Someone rightly said “If shopping doesn’t make you happy, then you are in the wrong shop”… Get ready to be immersed because you will be wandering about shop to shop in the colourful and chaotic bazaars of Kathmandu with our staff today. Explore one of the busiest stretches of Kathmandu where locals shop for their daily essentials. We will make this experience rewarding and exciting by taking you to these hidden places known only to the locals. Each place has its specialty product which is unique. We will also explore some of the local eateries including the famous Momos of Ktown. We will end our day with dinner in a local home. We will pick you up from your hotel after lunch and drive to Kathmandu Durbar Square. Durbar, which means Palace, is where the Kings were once crowned and from where they ruled. Kathmandu’s Durbar Square is located in the heart of the city. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is a massive complex of palaces, temples and courtyards. We will start here by checking out some of the world class Pashminas of Nepal. Pashmina is the softest delicate, weightless and finest natural insulating fibre of the world. It is extracted from the inner coat of the hardy little mountain goats “Chyangra”. Nepal is famous for its hand woven Pashmina products. In the Durbar Square we will also spend time in the Nepalese tea shop while soaking up the local vibes. From Durbar Square, through tiny alley-like streets, we will make our way to an intersection of streets called Indra Chowk. Here each stall glistens with strands of glass seed beads and it looks incredible. Most of the shops in the bazaar are owned by Muslims, whose ancestors came here in the 16th century from India. You will see some of the finest designs of bracelets and necklaces here. You can pick your own strands and have a necklace made on the spot or opt for a pre-made one. From here we will continue to the Ason Bazar with its architectural sights and charming ambience. Wandering along the streets, we will come across rows of shops with copper, brass and bronze ware. These metal crafts hold significant importance in Kathmandu’s culturescape – be it the monuments, temples, and the idols of worship in the local homes. In fact, many kitchen utensils of everyday use, until but a short while ago, used to be of these metals. Ason has been described as one of the finest example of a traditional Asian bazaar where commerce, religion and culture merge brilliantly.The bazaar attracts shoppers from all over Kathmandu because of the tremendous variety of merchandise sold here, ranging from foodstuff, spices and textiles to electronics and bullion. Later we will take a cycle rickshaw ride (around 20 minutes) from Ason till Thamel through narrow alleys and have a leisurely stroll. Thamel becomes colourful and vibrant in the evening with shops selling handicrafts, curio, silver jewelleries, adventure gears and the list goes on. Once done with our shopping we will head out for dinner with a local family.
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