a short walk up the hill from the Bagh Bhairav temple so you can do both at the same time.
The Uma Maheshwor temple is a 17th century temple from where you will have the most amazing view over the Kathmandu Valley.
You know how I talk about heading to Kirtipur on a clear day to sit there and just stare at the Himalayas? This is where I come!
There is a nice little restaurant with rooftop bar next to the temple. The restaurant is called Temple View. Would HIGHLY recommend having a drink here when the Hilamalays are visible! (If you want more info on where to eat in Kirtipur you can read my article on the best restaurants in Kirtipur)
Anyway, back to the temple.
The Uma Maheshwor Temple is a 17th century newar-style temple on the top of the Kirtipur hill. The temple is dedicated to lord Shiva and Parvati. The temple is called Uma Maheshwar because both deities can be found in the Uma Maheshwar pose.
Now, the sad part about this temple is that almost nothing you see today is original. Almost all the wooden features of the temple were stolen in the second half of the 20th century and disappeared into the private antiques market. As you might know, Nepali temples are known for their amazing carvings – so popular that tourists and nepalis alike would just rip them off temples and sell them for big bucks on the black market.
One interesting legend connected to the temple however, is that of the large bell you can see hanging. Now, if you look closer you will notice that this bell is not all that old. That is because the Uma Maheshwar temple’s bell was stolen.
Legend has it that the bell of the Uma Maheshwar temple was a masterpiece.
The king of Bhaktapur was jealous of the bell on the Uma Maheshwar temple and decided to send men to Kirtipur to steal the bell in the black of night.
Now, obviously the bell was very heavy and by the time the sun started to rise, the men had only come as far as Patan. They decided to abandon the bell in a field in Patan and tailed it back to Bhaktapur without bell.
When the farmer found the bell in his field, the King of Patan was notified. He loved the bell so much he decided to hang the bell on the Patan Durbar Square. It is said that the bell on the Taleju temple on the Durbar Square is the bell that used to hang at the Uma Maheshwar temple in Kirtipur.
If you want to hear the whole story you can watch my video below.
Conquer the Trail to Champa Devi
If you are into trekking you can also choose to trek up Champa Devi in Kirtipur.
Champa Devi is probably one of the most beautiful hills in the Kathmandu Valley and depending on the path you take you will be greeted by shrines, a couple of small temples, a village and of course amazing views and vistas.
When trekking Champa Devi you really do need a good pair of trekking shoes because the path is very uneaven. I know Nepalis do it on slippers and sneakers – but they are used to the roads and the paths. Take my advise and put on your trekking shoes. I personally quite like these Merells because they are both light and stirdy, I don’t have the feeling like I’m dragging my feet when I’m tired.
Now, I would personally not recommend trekking Champa Devi during monsoon. Trekking during or right after monsoon can be pretty dangerous as paths get washed away.
I trekked Chandragiri right after monsoon and it was muddy, slippery and often downright dangerous. I would also add that right after monsoon, there are lots of leeches hiding in the mud which means you will need to do a leech check of your lower (and sometimes even upper) body when you get home. If you are trekking right after monsoon to take advantage of the clear views and cheaper prices, just invest in a pair of anti leech socks – I found these on Amazon and they seem great.
If you are not into trekking, you can also choose to drive up Champa Devi on a scooter or motorcycle to take in the amazing views at the top!
Taste Newari food at SASA Twa in Kirtipur
Kirtipur is a very famous Newari village. Because life in Kirtipur can often be described as rustic, many head there to experience Newari culture in a peaceful and quiet setting.
If you want to taste some Newari food in a typical Newari setting you can head to SA SA Twa. This famous restaurant serves dishes like Bara (A kind of savoury pancake or dosa… hard to explain), Samaja baji (this is the Newari version of Dahl Baht), Yomari (A typical steamed treat filled with molasses), and a lot of other typical Nepali and Newari dishes such as Chatamari, Chicken Chilly and Momo.
I even have a friend who goes out of his way to have the weirdest things on the menu such as buffalo spinal chord or buffalo brain.
Now, one of my favourite drinks to have here is Chyang. Chyang is a typical Newari alcoholic beverage. It is a kind of rice wine that is rather sour. The best I can describe it is a bit like a Belgian Lambic but without the carbonation. It’s honestly great.
Obviously, they also have beers, tea and soft drinks if you are not a big fan of Chyang (which is okay, because it is a pretty Marmite drink where you either love it or hate it).
If you like Nepali food I would really recommend getting Ayla: A Feast of Nepali Dishes from Terai, Hills and Himalayas which is the book by famous Nepali chef Santosh Shah or Rana Cookbook which is a cookbook I have myself and combines history and food to teach about the dishes eaten by the Rana family, one of the richest and politically most important families throughout the 19th and 20th century.
Travel to Thailand at Nagar Mandap Shree Kirti Vihar
One of the most interesting places to visit in Kirtipur is the Nagar Mandap Sri Kirti Vihar monastery. This is a Buddhist monastery built in traditional Thai architectural style.
The monastery was built in 1975 and was gifted to Nepal as the Buddha was born in Lumbini which is current-day Nepal. The shrine and pagoda were built with money donated by Thai buddhists.
Although the monastery was built in 1975, it was officially inaugurated by the Supreme Patriarch of Thailand in 1995.
The monastery is located close to Kirtipur gate. One of the best views onto the Monastery is from Kirtipur naya bazar gumba which is a little structure on the main road which offers an amazing view of both the monastery and views of the surrounding Valley. You can find the viewpoint on Google Maps via this link.
Head to the Kirtipur Suspension Bridge
Want to walk on one of those famous Nepali suspension bridges without heading to the Everest Region or the Annapurnas? Then you might want to chekc out the Kirtipur suspension bridge.
The Kirtipur suspension bridge is famous because of both its length and its height.
The suspension bridge goes from Bhiradil Sakura Park to Buddha Mandir and is known for its amazing views when the skies are clear and the mountains are out. From the suspension bridge you will have unbridled views of the Kathmandu valley and the Himalayan Mountains.
Conclusiuon
If you have some spare time when in Kathmandu, I would recommend you visit Kirtipur. There are quite a few amazing attractions in Kirtipur that should definately be on your itinerary. From the Bagh Bhairab temple to the picturesque streets and sqaures of this Newari village… you will be in awe of the panoramic view and the amazing hindu temples.