What are The Best Things to Buy in Nepal?

Are you in Nepal or planning to visit soon? Nepal has always been a place famous for handmade goods. The beautiful country of Nepal has a lot to offer in terms of it’s rich natural and cultural diversity. Since the country is best known for art and architecture, metal works and sculptures are something that tourists prefer to buy as a memento.

The colorful prayer flags, dramatic landscapes, serene nature and friendly people here at Nepal makes it hard to detach yourself from loving Nepal. Nepal has a rich history and culture that gives birth to a variety of craftsmanship. 

Heavenly temples and stupas will be a part of your Nepal journey but don’t forget to visit the lively markets of Nepal, offering a massive variety of products to its guests. These markets exhibit the true culture of our landlocked country and you would surely want to grab these tints of Nepal bank home!

1.Pashmina 

Undoubtedly one of the most popular purchases in Nepal is Pashmina, the soft, light and incredibly warm shawl made from the hair of mountain goat called Chyangra or Capra Hircus. Pashmina has been popular for centuries among the people as a product of the best quality luxurious wool in the whole world.

Made from the soft hair of the mountain goats found on the Tibetan plateau, these handmade shawls are the perfect item to gift to the nearest one. Since the pashmina shawls and scarfs are famous fashion statements in Nepal, they never go out of style. Besides shawls there are a few things made out of pashmina like cardigans, stoles, and blankets that you can take back home.

The capital city, Kathmandu would be the best option for you to go to pashmina shopping. There are some great shops that would provide you with great deals on Pashmina but there are a lot of duplicate pashmina products in the Market. So, you may want to study what you want to buy. 

2.Singing Bowls

Singing bowls are something you could never regret buying from Nepal. These bowls made of metal makes a soothing sound when the rim is rubbed in a circular motion with a  small wooden stick. Aside from the soothing sound, the vibration produces healing qualities and creates an ambiance for meditation.

Though the singing bowl comes in various sizes basically, there are two types of  singing bowl; machine-made and hand-made. The handmade bowls are expensive and scare with plain brass color. The machine-made bowls are perfectly symmetrical, highly decorated and cost less compared to the hand-made ones.

3.Traditional Nepalese clothing

One of the largest exports of the country, Nepalese traditional clothing is one of the favorite tourist souvenirs.  Nepalese clothing combines quality cotton, hemp and bamboo fabrics with beautiful designs. Since Nepal has a history of diversified culture, its multi-cultural and multi-ethnic nature could be seen as the reflection in clothes worn by Nepalese.

If traditional clothes are to be considered, the men’s folk clothes are called Daura Surwal, with two main elements Daura (double-breasted shirt) and Suruwal(trousers). The Daura Suruwal is combined with a traditional headdress of Nepali men called “Dhaka Topi”.You could get one of those beautiful pair of topis on your visit to Nepal.

For women, the traditionally enriched Gunyo Cholo  is something worth trying. When a Nepali girl turns seven, there is a ritual of gifting her a Gunyo Cholo signifying her coming of age.

As mentioned earlier, the clothing in Nepal is divided by the cultural groups and each group has its own variation of costumes.  On your next visit to Nepal, don’t forget to stroll around the city and get yourself a variety of clothing.

4.Jewelry

There is a little saying that the way to a woman’s heart goes through jewelry, and jewelry as exotic as found in Nepal could make anyone happy. The common jewels include a wide variety of bracelets, earrings, necklaces, rings and many other items made by the bead and stones.

Jewelry being a great deal to bargain in Nepal, it has a range of jewels whether silver or gold, beads or semi-precious stones or blue lapis or yak bones. There are dozens of shops selling silver ornaments with Himalayan gems particularly popular among the Tibetans. Most shops would even create jewelry according to your own design and price it accordingly.

The best place to find stones and beads jewelry is Thamel and Basantapur area. You can stroll around the market and either buy something readymade or treat yourself with a custom-made ornament with your choice of beads.

5.Handicrafts

Since Nepal is a historically enriched country, Nepalese handicrafts are popular from the very ancient time. Since the Nepalese handicrafts are one of a kind and one of kind, these handicrafts are considered to be the second biggest tourist souvenirs. Nepali handicraft is exotic and unique. It has its own feel and most likely, is of its own kind as well.  

Various evocative masks of gods and goddesses can be found in Nepal. The wood carvings and decorations range from beautiful boxes and vases to musical instruments and utensils. Traditionally made goods with hands, look so beautiful and are used for decorating the houses too. Bhaktapur. Durbar Square, Thamel, Patan, are some places for getting the best handmade items.

6.Tea and Spices

Nepalese just love drinking tea. There is a saying in Nepal that a cup of tea solves every problem. Different varieties of tea–like oolong, Earl Grey, green, masala, silver tips and golden tips–are all available in beautiful packets. 

The best way to bring home a little taste of Nepal is to purchase some of the local tea. The hills of Nepal and the climate is perfect for tea bushes and other herbs to flourish. So, When visiting restaurants in the country, a cup of milk tea is worth trying, and if you get addicted to sweet Nepali tea(chiya), take some back home.

Besides tea, the Himalayan country of Nepal is famous for its unique spices and rare herbs. The fragrance of these distinctive herbs can be felt in every Nepalese kitchen. As you stroll around the local market, you come across the pleasant aroma of fresh spices. 

7.Thangkas

Thangka paintings are perhaps the most peculiar of all the best Nepal souvenirs. They are extremely complicated paintings done on cotton or silk clothes. Thangkas mainly depict Buddhist deities, Buddhist legends or Mandalas. 

Unlike flat arts like oil paintings or acrylics, Thangka painting consists of picture panels that are painted or embellished over. They have textiles mounted over them and they are covered with silk.

Thangka paintings give off a very dramatic and intricate feel. The boundaries of the decorations of the Thangka are praise-worthy. They make a very close and valuable souvenir.   

8.Rice paper items

Amongst the many famous handicrafts of Nepal, one such beautiful product is the handicraft made from paper. The paper in Nepal is known as rice paper even though they are made from the bark of a tree, found in the remote parts of the country. Many items are made from these bark papers including the official documents, journals, writing pads, and others.

These soft and smooth paper are used to make lamps and other paper handicrafts. The cost for this item is worth the unique charm it offers. The rice paper handicraft item will make sure that people will be immediately attracted to it as you take it home. Since it is a lightweight paper product, it is easier to carry but at the same time it is fragile and hence should be handled with care.

9.Khukuri

Khukuri is undoubtedly one of the best things to buy in Nepal since it is associated with the Gorkha Soldiers. According to the Nepalese history, the Gorkha soldiers have fought and won numerous wars with Khukuri. A khukuri is a long curved blade with a unique slashing edge.

It could be an excellent souvenir for collectors and history lovers. Traditionally a khukuri consists of two small attachment blades used to sharp the main blade. Known as the symbol of the brave Nepali history, the weapon is very stylish and can be used for interior decoration.

10.Puppet dolls

Dolls and puppets are some other souvenirs that accurately reflect Nepalese culture and lifestyles. Beautifully colored and available in many different sizes, Nepalese dolls show traditional costumes of different ethnic groups, often carrying, in miniature, the tools of their trade, for example, a plow or sickle.

String puppets usually represent the masked dancers, such as one sees in the festivals like Indra Jatra or Gal Jatra. Although available in most souvenir shops, the finest place to buy a doll or puppet is in Makhan Tote, the paved road leading via Hanuman Dhoka to Indrachowk.

If you are in the Nepali market, bargaining is normal. Prep yourself to enter into a bit of quibbling while negotiating the price with the seller. However, you will be surprised by how economical the price is for various exotic handicrafts in Nepal. 
The items found in Nepal are rare with a mesmeric charm. If you are thinking to buy something expensive, it’s good to ask around in a couple of shops and previous buyers about the price.

Hope you have a great time here shopping in Nepal!