Bandipur

Bandipur sits on a ridge high above the main road between Kathmandu and Pokhara, and it exists in its present form because history passed it by: it grew rich as a Newar trading post on the India to Tibet route, then lost its purpose when the highway was built down in the valley, and the old bazaar street of shuttered, carved wooden shopfronts and pale plastered houses survived largely unaltered. The main street is closed to vehicles, which makes it exceptionally pleasant to wander, and the town has been carefully restored with old houses converted to guesthouses rather than demolished. From the ridge and from the viewpoint at Tundikhel the view runs along a great sweep of the Himalaya, from Dhaulagiri through the Annapurnas to Manaslu and Ganesh Himal, and short walks lead to caves, a hilltop temple and villages below.

History

Bandipur began as a simple Magar village. Newar traders from Bhaktapur, after the Kathmandu valley was taken by Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1768, made it an important stop on the India-Tibet trade route, valued for its malaria-free position, and brought their architecture with them; the town had its heyday in the Rana period (1846-1951), when it was even granted its own library, still in use (Wikipedia, Bandipur Rural Municipality).

What's there

• The bazaar street - the car-free main street of carved Newar shopfronts.
• Tundikhel viewpoint - the ridge-end outlook along the Himalayan range.
• The temples - the Bindebasini and hilltop shrines above the town.
• Siddha Gufa - the large cave a walk below the ridge.

When to go

October to April gives the clear skies that make the mountain views worthwhile; the monsoon usually hides them entirely. Dawn from Tundikhel is the best hour. It works well as an overnight break on the long road between Kathmandu and Pokhara rather than a destination in itself.

Things to know

The mountain views are the main draw and they depend entirely on the weather, so a hazy or cloudy stay leaves the town pretty but ordinary. It is small and quiet, with little to do beyond walking and eating, which suits some and bores others. The access road up from the highway is steep and winding. It has become fashionable, so prices are higher than the size of the place suggests.

Nearby

Pokhara is about two hours west; Gorkha and its hilltop palace lie to the north-east.

Key facts