March is our favorite time of the year as locals in Kathmandu. The air oscillates between being crisp and warm. People come out to the streets from the warmth of their heaters (because central heating does not exist in Nepal) and look for things to do around town.
One of the events that many locals look forward to every spring is the Women Led Haat Bazaar that happens in Maya Manor Boutique Hotel near Durbar Marg. The aim of this market is to showcase products made by women led enterprises in Kathmandu. The market happens around Women’s Day every year to support women entrepreneurs and highlight their efforts and achievements. Products range from sustainable tooth brushes to copper home décor and even some Nepali collars for your furry friends back home. You can browse from a variety of well curated items to take home as souvenirs and gifts, all while sipping on some cool spring cocktails made by female bartenders. We recommend that you be conscious about where you buy your gifts and services from and try to buy from women led enterprises as much as you can. In this way, women entrepreneurs, who are otherwise burdened by the patriarchy in the country are being looked out for by conscious buyers.
The hotel along with the organizing party The Park Bazaar also make sure that women led enterprises that support vulnerable groups are also represented with sponsorships. In the past years, you could find earrings made by acid victims, jewelry made by women who were rescued from trafficking and mugs made by the vision impaired individuals.
Additionally, the market is peppered with performances and workshops that benefit the local women around town. In past years, they held Vagina Monologue-esque spoken poetry, conducted investing workshops and bra making workshops.
This flag ship event is definitely one to look forward to and the Hotel is offering special prices to accommodate guests. Please email tsakya@mayamanorhotel.com to unlock the special prices for those days.
March is the best time for hikes in Nepal in general. The air is clear with minimal to no clouds obstructing the view. There are many short hikes that you can do in and around the valley of Kathmandu. These are some of our favorite hikes in Kathmandu.
Namobuddha Hike
Namobuddha has some of the best views of the mountains near Kathmandu Valley. The journey starts in the beautiful Newari village of Panauti. The trail starts off pretty gradually, especially through the village but gets difficult in the second half of the two-hour hike. The trail is full of orange orchards and you can ask the locals if you can buy some oranges from them. The destination is the beautiful stupa of Namo Buddha. Legend has it that a pre-incarnation of the Gautama Buddha, a prince, found a hungry tigress and her cubs near a cave in Namobuddha. A surge of compassion came over the prince and he felt the need to sacrifice himself so that the tigress could feed her cubs. You can see shrines built for this prince in honor of his compassion. The Mountains from Namobuddha are A-MAZING. You will see several ranges including Langtang Range, Manaslu Range and Gaurishanker.
We recommend that you take a guide with you for this Hike. If you are staying at any of the hotels in KGH group, you can ask the travel desk to fix you up with a guide for a minimal fee.
Holi, also known as the “Festival of Colors,” is a popular Hindu festival that is celebrated throughout Nepal, including in the capital city of Kathmandu. The festival is a time of joy and celebration, and is marked by the throwing of colored powders, the lighting of bonfires, and the sharing of sweets and food. If you’re planning to celebrate Holi in Kathmandu, here are some of the best places to experience the festival.