For those who love to be surrounded by greenery, Godavari at the southeast edge of the Kathmandu valley is the ideal place to be. Godavari sits at the foot of Phulchowki (2,760m), the highest peak of the valley rim where revelers rush to, every time it snows towards winter’s end. Phulchowki means the ‘Mountain of Flowers’ and indeed is resplendent during the spring, cloaked in colorful rhododendron flowers. The valley’s only botanical garden, the National Botanical Garden lies here in Godavari, at the very edge of Kathmandu valley, spread over a large area and has a couple of streams flowing through it.

The drive to Godavari, About 16 km from Kathmandu  is interesting as it passes through Harshiddhi, a typicalNewari town with a rather sinister history. The well-known pagoda-style Bal Kumari Mandir was once believed to have practiced child-sacrifice as a means to appease the gods. There are steep steps leading up to the shrine. After Harisiddhi, the drive is pleasant as it goes through less densely populated areas. Godavari, a peaceful little village surrounded by dense jungles acquired its name from a repenting ascetic who went to a place also known as Godavari in India to do penance for killing a cow which is considered sacred by Hindus and killing one is a criminal offense in Nepal. Upon returning to his native village here he established the temple complex of Panch Dhara or five water spouts, whose waters are supposed to flow down to the river Godavari in India.

Godavari is home to at least 256 species of birds (one third of all bird species in Nepal) including the famous Spiny Babbler which was re-discovered here after it was thought to have been extinct for 104 years. It is also popular for the more than 300 species of butterflies and moths found here. The Botanical Garden, founded by King Mahendra in 1962 is the only one of its kind in the country boasting 4,500 specimens of flowering and non-flowering plants including large varieties of orchids. There are lovely walks around the garden where you may encounter magpies and mynas flitting from tree to tree. There are butterflies all over the gardens but most of the flowers are in the enclosed area with a sign that reads National Botanical Garden. This area is closed for lunch from 1 – 2 pm. There are many species of flowers including orchids and one of the green houses has a collection of Bonsai plants. There is an exit gate at the other end of the garden which is quite useful if you need to get back to the mini bus park which is closer from this end.

If you head toward the south from the main crossing along a partially sealed road and climb up 600m you come to the Phulchowki Mai Temple near the marble quarry. Damaged but not destroyed in the quake, this three-tiered pagoda temple is dedicated to one of the Tantric mother goddesses and the two large pools before the temple compound are fed by nine spouts (known as the Naudhara) that represent the nine streams that flow down from Phulchowki.

To get to the top of Phulchowki, one of the options is a full-day hike along dirt tracks from Naudhara Kunda, or a very rough ride on a road only suitable for 4WDs, mountain bikes or motorcycles. Walking along the footpath is advisable as the main road goes right around the mountain taking the long and winding way up. The hike to the top may be tough but the rewards make it worth all that trouble. The breathtaking view from the top covers the entire Kathmandu valley and a wide panorama of mountains from Dhaulagiri in the west to Kanchenjunga in the east. During spring, the rhododendrons and other wild flowers are in bloom. You will also come across many orchids clinging on to the trees. At the top are also a communications tower and the other Phulchowki Mai temple. There are no eating facilities here so one has to bring food and water, and walk in the company of fellow travelers for safety. The round trip will take about seven hours (four hours up and three hours down), so an early start in the morning is advised in order to be back before dark. It is also important to check the status of the trails before heading up as landslides occasionally block the road to the top. The drive up takes about 45 minutes.

Instead of veering left towards the botanical gardens from the fork, if you stay on the road and continue for 100m, you arrive at the Godavari Kunda, a spring where the sacred water of the Godavari River pours down from the mountain. There is a Tibetan monastery nearby. A huge festival takes place at the Godawari temple once every 12 years in the autumn season when pilgrims from around Nepal arrive to bathe and gain merit.

Past Godavari village and partially hidden in a light forest up in the hillside is the Bishanku Narayan, one of the more important Vishnu temples of Kathmandu valley. The shrine lies in a natural cave set within the hillside. The walk is about an hour long from the botanical gardens.

Namo Buddha is situated at the elevation of 1750m above sea level and located 40 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu (approx 1 hr 30 minutes drive from Kathmandu by private vehicle). Namo Buddha is one of the most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites south of the Himalayas, as well as being one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world.  Hence, it has a special charm. Walking there from the small village of Panauti can be as a small pilgrimage of its own.

Panauti, the starting point can be reach in about one and hour by private vehicle from Kathmandu. If you want to stay the night there beforehand, you can stay at Homestay. From there, hikers start the walk by following the dirt road along the river and passing the town’s Hindu temple.

For the next two hours, the way leads more or less evenly through small villages and rice fields. Depending on the season, you can see the locals planting, harvesting rice and other crops and get a great insight into the village life in Nepal. Teashops along the way invite to rest and have a refreshing cup of chia.

On the way you will have breathtaking views of the monastery and the stupa in the distance. And also the hundreds of thousands of prayer flags attached to a pole at the highest point are unmistakable and the golden roofs of the monastery sparkle in the sun.

After two hours of walking you will reach a small village across a river. On the other side, the path starts by climbing up the mountain and the field are replaced by forest. The monastery lies at 1750m above sea level, so you only have to climb around 250 metres. The sounds around change on this part of the trek and the voices of people and sounds of farm animals are replaced by birds and cicadas.

Don’t miss the stairs to the right after a while around 45 minutes, as they lead to the Namo Buddha Stupa.

From the stupa you have a beautiful view of the valley you just crossed. Enjoying a snack or a drink in one of the small restaurants there. Although the stupa is much smaller than at Bouddhanath or Swayambunath, it is a very important one for Nepalese Buddhists.

Furthermore, from the stupa a dirt road leads up to the village and to the Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery.

The huge building complex with the golden roof is home to over 250 monks, yet most times many more people live there as it has teaching facilities.

In conclusion, there are plenty of lodging options at Namo Buddha and staying at the monastery itself is a very special experience. The monastery has a simple and clean guesthouse available for visitors and it is possible to eat dinner and breakfast with the monks, and even to witness the morning and evening pujas (worship) in the big hall. In the morning and afternoon you can interact with monks of all ages, and if you are lucky you might even get a guide tour of the premises.

Tours of the Monastery are conducted every afternoon.  Atop a hill across Imja Khola, Tengboche is the most common night halt after Namche. The monastery is perched on a high ridge across the canyon from Khunde. This Buddhist monastery was burnt down in 1989 and rebuilt replacing the old building with a more solid structure.  Pines, azaleas and colourful mountain rhododendrons surround the attractive gompa (monastery), which rests amid stunning views of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam.

Tengboche itself features a rest house and a number of lodges and camping sites. From Tengboche you can continue on to Pheriche, Kala Pattar and the hamlet of Gorakshep.  From here, the site of Everest Base Camp is easily accessible, as is the summit of Kala Pattar (5,545 m), from which much of Mt. Everest is clearly visible. However, you must take time to properly acclimatize as the altitude gains are rapid.

Among all the places for mountain viewing around Kathmandu Valley, Nagarkot is usually considered to be the best. The views go from Dhaulagiri in the west to Kanchenjunga in the east. On a clear day you can see Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha). You can also see Manaslu (8,463m), Ganesh Himal (7,111m), and Langtang (7,246m). Many people go up to Nagarkot in the afternoon, stay in a hotel in Nagarkot, and then get up at dawn to see the Himalaya Mountains during the sunrise.

There is a lookout tower south of the village where you can get a 360º view of the scenery. It is an easy one hour walk from the main hotel area. To get there you have to pass an army checkpoint, and they will only let you pass in the morning. You can go to Nagarkot in the afternoon and stay over night and view the mountain at sun rise.