Dress modestly
Carry layers or a shawl for temple and monastery precincts.
Devabhoomi / Devbhoomi / Dev Bhoomi
Devbhoomi Nepal
Nepal's spiritual travel graph for temples, stupas, sacred cities, pilgrimage seasons, and practical routes across the Himalaya, Kathmandu Valley, Mithila, Mustang, and the Terai.
14
Pilgrimage places
04
Pilgrimage guides
05
Active or upcoming
Government-named anchors
Four anchors of the Devbhoomi campaign
Pashupatinath, Lumbini, Janakpur, and Muktinath are the source-backed anchors named in Nepal's 2026/27 policy programme.
012026/27 policy
hindu
Pashupatinath Temple
Nepal's holiest Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the Bagmati River.
022026/27 policy
buddhist
Lumbini — Birthplace of Buddha
Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists worldwide.
032026/27 policy
hindu
Janaki Mandir
A magnificent Mughal-Rajput style marble temple in Janakpur dedicated to Goddess Sita, the only temple of its kind in Nepal.
042026/27 policy
syncretic
Muktinath Temple
Sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, this high-altitude temple at 3,710m in Mustang is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu.
International Buddhist circuit
Global Buddhist anchors
Boudhanath and Swayambhunath carry global Buddhist pilgrimage weight alongside Lumbini and Namo Buddha.
01
buddhist
Boudhanath Stupa
One of the world's great stupas and the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal — raised, legend says, by a poultry-keeper and her sons, and rebuilt after 2015 by its own community.
02
syncretic
Swayambhunath
Self-arisen hilltop stupa older than the city below it, where Buddhist and Hindu worship share one summit — and the month of Gunla fills the steps with dawn music.
03
buddhist
Namo Buddha (Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery)
One of the three holiest Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal, where legend says a prince offered his body to a starving tigress.
04
buddhist
Lumbini — Birthplace of Buddha
Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists worldwide.
Almanac
Festivals & jatras now and soonDashain (Vijaya Dashami) · Happening now · ends Oct 25
NOWDAY 8/15ends Oct 25
Dashain (Vijaya Dashami)
Nationwide
National
Mani Rimdu · Starts Oct 26
SOONIN 7DAYS
Mani Rimdu
Tengboche Monastery, Khumbu
Religious
Tihar (Deepawali) · Starts Nov 7
SOONIN 19DAYS
Tihar (Deepawali)
Nationwide
National
Chhath Puja · Starts Nov 12
SOONIN 24DAYS
Chhath Puja
Terai region and nationwide
Religious
Mahalaxmi Jatra · Starts Nov 16
SOONIN 28DAYS
Mahalaxmi Jatra
Balambu, Chandragiri, Kathmandu
Jatra
Dates in AD · lunar festivals shift year to year
Start with the route
Plan by circuit, then by season
The current public graph supports domestic Nepal pilgrimage planning. Indian-origin and border-crossing route detail is intentionally deferred until cross-border transport facts are modeled.
Sacred index
Core pilgrimage places
These pages combine canonical sacred sites with pilgrimage-tagged lakes and towns, keeping destination URLs intact when nature or heritage remains the primary identity.
01hindu
Pashupatinath Temple
Nepal's holiest Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Shiva, a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the banks of the Bagmati River.
Deopatan, Gaushala
02buddhist
Lumbini — Birthplace of Buddha
Birthplace of Siddhartha Gautama (Buddha), a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the holiest pilgrimage sites for Buddhists worldwide.
Lumbini Development Zone
03hindu
Janaki Mandir
A magnificent Mughal-Rajput style marble temple in Janakpur dedicated to Goddess Sita, the only temple of its kind in Nepal.
Janakpur City Center
04syncretic
Muktinath Temple
Sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, this high-altitude temple at 3,710m in Mustang is one of the 108 Divya Desams of Lord Vishnu.
Muktinath Valley
05hindu
Devghat
A major Hindu pilgrimage confluence near Bharatpur where the Kali Gandaki and Trishuli rivers meet to form the Narayani, especially busy during Makar Sankranti.
Near the Kali Gandaki-Trishuli confluence, northwest of Narayanghat
06hindu
Doleshwar Mahadev Temple
A Shiva temple in Bhaktapur associated by tradition with Kedarnath, visited as a Kathmandu Valley pilgrimage and day-trip shrine.
Sipadol, Suryabinayak area
07buddhist
Boudhanath Stupa
One of the world's great stupas and the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal — raised, legend says, by a poultry-keeper and her sons, and rebuilt after 2015 by its own community.
Boudha
08syncretic
Swayambhunath
Self-arisen hilltop stupa older than the city below it, where Buddhist and Hindu worship share one summit — and the month of Gunla fills the steps with dawn music.
Swayambhu
09buddhist
Namo Buddha (Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery)
One of the three holiest Tibetan Buddhist pilgrimage sites in Nepal, where legend says a prince offered his body to a starving tigress.
Namo Buddha Hill
10lake
Gosaikunda
A sacred alpine lake at 4,380m in Langtang National Park — the holiest of a basin of 108 glacial lakes, where pilgrims bathe each Janai Purnima.
Rasuwa
11lake
Panch Pokhari
Five sacred high-altitude lakes at 4,100m below the Jugal Himal — the ninth-highest wetland on earth and a major Janai Purnima pilgrimage site.
Sindhupalchok
12pilgrimage site
Pharping
A sacred pilgrimage town south of the Kathmandu Valley where Hindu and Buddhist holy sites coexist — home to the Asura Cave where Padmasambhava attained enlightenment, the Dakshinkali temple, and the cliffside Shesh Narayan shrine.
Kathmandu
13heritage town
Sankhu
One of the Kathmandu Valley's oldest Newar trading towns, perched at the valley's northeast edge with an ancient bazaar street, the sacred Vajrayogini temple on the hill above, and the Salinadi cremation ghats along the river.
Kathmandu
14lake
Tilicho Lake
One of the highest lakes in the world at 4,919m, a turquoise glacial basin on the Annapurna Circuit ringed by ice walls.
Manang
Pilgrimage map
Sacred geography at a glance
Numbered markers match the sacred index above and include both sacred-site pages and pilgrimage-tagged destinations.
Hindu
Buddhist
Syncretic
Destination
Loading map...
Responsible visitor
Read the site before you enter
Each sacred site page lists its own etiquette rules. Use these as the baseline before checking the local notice board or guide.
Shoes off
Remove footwear where the site requires it before sanctum or shrine entry.
Ask before photos
Avoid photography inside restricted rooms, rituals, and cremation areas.
Carry waste out
Keep lakes, wetlands, trails, and festival routes free of plastic and offerings waste.
Guides
Pilgrimage planning guides
itinerary / 9 min
Nepal Pilgrimage Itinerary: Pashupatinath, Lumbini, Janakpur & Muktinath
A practical Nepal pilgrimage itinerary linking Pashupatinath, Janaki Mandir, Lumbini, and Muktinath with 3-5 day, 7 day, and 10-14 day route options.
regional / 8 min
Hindu Pilgrimage Circuit in Nepal: Temples, Routes, Festivals & Etiquette
A Hindu pilgrimage planning guide for Nepal covering Pashupatinath, Muktinath, Janaki Mandir, Manakamana, Pathibhara, Halesi, Baraha Kshetra, Devghat, Doleshwar, and major festival timing.
regional / 8 min
Buddhist Pilgrimage in Nepal: Lumbini, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath & Monasteries
A Buddhist pilgrimage guide to Nepal covering Lumbini, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, Namo Buddha, Tilaurakot, Tibetan monasteries, Newar bahals, etiquette, and festival timing.
seasonal / 7 min
Best Time for a Nepal Pilgrimage: Festivals, Weather & Crowds
A pilgrimage-focused seasonal guide to Nepal covering weather, crowds, festival timing, high-altitude access, Terai heat, and when to visit major sacred sites.
By season
Match route ambition to weather
01Mar-May
Spring
Useful for lowland and Valley circuits before monsoon heat and rain build.
02Jun-Sep
Monsoon
Plan around rain, road delays, and major lake pilgrimages such as Janai Purnima.
03Oct-Nov
Autumn
Stable skies and festival travel windows make this the busiest planning season.
04Dec-Feb
Winter
Good for lower-altitude circuits; high Himalayan sites need stricter weather checks.
Visa and access
SAARC traveler basics
Verify with official sources before travel. Visa and border rules can change faster than route pages.
Open visa checkerIndia
INNo visa required
Unlimited stay
Bhutan
BTFree visa
30 days (extendable)
Sri Lanka
LKFree visa
30 days (extendable)
Maldives
MVFree visa
30 days (extendable)
Pakistan
PKFree visa
30 days (extendable)
Bangladesh
BDFree visa
30 days (extendable)
Afghanistan
AFFree visa
30 days (extendable)
Festival timing
Check Maha Shivaratri, Buddha Jayanti, Teej, Janai Purnima, and Chhath before locking travel dates.
All sacred sites
Browse temples, stupas, bahals, monasteries, ghats, caves, and shrines across Nepal.
Domestic access
Use modeled Nepal transport routes for gateway planning and verify the final local hop near the site.
Planning notes
Devbhoomi Nepal FAQ
What is Devbhoomi Nepal?
Devbhoomi Nepal is the spiritual tourism framing for pilgrimage travel across Nepal, including Hindu temples, Buddhist sites, sacred cities, festivals, and route planning.
Which places anchor a Nepal pilgrimage?
The main promoted pilgrimage anchors on AroundTrail are Pashupatinath, Lumbini, Janakpur, Muktinath, Devghat, Doleshwar, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, and Namo Buddha.
Can I plan cross-border pilgrimage routes from India here?
Current planning supports domestic Nepal pilgrimage routes. Detailed Indian-origin and border-crossing route facts are intentionally deferred until those transport routes are modeled.
How should I choose pilgrimage dates?
Start with the festival calendar for Maha Shivaratri, Buddha Jayanti, Teej, Janai Purnima, and Chhath, then verify exact lunar-calendar timing before booking travel.