In Kathmandu Valley and throughout the hills, rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta) move through the temples, rooftops, and periphery of the forest. At two of Kathmandu's most important religious sites, they live alongside worshippers visiting these temples. Here's the full story of Nepal's famous temple monkeys.
Swayambhunath or The Monkey Temple
The golden spire of Swayambhunath Stupa, located on a wooded hill west of Kathmandu, is an iconic image in Nepal. The stupa is over 2,000 years old and is considered one of the holiest Buddhist sites in the world. It's also informally known as "The Monkey Temple" because hundreds of rhesus macaques live in the surrounding forested hill slopes and have colonized every accessible ledge, wall, and food offering in the area.
Why so many monkeys?
According to a Buddhist tradition, the bodhisattva Manjushri kept his hair on the Swayambhu hill, and the lice that fell from his hair were transformed into the macaques. This origin story has given the monkeys a sacred status, and harming them is considered inauspicious; in fact, the worshippers actively feed them as a form of merit-making. And centuries of this practice have resulted in a large, well-fed monkey population.
What to expect
Climbing the 365 stone steps to the stupa's main platform, you'll notice the monkeys increasing in population size, and by the time you reach the upper platforms, macaques are found everywhere. They are not aggressive unless provoked or unless food is visible to them in your hands. You should keep water bottles closed, you shouldn't carry any open food, and avoid making direct eye contact or smiling at them (showing teeth is a threat). They will steal from you if given the opportunity.
The light at Swayambhunath in the early morning with the mist from the valley below, prayer flags over the golden dome, monks chanting, and monkeys silhouetted against the rising sun is a rich scene. If you go early in the morning, then there are fewer tourists.
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath is one of Hinduism's most sacred Shiva temples and is the holiest Hindu site in Nepal and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is located on the banks of the Bagmati River east of Kathmandu; it is a place where pilgrims come from across South Asia, where cremations take place on the river ghats in open view, and where a large population of monkeys live along the riverside terraces.
Note: Non-Hindus cannot enter the main inner temple compound at Pashupatinath, but the outer areas and riverside terraces are open to everyone to experience.
Monkey Behavior and Safety
Nepal's rhesus macaques are intelligent, opportunistic, and socially complex. At temple sites, they are bold. Some important reminders:
- Don't feed them directly: Feeding encourages aggression and changes natural behavior. Pilgrims' offerings are their traditional food source not your granola bar.
- Don't threaten them: Don't stare, don't show your teeth, and don't make sudden movements toward a monkey that is cornered.
- Protect belongings: They will unzip bags, grab sunglasses from faces, and take food from your hands. Remember to secure your pockets and keep your bags zipped and held close.
- If a monkey grabs something: Don't pull hard, just let go. The item is not worth the scratch.
- Bites: Bites are rare but do happen when people provoke monkeys or attempt to reclaim items they stole by force. Any traveler spending a significant time in Nepal should consider the rabies vaccination.
Beyond Kathmandu: Monkeys Across Nepal
Rhesus macaques are found across the middle hills and terai zones of Nepal. Some other species include:
- Assamese macaque (Macaca assamensis) are found in forested montane zones, but are less commonly seen than rhesus.
- Common langur / Hanuman langur (Semnopithecus entellus) are tall, silver-grey monkeys with black faces, considered sacred as the form of Hanuman. They are common across Nepal's forests from low elevations to the Himalayan foothills. Their hooting call is a defining sound of Nepal's forests.
- Nepal grey langur (Semnopithecus schistaceus) are present in Sagarmatha (Everest) National Park at unusual heights for a primate, with documented sightings above 9,800 feet or 3,000 meters.
- Golden langur (Trachypithecus geei) are found in the far western regions near the border zones.
In Chitwan National Park, the subtropical terai zone in the south, rhesus macaques are seen on jungle walks and safari outings. The langurs move through the canopy above while deer graze below, and you will experience bird calls, langur alarm whoops, and macaques moving through the branches.
The Cultural Significance of Monkeys in Nepal
The monkey's sacred status in Nepal is derived from multiple traditions simultaneously. In Hinduism, Hanuman is the monkey god who serves Rama in the Ramayana and is one of the most widely worshipped deities across Nepal and India. His attributes (loyalty, strength, intelligence, devotion) are honored partly by respecting the animals associated with him. In Buddhism, the Jataka tales include numerous narratives where the Buddha took the form of a monkey bodhisattva before his enlightenment which has established another spiritual relationship with primates.
The result of these traditions is that Nepal's monkeys have lived alongside humans for centuries with a degree of mutual tolerance. Any harm directed toward a monkey near a temple or anywhere really, in Nepal, is still widely considered an act of bad karma. The goal should be to watch, learn, and experience Nepal as Nepal intended it.