What to Buy in Nepal?

“The handcrafted products of Nepal are the testimonials that you have once been to the Land of Mount Everest and the Birthplace of Lord Buddha.”

Nepal is a beautiful Himalayan country located in the South Asian Region.

The snow capped peaks including the world’ highest, Mount Everest; the UNESCO World Heritage Sites including the birthplace of Buddha are the landmarks to popularize Nepal in the world.

Similarly, the gallantry of the Brave Gurkhas during the World Wars is another identity of this Himalayan country.

It is a wreath of hundreds of flowers from different castes, creeds, and religions.

The people here follow different culture and tradition; feasts and festivals, which are distinct from one another. However, they have been maintaining mutual understanding amongst them.

This social harmony and mutual respect to each other is one of the hallmarks that make Nepal popular in the world.

The natural and cultural wonders found here attract hundreds of thousands international tourists every year.

As an international tourist, you may wonder “What to buy in Nepal?” or “What may be the Nepal souvenirs?” to take to the people back in home country.

Don’t worry about this because we are here to respond to your query.

You know, you can find the international brands everywhere around the world.

You want to make your Nepal visit more memorable throughout the life. For this, we advise you to buy the traditional products of Nepal.

The garment items, paper products, and handcrafted products are the traditional Nepali gifts to your people.

I am sure the handicrafts of Nepal will prove to be more beautiful and memorable than any other international brands.

There are hundreds of handcrafted products of Nepal available in the market. Pokhara and Kathmandu, especially, Thamel area are the hub for buying such Nepal souvenirs.

In this article, I am enlisting only 10 Things to Buy in Nepal.

Thanka Paintings

Nepal is a multi-religious country practicing secularism after the People’s Movement II. However, the largest number of population follows Hinduism and Buddhism. Moreover, this is the Birthplace of Lord Buddha. Whenever an international tourist in Nepal asks for advice from the local tour operators, the latter suggest buying the thanka paintings. Also called, ‘thanka’, ‘tanka’, and ‘tangka’, it is a Tibetan Buddhist painting on cotton or silk applique. The core part of the Thangka paintings is the Buddhist dieties, life cycle of Buddha and mandala.

The thanka paintings do not have definite frame; rather they are rolled into a single roll. These are the traditional pictures and people keep them in the streets and main touristic centers of Kathmandu and Pokhara.

Singing Bowls

Singing bowls are some of the prominent things to buy in Nepal while you are on a Nepal visit. These bowls are of metals either manmade or machinemade and are found in various sizes.

When you hit the rim of the singing bowls with a wooden stick, it creates a soothing sound that is very much useful in sound therapy. The soft and steady sounds of these bowls heal the mental stress and create a perfect environment for meditation.

The singing bowls are popular in Tibet, Nepal, Bhutan and other Asian countries where Buddhist followers use them for healing and meditation purposes. Nowadays, the uses of these bowls are extending throughout the world. These bowls are useful for getting peace and tranquility away from the crowded urban areas.

Pashmina Products

Pashmina is unspun wool of either the Himalayan goats or sheep that is used to weave warm clothing items. You can various clothing items of Cashmere wool that is popular all over the world.

You can buy different wardrobe items of pashmina around Thamel Town. Some of the must-buy things are scarfs, shawls, sweaters, gloves, socks, etc. The price of pashmina products in Nepal differs from one item to another.

However, you must be careful about the duplicate clothing items because some frauds may involve in cheating the tourists. The soft and smooth wardrobe reminds you repeatedly about your Nepal visit.

Rudraksha

Rudraksha beads are sacred seeds known for their spiritual and healing properties, making them an essential item to buy in Nepal. These beads are used for meditation, prayer, and protection from negative energies. Each Mukhi Rudraksha has unique benefits and is associated with different deities and planets. For example, the 5 Mukhi Rudraksha is known for its calming effect and is associated with Jupiter and the Kalagni Rudra form of Lord Shiva.

For genuine and high-quality rare and premium Nepali Rudraksha, I recommend visiting Nepa Rudraksha. They offer a wide range of authentic Rudraksha beads sourced directly from Nepal, ensuring you get the best spiritual benefits.

Nepali Paper Products

Traditional Nepali paper products are other things I recommend you shouldn’t forget to buy in Nepal. Known as the rice paper products, they are made up of rice husk and primarily used for stationery works and handicrafts. Due to their extra smoothness and light weight, they are easy to take to your home country.

You can find the Nepali paper products in the open-street stalls and statieneries of the Lake City Pokhara and Kathmandu. Although making such products is tedious and time-consuming, their price is comparatively low. You can use them to make your diaries, journals, manuscripts and paintings as well.

Khukuri

The Nepali Khukuri is a special kind of handmade knife which is associated with the history of the Nepalese warriors. The same khukuri helped the Nepalese warriors to fight against the advanced guns and bullets in the ancient wars. The khukuri is the emblem of the Brave Gurkhas serving in the Indian and British Armies. Whereever the Brave Gurkhas; there are the khukuris!

You can find the khukuri in Thamel of Kathmandu and main touristic centers of the Lake City Pokhara. They are in different shapes and sizes, so their price also differs. The shining daggers kept either in the leather or wooden sheaths always reminds you of the Brave Gurkhas. Hence, don’t forget to purchase one while you are in tour, mountaineering and trekking in Nepal.

Handicrafts

The handicrafts of a country is one of the identities that introduces it to the world. Nepal cannot be an exception to this fact. Being a multi-ethnic, multi-cultural, multi-lingual, and multi-religious country, Nepal is rich in handicraft products.

These traditional handcrafted products are even exported to the foreign countries. The income gained from exporting such unique handcrafted products secures an important part in the national revenue as well.

Prayer wheels, prayer flags, traditional masks, wooden and metallic sculptures, pottery items and hemp products are some of the handicrafts of Nepal. I recommend you to buy any fo these products because they can be the testimonials of your Nepal visit.

Statues and Masks

Being a country having the Tettis Koti Devi-Devatas (estimated 3.3 billion deities), Nepal is a nation where countless deities are revered and worshipped. You can see millions of shrines throughout the country.

Statues and masks are the things to buy in Nepal so that you can always keep Nepal in your heart and mind. Besides the snowcapped peaks above 8,000m, Nepal is a sacred land of Hindus and Buddhists.

You can find different statues of different deities in different sizes and shapes. These statues are made up of wood, stone and clay in different shapes and appearances.

Masks secure the significant position in the traditional handicraft products of Nepal. You can find masks of different Hindu and Buddhist deities. They are used in special occasions and celebrations.

Mask Dances of Nepal are very pleasant to observe and participate if possible.

The Mani Rimdu Festival of Everest region and the Tiji Festival of Upper Mustang are the perfect examples of Mask Dances in Nepal.

All the celebrations of the Newar Community in the Kathmandu Valley are incomplete without the masks.

You can find the statues and masks in the streets and major tourist hubs of the Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara City.

Dress and Jewelry

Nepal is a multi-ethnic and multicultural nation, so it is also an abode of various cultural feasts and festivals. On such feasts and festivals, you can find the people wearing traditional dresses and ornaments.

The traditional dress and jewelry items are some of the must-buy things in Nepal. The Haku-patashi of the Newar Community of the Kathmandu Valley and the Bakkhu-Docha of the Himalayan region are the best examples of the traditional dress.

The Daura-Suruwal-Topi is the national dress of Nepal that I suggest you to buy while on Nepal visit. This set made up of the Dhaka Clothes is the most beautiful one to purchase.

You can find various jewelry items made up of metals like gold, silver, etc. and the precious stones like diamond, ruby, etc. in Kathmandu and Pokhara. You can find necklaces, bracelets, ear and finger rings, handcuffs, etc. in comparatively low price.

The ornaments made up of gold are higher in cost than any other metals.

Tea and Herbal Products

Nepal is also famous for tea and some herbal products. Due to the variation in climate, you can find some unique herbal products that are found only in Nepal. As they grow in the Himalayan region, they are organic and naturally raw for medicinal values. The Eastern and Mid-Western Nepal are famous for herbal products; however, the local herbo-experts and entrepreneurs transport such products to the main cities of the country.

Some of the herbal products to purchase in Nepal are holy basil, saffron, Nepali gooseberry, aloe vera, spikenard, serpentine, cordyceps, etc. The Northern hills of Nepal bordering with Tibetan Plateau are famous for such herbal plants although they are quite far from the development. Such herbal products are some of the key sources of the revenue of the Nepal government.

Spices

Among the things to shop in Nepal, spices also hold some importance. The typical Nepali food items are really hot and spices. Organic spices such as red and black pepper, sesame seeds, green and dried ginger, tamarind, asafetida, turmeric powder, cumin seeds and powder, mix spices, cardamom, etc. are some must-buy things in Nepal. Besides, the ready-made pickle made of different fruits and vegetables makes your Nepal visit more memorable.