Visit Bandipur Village

Bandipur – Nepal's Most Beautiful Car-Free Hill Town

Bandipur sits on a mountain ridge at 1,030m, 143km west of Kathmandu and 80km east of Pokhara, making it the ideal overnight stop on the journey between the two cities. It is Nepal's most perfectly preserved Newari hill town – a pedestrianised settlement of traditional three-storey merchant houses lining a single slate-paved main street, with views north across the Marsyangdi valley to a wall of Himalayan peaks including Dhaulagiri (8,167m), Manaslu (8,163m), Machhapuchhre (6,993m) and Ganesh Himal. Very few travellers make the detour, which means those who do find a genuinely unspoiled place.

The town's merchant past is visible in its architecture: the Aadha Bazzar (the half market) was once a major trading hub on the route between India and Tibet, and the traditional trading houses – now converted into guesthouses, cafes and craft shops while retaining their original facades – preserve the character of that era intact. There are no vehicles in the historic centre. The silence, after Kathmandu and Pokhara, is striking and welcome.

Siddha Cave (Siddha Gufa)

Nepal's largest cave lies 30 minutes' walk from Bandipur village. Siddha Gufa is 50m high and 437m deep, with extraordinary stalactite and stalagmite formations, a thriving bat colony and rock chambers that open into one another in unexpected configurations. Guided cave tours with headlamps take about 45 minutes. For the adventurous, abseil entry through a hole in the cave roof is possible. It's one of the finest cave experiences in Nepal and a highlight for most Bandipur visitors.

Tundikhel and Himalayan Views

The Tundikhel – a wide open plateau at the top of the village, once a parade ground and trading area – is Bandipur's finest viewpoint. The panorama takes in the Himalayan chain from Dhaulagiri to Langtang, with Machhapuchhre's distinctive fish-tail summit particularly prominent. Evening light on these peaks, when the sky turns gold and the mountains glow, is one of Nepal's most quietly spectacular moments.

Paragliding

Two or three tandem paragliding flights operate from Bandipur daily in suitable conditions, launching from a field near the Tundikhel. Unlike Pokhara's busy commercial paragliding operations, Bandipur flights are quiet and exclusive – typically just one or two pilots in the air at a time. The views of the Himalayan range during flight, with the valley far below and the peaks at eye level, are exceptional.

Three Mountain Lodge

Three Mountain Lodge is Bandipur's finest accommodation: a comfortable boutique property on the edge of the village with rooms overlooking the Himalayan panorama, excellent locally sourced food and hosts with encyclopaedic knowledge of the town and its surroundings. The lodge is reachable by vehicle or by a 90-minute walk from the main street through forest and farmland – most guests choose the walk. It is one of the most appealing small hotels in Nepal.