Freak Street Kathmandu was the final destination of the hippie trail from Europe to Nepal back in the 60s and 70s. It still exists in Kathmandu, Nepal but it isn’t officially called Freak Street. It is Jhochhen Tole, sometimes called Old Freak Street, and it exits the south side of the Kathmandu Durbar Square. Today it’s nothing special, just an ordinary street much like any other in the historic centre of Nepal but Freak St is worth visiting. Discover more in our post.
Freak Street Kathmandu
The name Freak Street remains in places along Jhochhen Tole in central Kathmandu. You can feel the echoes of the past in shop signs and buildings still fairly intact after the earthquake.
But what was Freak St like then and what’s there now? Is it worth taking a look while you’re in Kathmandu?
We always visit when we’re in town and on our last visit we were lucky enough to catch a photographic exhibition on Freak Street back in the hippie days, highlighting hotels and cafés that have stood the test of time and famous faces from way back when.
Find out more about Freak Street in the 60s, 70s and today, below.
This post, from here, was written by my son, D. He’s 14 and ready to get involved in the website.
Freak Street Nepal and the Hippie Trail
The hippie trail was an overland journey between Europe and South Asia. The countries travellers would pass through while traveling depended on the traveler in question but most left from London or Amsterdam and went through Europe then Afghanistan, Pakistan, Nepal and India but some made it even further than that.
Freak Street’s Snowman Café
The paving in this part of Kathmandu, as you can see above, is traditional flagstone rather than modern tarmac. That’s nice to see.
Snowman Cafe is a small cake shop that has been on Freak Street since 1965, it’s one year older than my mum and it has a reputation for some of the best cakes in Kathmandu.
Sadly though, we didn’t get to try any. The Snowman was originally a tobacco shop but converted into a cake shop after hippies got the munchies from smoking hashish and wanted to eat cake.
The shop is a family-owned bushiness and still has the same owner it did back in 1965.
Freak Street Newari Girl Street Art
The Newari are the original inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and surrounding areas and they are still around today. We actually found an amazing street artwork of a Newari girl down by Freak Street.
Kathmandu has great street art, you’ll even find quite a few space invaders by Invader. I don’t think there are any Banksies yet.
Freak Street Juju Dhau
Juju Dhau (aka the King of Yogurt or King Curd) is a delicious sweet yogurt created by the Newari people and can be found mainly in Bhaktapur, Nepal.
It is possible to find Juju Dhau in Kathmandu but the only place we managed to find it was on Freak Street. If you’re not going to Bhaktapur then I recommend you head down to Freak Street just to try some King Curd.
Could you save this pin to Pinterest for us please?
We had a brilliant time on Freak Street and it was super lucky we caught that photographic exhibition. Freak Street is a shadow of a past era but when you look closely you may just see something interesting.
Personally, I love Kathmandu. I love the food but the people are almost always really nice and friendly and the place itself is powerful, but not quite as full-on and in-your-face as India. I would always be up for a dal bhat with our friends Ram and Jack the pug.
This Freak Street blog post is the work of D, a junior writer on our website. See his author profile by clicking on his link at the top of the page.
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I lived in Swayambhu for seven months 1977/78. It was a very small place.
Went back last year after 43 years.
Couldn’t believe how the fields from Kathmandu to Swayambhu were gone and a huge suburb had been built. Couldn’t find my friends unfortunately (Om Shresta and family, Manjushree Bazaar, Swayambhu)
No animals in the streets anymore, too much traffic. Still plenty of monkeys though🤣🤣.
Big changes, only to be expected, but what shone through was the wonderful people.
Jai Nepal!
I know, I love the Nepali people too. Even in the 20 plus years that I’ve been hanging out in Kathmandu the changes have been phenomenal. All the street cattle are over need Pashupatinath, there’s a cow refuge place there now. Or there was the last time we were there. 1977 was the year my husband was born.
Wonderful article!
Just a little correction:
Newa or Newar is the noun. Newari (or Newa) is the adjective to describe something belonging to the Newa community (like the language).
“Newa” is the name and what we say to describe anything in the community in the Newa language. Others might say “Newar people” or “Newari language/food.”
Hope you visit the country sometime again!
In 1978 I visited Nepal and Freaky Street in Katmadu. A small boy, about 8 pulled on my paint leg to advise of the menu available. He led me into a shop where negations were conducted. Nepalese is like nothing in the world, (I am told) 🙉. Kathmandu was so quiet then. Almost no cars, no industry that you could hear. Instead of taxis there were two wheeled man powered chariots.
I flew to Everest and stayed at the Everest View Hotel, lucky enough to meet Sir Edmond Hillary, who was there for a gathering of famous Everest climbers.
What wouldn’t I give to meet Hillary! And Tenzing Norgay. I’ve been to the Everest View hotel, I just quickly Googled, it was built in 1971, which shows actually. It’s very 70s.
It was so lively! Many people tourists went there, and there were many small businesses as well! My dad had owned 2-3 stores there, it was very nice. There was a Cafe and they had very good cakes! My favorite was the chocolate cake.During the revolutionary process for democracy in 1990-1996 aprx., businesses could not survive because tourists were unable to come and my dad passed away too. Later Thamel rose but Freak Street was always there, losing its charm, but when I go there I still remember how it was.
Great to hear your story Sara!
I’d never even heard of the hippie trail but now I want to see it all! The painting of the Newari girl is stunning, I could stand and look at that all day. Thank you for inspiring me, it’s great to be reminded that there is always more than I thought out there. 🙂 xxx
You’re that young? LOL
Fun post! So much info–love the pics and explanations. And the “weird mum” commentary. Haha!
Great post D, and yes, your mum is very weird.
Not as weird as her friends! Yep, he did a great job. Homeschoolers rule
Always a great post as usual World Travel Family- thanks guys
What a great post and super educational as I was never sure where the end of the hippie trail ended!
My dad was meant to follow it to the end in the 70s I think but he got ‘distracted’ in the Netherlands and ended up living there for several years and if he hadn’t then I probably wouldn’t have ended up being born in the early 80s ????
Keep up the good work ????