Travel Guide to Lalitpur

Indian Embassy Contact Information in Lalitpur

Nepal visit does not require Visa for Indians. Thus, you will rarely need to contact the Embassy. However, nearest Indian Embassy is situated in the capital city of Kathmandu Nepal and can be contacted on +977 1-4410900 for related queries.

Visa Process for Indian Visitors

Indian nationals do not require a visa to visit Nepal. However, you must keep a proof of your Indian Citizenry while travelling to this country. This includes passport and voters ID card.

About Lalitpur

Lalitpur City, historically and popularly called Patan, is located in the south-central region of Kathmandu. It is the third largest city of Nepal- a suburb- and one of its most vibrant towns as well. Located at about 5-km from Kathmandu, the town is easily accessible and thus, a preferred-choice on a trip to Nepal.

Lalitpur is a modern city in the Kathmandu Valley with an interesting past of close to 2300 years. While on tour here, the usual places to visit in Lalitpur are attached to its rich past, centuries-old living culture, tradition, and still experiencing the flavour of flourishing city development.

Things to do in Lalitpur include enjoying its rich artwork, admiring architecture and close engagement with a large community of artisans, especially the metal and wood craftsmen. It is, therefore, no exaggeration to call Lalitpur- a city of fine arts. Today, Lalitpur points of interest include sacred houses, temples, stupas, pagodas, math and Chaitya. Lalitpur, in Sanskrit, means the City of Beauty.

Places to Visit in Lalitpur

One of the most famous places in Lalitpur to tour at leisure is Patan Durbar Square. It is a world heritage site, famous for its many sights and distinguished architecture. A visit here means getting up-close with stunning temple paintings, its woodwork and metal carvings. Some of the popular temples here are Bhimsen temple, Krishna Mandi, and Hiranya Varna Mahabhihar. The Sundari Chowk is one of the many tourist places in Lalitpur depicting the fine taste of woodcarvings, metal and stone sculptures. You can even get a clear Himalaya view from here.

The next on the cards is the Patan Museum. When in Lalitpur, a sneak-peak into its past glory is a must, and the Patan museum helps you do exactly that. There are remains of Malla Kings ancient past here. Exquisite woodwork and stone carvings have been expertly arranged inside the museum. It is the long history cut-short.

The famous temple- Krishna Mandir- deserves a special mention here. It is a Krishna-Radha temple and has the finest stone monument in Nepal. People revere the Krishna temple built in 1637, and even the tourists have a strong reason to enjoy this temple glory of 21 shrines, made of stone and garnished with fine carvings.

Another popular site is the three-storey Golden Pagoda, which was built in the 12th century. On the first floor, sits the Golden image of Lord Buddha and is a pleasant sight to be enjoyed in utmost reverence. Rudra Varna Mahavihar is a unique monastery containing a fine collection of Buddha images carved in metal, wood and stone. Legend has it that the Kings were crowned inside this monastery once: its treasures staying preserved inside the premise.

The Ashokan Stupas are four ancient stupas built in 250 B.C. laid by Emperor Ashoka in Patan.

The Patan Zoo hosts a variety of animals, reptiles and birds, representing the best of the collective Himalayan Flora and Fauna. There is a beautiful 17th-century pond here too.

A 2,758-m mountain range in Patan is Phulchowki. It is a perfect spot for trekking and hiking and reaches atop to visit a Buddhist shrine. You can also take a jeep to the top of the hill.

Mangal Bazaar is located in close proximity to the Patan Durbar square. It is a delight to watch as many street vendors line up in an arranged sequence to sell items from shoes to gold jewellery. There are rooftop cafes to catch a glimpse of the square from an aerial view. There are bustling streets, full of visitors in the excitement of exploring temples, roadside statues or see the monasteries, for example.

How to Reach Lalitpur

Lalitpur is at a short distance from Kathmandu and Pokhara, the largest cities of Nepal. The roadway is the best way to reach here. The mode of conveyance includes a Micro Bus from Ratnapark in Kathmandu. A more private but expensive option is the taxis. There are more buses like blue or green line plying on Kathmandu's Ring Road. It is easy to begin the tour- on-foot-with Patan Dubar Square barely a 15-minute walk from the Ring Road.

Travelling in Lalitpur

When in Lalitpur, explore the city’s beautiful sights on foot. Public transportation means taxis and minibuses. The city and its sites are best seen on foot.

Best Time to Visit

Lalitpur has a humid, subtropical climate throughout the year. The Indian Ocean releases a warm current towards Lalitpur on the one hand, and on the other side, there is a cold wind blowing from North. The two dynamic climate forces make the weather rather pleasant in the city. The average temperature here is about 20℃. There is abundant sunshine. May-September and November-January are the rainy summer months.

There is really no best time to visit Patan except that it can be toured in every season. For those planning to trek, a trip starting from October onwards up to April is the best time to indulge in the outdoors. Your visit to Lalitpur must ideally include an annual festival held in its various monasteries, anywhere and anytime of the year. Annual celebrations are conducted in commemoration of the founding of each monastery. There are religious ceremonies and feasts done by the entire Sangha (members of a single monastery).

The other notable occasion of the Newar Buddhist community is Gunla (the Newar months of July to August) Dharma. It is sacred for Buddhists.

Patan has a festival of lights called Malaya which takes place in October or November. During this time, people are seen marching in groups to the various in-place monasteries, carrying tapers, candles and torches.

Bikram Sambat's New Year's in April is a day of pilgrimages ceremony conducted from Kathmandu to the holy Bagamatu River, running between Patan and Kathmandu.

Indra Jatra Harvest festival is organised in September at Dubar Square. During the festive time, Goddess Kumari sacred chariot is paraded through a designated area.

Himalayan Blues Festival is one of the most famous music festivals in Kathmandu. It is conducted in Garden of Dreams and Patan Museum alongside in many bars and other hotel venues. Musicians from across the world participate in the Blues Festival.

What to Pack?

• Carry a large backpack with you especially if you plan to trek
• Always carry a passport copy and Nepal Visa copy with you in a small bag for compacting the valuables
• Rain gears like raincoat, umbrella, etc. are important
• Make sure you carry your sun gear including sunglasses, sunscreen, etc., any time of the year
• Pack soft woollens for the winters
• Light woollens are most for trekkers
• Always carry a pair of light woollens in casual style since the climate is varied here
• Include windproof and waterproof jacket as a part of your travel wardrobe
• Walking boots with ankle support is a must carry
• A torch and few reusable batteries

Also, don’t forget to pack a travel insurance to cover the whole travelling party against various risks in the foreign location. Travel insurance will come in handy in case you lose your baggage, documents and cash. Additionally, it is also helpful in case you face emergency hospitalisation.

Top Delicacies

• There is a Kidz: The food station to indulge in a variety of food like small pizzas, footlongs, wraps, and especially the gourmet coffee served up to Irish standards.
• Try the vegetarian La Soon Plate or the La Soon Platter in the La Soon restaurant.
• Visit the Summit Hotel for a pleasant barbecue by the Pool.
• Visit the New Orleans for some good coffee, live jazz some nights and so on.
• For the traditional Nepalese food, visit JaZoo.
• For Asian and Thai food, visit Jalan, (Near Summit).
• The Bakery Café serves Noodles, MoMo, sandwiches and more

Indian Restaurants in Nepal

• Tasneem's Kings Kitchen
  • Cuisine: Indian, Asian, Vegetarian Friendly
  • Location: Jhamshikhel Road, Lalitpur, Bagmati, Patan (Lalitpur), Nepal
  • Contact no.: +977 980-1282727
• Rosemary Kitchen & Coffee Shop
  • Cuisine: Indian, European, Asian
  • Location: Thamel Marga, Kathmandu 44600, Nepal (5 to 6 Kms from Lalitpur)
  • Contact No.: +977 1-4267554
• The Ship Restaurant Bar and Lounge
  • Cuisine: Indian, Bar, European
  • Location: Amrit Marg, Thamel, Kathmandu 0977, Nepal (5 to 6 Kms from Lalitpur)
  • Contact No.:+977 1-4412561

Shopping List Essentials

• Shop for wooden and metal Handicrafts near the Durbar Square.
• Buy traditional Buddhist paintings (Thanka).
• Buy Pilgrims Books on on Buddhism, Hinduism and many other religions. Also, shop for English novels and unique books like the Kama Sutra colouring book available easily.
• There are popular souvenirs stores near Durbar Square.
• Saraswati is a speciality bookstore offering academic books and a special section of novels.
• Quixote's Cove is a bookshop built in a 1930s building and offering its visitors an old style, cosy environment.
• Visit shops run by the NGO workers and diplomats who live in the surrounding suburbs.
• There are fair-trade shops, offering superior handicrafts at fair prices.
• Silver, Clothing, Carpets and Rugs, Electronics, can be bought from across Nepal.
• Shop for Cultural Artefacts and the Pashmina

Healthcare Centers

• Railway Hospital
• Aayushman Hospital Lalitpur
• Harriet Benson Memorial Hospital
• Siddhi Bahubali Memorial Hospital

You should also get a list of networked hospitals in the destination location with your Travel Insurer. You may enjoy a cashless treatment in these hospitals.

Emergency Contact Information

• Police Control: 100
• Police Emergency Number: 4228435
• Metropolitan Police Range (Lalitpur): 5521207
• Lalitpur Redcross Ambulance Service: 5545666

Currency Converter

The local currency is called Nepalese Rupees and is available in the denomination of five, 10, 100, 500 and 1,000 rupees. The paisa is available in the denominations of one, two and five paise. Smaller units are called paisa and are available in both coins and banknotes form. It is managed by the Nepal Rastra Bank (Nepalese Central Bank).

It is recommended not to buy the local currency from the airport as the service charges can be high. Lower rates are offered in the city. Private bank rate is much more generous. There are ATM machines to withdraw cash instantly.

Dos and Don’ts of Lalitpur

Do’s First

• Change all Nepalese currency before departing
• Carry a Torch with you at all times
• Always get receipts for your purchases including currency conversions and ATM withdrawals
• Leave your shoes outside the religious places

Don’ts of Lalitpur

• Touch people’s head
• Point your feet towards fire, temple or another sacred place/object
• Use tap water for drinking
• Give money to beggars
• Buy items made of rare, wild animal remains

Basics of Local Communication

Nepali is the most spoken language in Nepal. In places close to Kathmandu, the traditional language was Newari even though Nepali has replaced most of it. Newari is spoken only by few or at home. Hindi is also spoken by the locals, while English is slowly gaining popularity. Here are some simple phrases to be familiar with.