Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) , Kathmandu
About Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
A world heritage site, a blend of Hindu beliefs and Tibetan customs, the Swayambhunath Stupa has been one of the most favorite depictions of Nepal altogether. Situated on a hilltop aloof from the civilization, the stupa offers one of the most breath taking views of the Kathmandu valley. On top of the white dome structure, the famed Buddha’s eyes are painted which lazily stare out to the valley. A recommended stop for everyone travelling Kathmandu should make.
Surrounding temples and attractions have some of the most fascinating stories to tell. One of Nepal’s oldest temples, best visited on foot through the 365 steps stairway from the eastern side, an alternative would be to drive to the west and climb only a couple of stairs. The 365 steps run through an entire forest which is entirely populated with hundreds of monkeys, giving it the name of the Monkey temple. The significance of this temple for Hindus as well as for Buddhist has been considered very important. The myths about the temple range from the Bodhisttava Manjushri draining a lake and the magical appearance of the stupa to the Mughals invading it for gold and so on. All in all Swayambhunath has always been iconic and will always be a corridor to a world full of mystical stories and simpler serene times.
Freedom to make your own trip!
What you want, when you want and how you want.
Places to Visit near Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Freak Street, Kathmandu, Bagmati
3.2 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Freak Street is a short street located at the south of the popular tourist spot of Kathmandu Durbar Square. This quirky street comes with a quirky...
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Mahaboudha Temple, Bagmati
3.2 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Built in the devotion of Lord Buddha, Mahaboudha Temple houses around 10,000 Buddha statues. It is often called the “temple of thousand...
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Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bagmati
3.2 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
The Kathmandu Durbar Square is built in front of the old royal palace of the former Kathmandu Kingdom. It loosely consists of 3 main durbar...
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Hanuman Dhoka, Bagmati
3.2 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Another important structure in the Kathmandu Durbar area, Hanuman Dhoka is the the first thing that welcomes you in the Durbar. A 17th century...
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Taleju Temple, Kathmandu, Bagmati
3.3 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Taleju Temple is a temple dedicated to Taleju Bhawani, the clan goddess of the Malla kings who ruled Nepal rom the 12th to 18th century....
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Thamel Chowk, Bagmati
3.5 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Thamel Chowk is the shopper’s hub, the place to buy, sell, rent, enjoy. Located on the north region of Kathmandu, this is the one stop solution...
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Rum Doodle Bar, Kathmandu, Bagmati
4.2 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Doesn’t the name Rum Doodle sound catchy? Well the Rum Doodle Bar got its name from the book “The Ascent of Rum Doodle” - the World’s...
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Garden Of Dreams, Kathmandu, Bagmati
4.5 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Garden of Dreams is a neo‐classical garden in Kaiser Mahal. If you want to escape the fast paced life into the beautiful relaxing dimension...
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Narayanhiti Palace, Bagmati
4.8 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
The unsettling, secretive downfall of the Nepal’s Monarchy has always been something very interesting. For anyone willing to know about this...
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Lazimpat Durbar, Bagmati
4.8 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Among one of the Rana palaces of Nepal, the Lazimpat Durbar is a very large palace complex located just in the centre of Kathmandu city across the...
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Park Gallery, Patan, Bagmati
7 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Founded by an artist and art activist named Rama Nanda Joshi in 1970, the Park Gallery is an artist run space (a gallery run by artists). This...
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Kwa Bahal, Bagmati
7.2 km from Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) - See map
Kwa Bahal is monastery was built in the 12th century and is a three-storey golden pagoda devoted to Lord Buddha. Fortunately this temple was not...
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