Photography in Nepal
Best places for photography in Nepal
A list of the places I would take any photographer, from the old cities to the high mountains and the lowland jungle, with the hour and the season when each is at its best, and the walks of mine that reach them.
- Treks
- 65
- Days
- 1–23
- Highest points
- 1,100–5,644 m
- Photo walks
- 3
- Areas
- Kathmandu Valley
- Places
- 14
- Written by
- Rujan Neupane, guide and photographer
Vyacheslav Argenberg · CC BY 4.0 · Wikimedia CommonsThe places, and when to be there
Seasons are for the clearest light; every place is worth a visit all year.
| Place | The photograph | When | My walks there |
|---|---|---|---|
| BoudhanathKathmandu | Pilgrims, monks and butter lamps on the walk around the great stupa | Dusk; full-moon evenings | Kathmandu Durbar Square & Boudhanath Stupa Pashupatinath and Boudha at dusk Boudhanath, Kopan and Budhanilkantha |
| PashupatinathKathmandu | The river, the temple roofs and the evening fire ceremony, from the far bank | Late afternoon to dark | Pashupatinath and Boudha at dusk Pashupatinath at Dusk Swayambhu & Pashupatinath City Walk |
| BhaktapurKathmandu Valley | Brick squares, pagodas, potters drying their pots in the sun | Early morning, before the day visitors | Newar Food in Bhaktapur Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square |
| PatanKathmandu Valley | Hidden courtyards, carved windows, metalworkers at their doors | Morning, soft light in the courtyards | Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square Kathmandu's Museums Nepal in One Slow Loop: Bandipur, Pokhara and Chitwan |
| Asan and Indra ChowkKathmandu | The old market at its busiest: spices, shrines, porters, morning prayers | 7 to 9 in the morning | Indra Jatra Day Old Kathmandu on Foot |
| Khokana and BungamatiSouth of Kathmandu | Newar village life, the old oil mill, carvers at work | Morning; mustard fields in winter | Bungamati and Khokana |
| Phewa LakePokhara | Wooden boats at dawn, Machhapuchhre in still water | Sunrise, October to December | Bhujung Lwang Nepal in One Slow Loop: Bandipur, Pokhara and Chitwan |
| Poon HillAnnapurna | Dhaulagiri and the Annapurnas in the first light; rhododendron forest below | Sunrise; flowers in March and April | Ghorepani Poon Hill Poon Hill and Annapurna Base Camp |
| Gokyo Ri and Kala PattharEverest | Everest and its neighbours close, glaciers, the Gokyo lakes | Sunrise and sunset, October to December | Gokyo Lakes Everest Base Camp Gokyo to Everest Base Camp |
| TengbocheEverest | The monastery with Ama Dablam and Everest behind it; Mani Rimdu dances | Morning; the festival in October or November | Everest Panorama Dumji in Khumbu Everest Base Camp |
| Upper MustangMustang | Red cliffs, cave dwellings and the walled town of Lo Manthang; the Tiji festival | All day; Tiji usually in May | Upper Mustang |
| ChitwanThe lowlands | Rhinos by the Rapti river, birds, mist over the grassland, Tharu villages | Dawn, October to March | Chitwan in 3 Days Chitwan Jungle Safari Nepal in One Slow Loop: Bandipur, Pokhara and Chitwan |
| LumbiniThe lowlands | Pilgrims in white, prayer flags and the monasteries of many countries | Foggy winter mornings | Pokhara, Lumbini and Chitwan |
| BandipurThe middle hills | An old trading town on a ridge, valley fog below, the Himalaya behind | Sunrise, November to February | Nepal in One Slow Loop: Bandipur, Pokhara and Chitwan Village Nepal |
Making the most of each place
- Go twice: once to look, once to photograph. The second visit is always better.
- Stay overnight where the light matters: Bhaktapur, Tengboche, a viewpoint lodge.
- More viewpoints for sunrise: sunrise viewpoints in Nepal · mountain view treks.
Questions people ask me
Where is the most photogenic place in Nepal?
For mountains, Gokyo; for a city, Bhaktapur at dawn; for culture and landscape together, Upper Mustang.
Can I photograph the Himalaya without trekking?
Yes: from the valley rim at Nagarkot, from Pokhara on a clear morning, or on a mountain flight from Kathmandu.
Tell me what you want to photograph and when you can come, and I will plan the days around the light.
