Ask most people what they plan to do in Nepal and the answer is almost always the same: trek. And fair enough, the trekking here is world-class but reducing Nepal to its trails misses a lot!

Nepal is a country with much to offer. It has 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, celebrated wildlife destinations, festivals unlike anything most travellers have encountered, and an adventure sports scene rivalling anywhere in the region.

Whether you have a few days between flights or a few weeks or months, there are tons of ways to experience Nepal that do not involve a single step on a mountain trail. Guest blogger,  Bhishu Acharya of Travel Nepal Today, presents to you 12 of the best things to do and see in Nepal that don’t involve trekking.

12 Things to Do in Nepal that aren’t Trekking

1. Visit Heritage Sites in Kathmandu Valley

As mentioned, Nepal has 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites in total. And 7 of them are located inside Kathmandu Valley. The 7 sites are:

• Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur
• Buddhist stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath
• Hindu temples of Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan

Each one is distinct. So, definitely visit one or two at the least.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the best-preserved medieval city and worth a half-day on its own.

Boudhanath is the largest stupa in Nepal and the heart of the Tibetan Buddhist community in Kathmandu.

Pashupatinath, on the banks of the Bagmati River, is one of the holiest Shiva temples in the world. Here, in the evening Sandhya Aarati ritual at around 6-7 PM is something you will not forget!

The other 3 UNESCO sites in Nepal are Lumbini, Chitwan National Park, and Sagarmatha National Park. All sites are reachable from Kathmandu with good planning.

Check out these UNESCO sites tour options:

2. Experience a Jatra in Kathmandu

Kathmandu’s Jatras are living festivals that predate the tourism industry by centuries! Note these are not performances for visitors. They are the real, active religious and social life of the Newar people. Witnessing one is genuinely unlike anything in the standard travel itinerary.

The three main Jatras are:

• Indra Jatra (Kathmandu, August or September): The living goddess Kumari is paraded through the old city streets.
• Bisket Jatra with Sindoor Jatra (Bhaktapur, April): A New Year festival celebrated in Nepali New Year that includes a massive chariot procession and a ceremonial tug-of-war.
• Rato Machhindranath Jatra (Patan, April to May): A towering chariot is pulled through the city over several weeks.

Beyond these, Gai Jatra, Sithi Nakha, and Indrayani Jatra are worth looking out for depending on when you visit.

Check the Newar lunar calendar before you book. These festivals fall on different dates each year and if your timing lines up, definitely go and experience one of them.

3. Explore Nepal’s Wider Festivals

Beyond the Jatras, Nepal has a calendar full of festivals that are celebrated across the whole country. Here are the ones with the most significance:

• Dashain (September to October): The longest and most important Hindu festival. This is a 15-day celebration of the goddess Durga that brings families together from across the country.
• Tihar (October to November) is the festival of lights, Nepal’s version of Diwali. Spread over 5 days with different rituals each day, including the famous worship of crows, dogs, and cows.
• Losar, the Tibetan New Year (December to February, depending on the type of Losar): It is celebrated enthusiastically in Buddhist communities from Kathmandu to the mountain villages.
• Holi (February to March): If you are lucky enough to be in Nepal during this festival, you get to see the colour festival turn cities like Kathmandu and Pokhara into a chaotic and genuinely fun spectacle.

4. Try Street Food in Kathmandu

Do not leave Kathmandu without eating the way locals actually eat. Start with Mo:Mo:, the steamed or fried dumplings that function as the national comfort food.

Then try chowmein, thukpa (Tibetan noodle soup), keema noodles, and laphing (a cold spicy dish with Tibetan origins that is popular around Boudhanath).

For something more casual, join the morning crowd at any street corner for sel roti with chiya, or grab chiya pakaudas or gwarmaris in the evening.

Each part of Nepal has its own specialties, too:

• If you reach Chitwan, try Ghongi (river snails).
• In eastern Nepal, Bhakka is a steamed rice flour snack that most visitors have never heard of!
• And there are more across different parts of the country!

Check out these food and drink tours in Nepal:

5. Take a Short Mountain Village Tour

Short jeep-based village tours give you access to ethnic Gurung and Magar communities without the physical demands of a multi-day trek. Ghandruk and Dhampus in the Annapurna foothills are the most popular, both reachable in 1.5 to 2 hours from Pokhara.

Kanyam, Ilam in eastern Nepal offer tea gardens and a completely different landscape. The Purbeli culture of the eastern hills add its own character to the journey.

These tours work particularly well if you are travelling with older family members, on a tight schedule, or simply want to meet people in the mountain communities without committing to a full circuit.

6. Visit Lumbini, the Birthplace of Buddha

Lumbini is 300 km west of Kathmandu in the Terai lowlands. It is one of the most significant Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the world.

The historical evidence for Buddha’s birth here includes inscriptions on the Ashoka Pillar, erected by Emperor Ashoka in 249 BC after his pilgrimage to the site.

The sacred garden complex includes the Maya Devi Temple, the eternal flame, and a reflecting pond. Surrounding it, dozens of countries have built monasteries in their own national architectural styles, which makes walking through the complex an unusual experience.

Reach Lumbini by bus or flight from Kathmandu or Pokhara, or as a stop on the way to or from India! Check out these options:

7. Jump into Nepal’s Adventure Sports Scene

Nepal has a serious adventure sports industry that gets underplayed because trekking takes all the attention.

The bungee jump in Kushma (Parvat district) above the Kali Gandaki River is the third-highest in the world!

White water rafting is also available on multiple rivers, with the Trishuli being the most accessible from Kathmandu and the Karnali in the west offering world-class multi-day trips.

Sky diving, ultra-light flight, or paragliding over the Himalayas operates from Pokhara area and hot air balloon rides above the same valley. That comes with a full Annapurna range in full view on a clear morning. These are activities that are becoming increasingly popular among foreign nationals!

8. Take a Helicopter Tour to the Himalayas

You do not need to trek for 10 days to see the mountains up close, not anymore!

Helicopter tours operate to the Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Langtang regions, landing at high-altitude points with views that most trekkers spend weeks working towards. But the cost is significantly higher than trekking, but so is the convenience.

Alsom an Everest mountain flight from Kathmandu is the budget version and remains one of the most popular activities for visitors with limited time.

Beyond that, destination weddings by helicopter to the mountain foothills have quietly become a growing trend for couples looking for something genuinely different.

You’ve probably seen couples tying the knot under the giant Annapurna and Everest mountains. So, if you’re thinking of a wedding like that, Nepal welcomes you with a full heart!

Check out the following flights over Mt Everest and the Himalayas:

9. Do a Proper Off-Road Motorbike Tour

Nepal’s road network opens up on a motorcycle in ways that no other vehicle allows!

The most popular routes among serious riders are:

• Upper Mustang circuit (via Bandipur, Pokhara, Marpha, and Jomsom with a visit to Muktinath Temple)
• West Nepal loop through Palpa and Bardia
• Rara Lake route in the far northwest.
• Manang is another destination that rewards two-wheel travel, with high-altitude roads that offer views of the Annapurna range from a different angle.

For visitors less experienced with adventure riding, shorter guided day routes around Kathmandu Valley and the Pokhara region are available and that too makes for a good introduction!

10. Watch Sunrise or Sunset From Hill Stations

Several viewpoints across Nepal put you face to face with the Himalayan range without a single night in a teahouse. The most popular options include:

• Nagarkot, 32 km east of Kathmandu, is the most popular and can be reached by vehicle in about 1.5 hours. On a clear morning, you can see a 200 km stretch of the Himalaya from here, including Everest.
• Sarangkot, overlooking Pokhara, gives you direct views of the Annapurna range and Fishtail peak and is famous for sunrise.

Both are easy day trips!

Other less-visited options include Dhulikhel for Himalayan views close to Kathmandu, and Poon Hill (accessible on a short 2-day hike, not a heavy trek) from the Annapurna side.

11. Go on a Wildlife Safari in Chitwan or Bardiya

Chitwan National Park in the southern Terai is a UNESCO site and one of the best places in Asia to see one-horned rhinos and Bengal tigers.

Jeep safaris, canoe river rides, elephant or crocodile breeding centre visits, and jungle walks on foot are all available and well-organised here!

Another option is Bardiya National Park in the far west that offers a wilder, less-crowded version of the same experience. There are even the endangered Gangetic dolphins in the Karnali river that have caught the attention of many tourists all around the globe in recent years.

Tiger sightings are actually more common in Bardiya than in Chitwan, though the journey is longer.

For birdwatchers, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve in eastern Nepal is an internationally recognised wetland with over 500 recorded bird species.

Another one that has recently got limelight is the Suklaphanta National Park, known for Barasinghe (Swamp Deer).

Check out these tours to Chitwan:

12. Join a Yoga, Meditation, or Sound Healing Retreat

Nepal’s spiritual environment makes it an unusually good place to do something genuinely restorative rather than just active.

Yoga, meditation, and Tibetan singing bowl sound healing sessions are available across Kathmandu and Pokhara at all price points and duration levels.

For something more structured, Yoga Premi Pariwar Nepal is a well-regarded non-profit organization that runs customised yoga packages, including sessions at mountain viewpoints for those who want mountain scenery without the trek.

READ MORE:

10 Reasons to go on a Yoga Retreat
How to Teach and Work Abroad as Yoga Instructor
Benefits of practicing Yoga while travelling

Check out these Yoga retreats in Nepal:

13. Bonus – Trekking Tours

Yeah, I know, this post is about things to do in Nepal besides trekking well, I guess many cannot go to Nepal without doing some sort of trek. Here are some treks to consider.

Are You Ready to Discover Nepal Beyond Treks (And Treks)?

Nepal covers a lot of ground in a small space. You could spend two weeks here and never repeat an experience. The trekking gets most of the attention, but as you can see, it is only one layer of what this country offers. Have you been to Nepal? I’d love to hear your experiences in the comments.

Visit Palacio de Cibeles on your 3 day Madrid itinerary. Photo credit: Maerle, Travel to Catalonia

Madrid, the Spanish capital, is one of the highlights of the country and also a great place to start when visiting Spain for the first time. There are many historic sites, world-class museums, great restaurants and an impressive nightlife waiting for you. And you are budgeting 3 days in Madrid to explore this gorgeous city.

Even though I have been to Spain, guest blogger Maerle, a passionate traveller from the Netherlands has been living in Spain for almost ten years. She is the face behind Travel to Catalonia website and has visited Madrid several times (more than me). Here she shares a 3-day Madrid itinerary to help you make the most of your first visit to Madrid. With just three days in the city, you have enough time to experience its highlights and check off many of its bucket list experiences. 

My top Madrid options for your 3 day visit:

Stay in the centre of the city – Find accommodation in Madrid @ Booking.com
Get to know the city on a cycling tour with tapas at the end
Experience the food by cooking your own in a Paella, wine and churros cooking class
Enjoy a traditional Flamenco Show

How to Spend the Perfect 3 Days in Madrid

Here’s how I would spend three days in Madrid as a first-time visitor. It includes my favourite highlights, and all the practical tips you need to make your first visit unforgettable.

Day 1 in Madrid

To get to know the city a bit, I always love to do a guided cycling tour. And this is what I recommend doing on your first day in Madrid. If not a cycler then considerMadrid’s Hop On Hop Off bus. Going on one of these you get to experience the city in a different way compared to just walking around with Google Maps. Though, if you like walking, you might be interested in joining a guided Madrid walking tour.

Whichever way you decide to discover Madrid on your first visit, walking tour, cycling tour or hop-on hop-off bus tour, they are a quick way to get a first impression of the city. And check out which spots are best to explore more thoroughly later. On day two and three you will see some of the locations for the second time, but you will have some more time to actually slow down for a while and enter some of the highlights if you want.

Enjoy Madrid and get your steps up on a walking tour.

Book your cycling tour around Madrid (with optional tapas) here.

Want to ride the bus – Book your HoHo bus sightseeing tour here.

Ask your guide for a nice restaurant after ending the tour and head for lunch before continuing today’s sightseeing.

In the afternoon a visit to the Prado museum is a must, especially if you’re an art-lover. This impressive art museum houses many international masterpieces, and you can spend several hours wandering around.

Prado Museum. Image credit Maerle, Travel to Catalonia

Tip: Don’t forget to book in advance. If not you have to queue for a long time to buy your ticket. General tickets cost 15 euros, but you can visit the Prado museum for free during the following hours: from Monday to Saturday from 18.00h till 20.00h and on Sunday and holidays from 17.00h till 19.00h.

Purchase your entrance ticket to Prado Museum here.

Purchase your entrance ticket to Prado Museum with skip the line entry and tour here.

After visiting the Prado museum you can go out for some drinks and tapas in one of the rooftop bars before heading back to your hotel. Or do a bucket list experience such as going to a Flamenco show.

Day 2 in Madrid

On the second day in Madrid, you’ll visit the historical city centre more thoroughly on foot.

Expect to find narrow streets, lively plazas and bars and restaurants on every corner. In the morning start wandering around the charming streets of the neighbourhoods of Lavapiés and La Latina. It’s nice to sit down for breakfast at one of the cute little bars you come across. With some more energy you can continue exploring the old neighbourhoods before you head towards Plaza de la Paja and admire the Capilla de Nuestra Señora y de San Juan de Letrán. This is a great area to have a coffee or an early lunch.

After this break, continue your day in the old centre and walk towards Plaza Mayor. You can enter the square via Arco de Cofreros or Arco de Cuchilleros, two of the most iconic entrances to the square. I’m sure you will be impressed by the enormous Plaza Mayor. Take your time exploring the square, and don’t forget to walk around the edges as well. There’s always something happening here, from musicians to street performers.

Just a short walk from Plaza Mayor, you’ll find Puerta del Sol, one of the busiest and most iconic squares in Madrid. Although it’s always lively and crowded, it’s worth passing through at least once during your first visit to the city.

From Plaza Mayor, continue walking towards Mercado de San Miguel, a must-visit food market where you can stop for tapas, some fruit, or a quick glass of wine. Although it’s quite touristy nowadays, it’s still worth visiting for the atmosphere and variety of food stalls. It’s a great place to take a break before continuing your day.

If you still have some energy left afterwards, continue your walk towards the Royal Palace of Madrid, one of the most impressive landmarks in the city. Even if you don’t go inside, the palace and the surrounding square are absolutely worth seeing. After this, you can either keep wandering through the city centre or find a nearby terrace and simply enjoy the rest of the afternoon before heading back to your hotel to freshen up. In the evening find a nice tapas bar to taste some local specialties.

Mercado de San Miguel. Photo credit: Maerle, Travel to Catalonia

Day 3 in Madrid

On the last day of this 3 day Madrid itinerary, it’s nice to spend a lazy morning in El Retiro park. If you haven’t been here during your bike, walking or bus tour, I’d recommend passing by Plaza de Cibeles and Puerta de Alcalá before heading to the park.

The large park is beautiful and a great place to relax after a full day of sightseeing in Madrid. Before you head towards the park, get a bocadillo con jamón to go, which you can enjoy while you’re in the park.

Retiro park is immense, so you can spend a whole morning here easily. After this, the best thing to do is enjoy a long lunch, especially if this day happens to be on a Sunday. The Spanish love their long lunches on Sundays with their family, so try to make a reservation beforehand.

Retiro Park. Photo credit: Maerle, Travel to Catalonia

Madrid Bucket List Experiences

Besides seeing all the sights in Madrid during your three day Madrid visit, there are some things you cannot miss out on while you are visiting the city for the very first time. I’ve made a short bucket list with experiences you can optionally add to your 3-day itinerary.

• Watch a flamenco show. If you can, try to attend a flamenco show for a good feel of the local culture. You will certainly be impressed by what these dancers can do.
• Eat churros for breakfast like the Madrileños do. When I first came to Madrid, I was amazed that people could already eat churros in the morning. In Catalonia this is more of an afternoon snack. But yes, if you want to be like the locals, get some churros for breakfast.
• Visit a rooftop bar at sunset. Madrid can sometimes be a bit overwhelming, which is why it’s really nice to find a rooftop bar to get away from the traffic noise. These places also give you some of the best views of the city, especially at sunset. I really liked Terraza The Hat Rooftop because of the relaxed vibe and incredible views.
• Explore hidden tapas bars. Sure, it’s easy to find a restaurant on Plaza Mayor in Madrid, but it’s way more fun to explore the old neighborhoods and look for small tapas bars that locals like to visit. Try and find a place where everything is in Spanish.
• Taste a bocata de Calamares. One of the local staples in Madrid is a sandwich with squid and garlic sauce. If you are a foodie like me, you should definitely try it.
• Take a guided cycling tour of historic Madrid. Like I mentioned before, a cycling tour gives you a quick idea of the main sights in Madrid and your guide will tell you all sorts of fun facts that you wouldn’t have known otherwise.
• Soccer lovers might want to visit the home of Real Madrid or Atletico Madrid.
• Take a cooking class to learn to cook your favourite Spanish foods

Organise Your Madrid 3 day Visit

Now you know what to see and do during your 3 day Madrid visit, it is now time to organise it.

Getting To Madrid & Around

Madrid is the central hub of Spain, which is why it’s incredibly easy to reach. Whether you are flying into Barajas International Airport or arriving by train or bus, the city is well connected to the rest of the country, and Europe.

Once you’re in the city, getting around is simple too. The metro system in Madrid is great, so traveling around the city by public transport is super easy. If you prefer walking like I do, you could easily visit the historic city centre on foot as well.

Where to Stay in Madrid

During my last trip to Madrid, I stayed at the AC Hotel Atocha, which is very conveniently located. I usually travel by train from Barcelona to Madrid, so being just a short walk from the Atocha train station is perfect. The hotel is in a typical Spanish neighbourhood where you hardly see any tourists. Yet, it’s still within walking distance of all the major highlights in the city. The hotel itself has a very modern look, the rooms are super comfortable, and to me it felt like the perfect base for exploring.

For more Madrid accommodation options check out Booking.com.

Do You Need a Visa to Visit Madrid?

It will depend on where you are from as to whether you need a visa to visit Spain. Spain is an EU (European Union) member state so if you have an EU passport you can move freely throughout the country. If you are visiting Spain from a non-EU country you will need to abide by the Shengen Visa Rules.

Extending Your Trip

If you have more than three days to spend in Madrid, or if you want to see more of Spain than just the capital, Madrid is incredibly easy to combine with other regions. While day trips to Toledo or Segovia are popular, I recommend changing the scenery entirely and heading to the Mediterranean coast. You can go by train or pick up a rental car and explore the most beautiful coastal towns on the Costa Brava. The turquoise-coloured water and whitewashed fishing villages offer a major contrast to the busy capital city.

Final thoughts on a Visit to Madrid for 3 days (or longer)

Madrid to me is like getting to know the most authentic side of Spain, with its beautiful squares, lively tapas bars and incredible historical sites. It’s amazing to get lost in the old neighbourhoods and try bucket-list experiences such as churros for breakfast. This is how you get to know the real Madrid. I’m sure you can’t help but fall in love with this city. Hopefully this 3-day Madrid itinerary helps you plan an unforgettable first visit. Buen viaje!