Godavari is best known for the green fingers of its inhabitants.

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.