The Old Town of Kathmandu: Streets, Temples, and People
Wonderful Kathmandu! Sharing photos from a recent walk (August 6, 2025) when I was celebrating a sunny day after a long, long row of dull weather, which had made me practically a prisoner of my humble twin room.
Google Weather - early August in Kathmandu, Nepal
A home filled with plenty - never without a stock of carrots, bell peppers, apples, garlic, bread, and local cheese - and all sorts of tea from classic black one to mint and chamomile that I brew with the help of my charming travel kettle... Happy the owner of the hotel never entered the room to find out how much I turned it into a kitchen... But I digress - the walk:
The very center of this amazing city.
Few travelers, very few. You are quite unique when visiting Kathmandu in the monsoon season.
No matter where you turn your head - it's cool everywhere.
Windows, wires, archways, yards, shrines (big, small, tiny, and even tinier) - don't rush, look around, and enjoy every step.
Or let's say, what can be more boring than a standard souvenir shop? Because it's normally a place where they sell cheap, tawdry stuff, produced in a factory somewhere in China. But not in Kathmandu:
Many items are made by hand here, if not all - carvings.
If you don't know, carving is a superpower of Nepal.
You can see carved artworks just on regular residential buildings not to mention numerous palaces, Buddhist and Hindu temples.
That's not a museum, that's just in the street.
Slow down and pay attention to the details. Dive in small alleys - any of them can lead to another masterpiece.
This time - stone carving:
And! - people use it - that's not a decoration from the past, long abandoned by everyone like in most European old towns, but a sacred part of people's everyday life. That's what I love about Kathmandu.
An entrance of a residential building, with an electronics shop on the left:
Entering a temple's grounds:
All religions are welcome - a nice reminder:
And that's the facade of the temple itself:
Chasing and repousse metal art is on the top level here, too.
In the era of AI and all sorts of faking, if you still prefer real things, go to Kathmandu and support local artists by buying or taking courses, etc. There are many of them, and many schools of craft and art that are trying to survive.
A word about people. Nepal is a mix of Asian and Indo-Aryan, and sometimes I feel it blends the best features of these two generalizations: people here seem to have a connection to the spontaneity and creativity of the subconscious, yet they are also no strangers to order. I am just sharing how I feel about the locals.
Photographing locals, being in the dense crowd of the late afternoon:
The trade in traditional Nepalese and Indian clothing is another big industry in Kathmandu.
A drum shop - "special for all kinds of classical, traditional folk drums and modern instruments":
She was sleeping so sweetly, I couldn't pass without sneaking a pic:
Kathmandu is wonderful for street photography of all sorts!
The twilight:
Around 7 p.m., the old town becomes a large traffic jam - worth seeing if you are a foreigner - and worth walking through, lol:
The city is absolute fun, love it, many walks are ahead, many thoughts, many feelings... Stay tuned! :-)
All photos were taken by me with a Nikkor 50mm on a full-frame DSLR Nikon D750 on August 6, 2025 (but #11 from the top and #4 from the bottom on August 1) in Kathmandu, Nepal
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Thank you, @claudio83!
The old town has very interesting artistic carvings, and it is true that many people walk around until it becomes a traffic jam, you can take some very interesting photos.Which is truly absolutely perfect That's really really amazing❤️🙏
Yup, the city is just cool. 🙂 Terima kasih, @suarlex!
Blending in with the locals and exploring the surroundings is the way I want to travel. I really want to go to Kathmandu soon.
Hope you'll manage to do so! But avoid July, August, September 😁 - many rainy/overcast days, not that great if you have only several days. I decided to go because I don't hurry.
Nepal is really a different "continent" after Southeast Asia - worth traveling that far. Secondly, you can have a comfortable and safe trip to Kathmandu - the old town has everything to feel cozy. So - a cool destination!
https://www.reddit.com/r/NepalPics/comments/1mkubi5/kathmandu_streets_and_people/
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The detail in Kathmandu’s streets and temples is incredible. For real I'm impressed the way the old and new blend together so naturally.
Glad you liked my post! 😎 Thank you!
You're very much welcome
Nepal has many tourist attractions including temples , beautiful architectures from their building and the unique vibes this country has.
True! Thank you!
Your photos really capture the magic of Kathmandu! The carvings, temples, and tiny hidden shrines are so gorgeous.
Thanks! 😊
There are many moments you share on your journey and it makes me feel entertained by the pictures you show here.
I appreciate it, thanks! 😊
Yeah,You're welcome.
Congratulations @x-rain! You received the biggest smile and some love from TravelFeed! Keep up the amazing blog. 😍 Your post was also chosen as top pick of the day and is now featured on the TravelFeed front page.
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I was waiting for this Katmandu post, lol. Wow, that is so populated and lots going on. Amazing carvings, that drums shop is interesting, have you played with one of those?, As if it were me, I probably would be tapping them! haha. And would probably spend some time looking at those vendor tables, lovely photos. Well done. 😀
That's Europe vs Asia. I traveled in (Eastern) Europe a bit, then tried Asia and never returned to traveling in Europe because "lots going on" 😄 Streets are full of life in Asia, love it.
Thank you!
Last year, when I went to visit my mum and dad in the Philippines, I couldn’t believe how much the population had increased, everyone was out and it was entertaining to see. Yes, Europe is so visually quiet, but underneath there are lots of things going on, government agendas, etc. At least in Asia, what you see is full of life, people doing their own things, and in general, you are probably safer there than here. ☺️
Sure. Much more events per sq.km. in Europe - concerts, exhibitions. Much more original art - in SEA cities, all you see - apart from historical buildings if they are present - are replicas - everything is just a copy. And that's not only about money - poor Eastern European countries are bigger from the point of fine art than Southeast Asian countries.
Hinduism in India and Nepal offers diverse, open to experimentation, inspiring traditional art (which sometimes is quite modern in its essence). But much fewer modern events here.
So... Europe has its own advantages but lack of life in the streets - European countries normally have many regulations like licenses for everything and they are disconnected from the past + less dense population in cities, in general.
I would say, yes. SEA is safer than Europe in general, at least, for a traveler.
Holy heavens, this is a perfect place to take very special street photos!... I loved each photo!... Thank you so much for sharing this excellent work x-rain friend!
Exactly! 😀
Muchas gracias! 😎🥂
Almost like here in my town this month!!!...
🤣
Amazing shots as usual coming from you my talented friend!... Applause!!!
!discovery shots
!PIZZA
😄 At least, I can rest from constant sweating 😁 But honestly craving for a sunny day - for a good photo walk.
Thank you!!
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@jlinaresp(6/15) tipped @x-rain
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That glimpse into Kathmandu’s Old Town—the winding streets, timeless temples, and vibrant people—sounds like a portrait of culture and life beautifully captured!
Very poetic! Thanks! 😊
It seems like a busy city, but the temples have interesting facades.
Sure! But I see no contradiction 🙂
You are right about Kathmandu being the right place for street photography. I want to see the place myself now. Even if it is crowded, it is still worth the trip. Your photography is very nice. I really love witnessing photography in this platform because I am also training myself in it. I hope I get to see some blog/s of yours about tips and techniques when taking photos. Anyway, I love the content. To more of these blog!
It's surely worth visiting, hope you'll manage it.
That's the main point. I personally love watching street photographs (can't say the same about most other photography genres, honestly), and I myself love taking street images. Lucky me to have this combination.
I will...
Thank you!
Such a beautiful tribute to Kathmandu 💖 You perfectly captured the feeling of a city where history isn’t just preserved but is a living, breathing part of daily life ✨ The details you noticed, from the carvings to the sleeping shopkeeper, truly make the city come alive through your incredible photos 🙌 Thanks for sharing 💕
Glad you liked my images that much. Thank you, @wanderelle!
You captured not just the physical charm of the streets, temples and carvings but also the living heartbeat of the place. It’s rare to see a city where tradition and daily life blend so naturally.
True!
Thank you!
You're welcome!🤗
Looking at the images you have captured, I feel like I am lost in an old tradition. Best wishes to you.
Best wishes to you too! Thank you for the praise! 🙂
!BBH
Looks like you are enjoying Nepal. Such a nice place, big culture and tradition. Take care Enjoy yourself :)