Tucked beneath the hill town of Bandipur in Tanahun district, Siddha Gufa is the cave most commonly named Nepal's national cave. Surveyed at about 758 metres long with a vertical range of around 105 metres, it is often billed as Nepal's largest cave — a claim cave surveyors treat with caution — and is a cathedral-like chasm of stalactites, stalagmites and resident bats that has drawn hikers, pilgrims and geologists alike since its discovery around 1989.
Siddha Gufa: Nepal's National Cave
Tourism guides describe Siddha Gufa as Nepal's largest cave; surveys put its length at about 758 metres, with a vertical range of about 105 metres. Inside, the limestone chamber opens into a vast, echoing space lined with stalactites and stalagmites, home to colonies of bats overhead and, at times, a resident sadhu performing prayers near the entrance. Local accounts say it came to wider notice around 1989, when a woman collecting herbs found it; a local man, Durga Bahadur Thapa, and others are said to have visited earlier.
Reaching it requires a short trek from Bandipur — about 1½ hours downhill — or a shorter walk of about 30 minutes from Bimalnagar on the Prithvi Highway. Visit with a guide; helmets and headlamps are normally provided, but carry a backup light and good walking shoes, as the cave floor can be slippery.
✦ Did you know?
- Siddha Gufa's interior can reportedly hold up to 2,500–3,000 people at once, according to several local tourism sources.
- The cave contains idols of Lord Shiva and Nagarjuna, and devotees gather there during Mahashivratri.
- German cave surveyors mapped parts of it in 1990–91, and a Hungarian team collected bats there in 1998.
Source: Lonely Planet; Wikipedia (Siddha Cave); Mountain Tiger Nepal; showcaves.com
Beyond Siddha Gufa
Nepal has no constitutional article naming a "national cave" the way it names Nepali the official language, so Siddha Gufa's status rests on its scale rather than a government decree. A few other caves come up often enough to be worth knowing alongside it — most notably the Sky Caves of Mustang, roughly 10,000 human-carved caves cut into cliffs above the Kali Gandaki River, holding 2,000–3,000-year-old burials and Buddhist art, and Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave in Pokhara, one of the city's best-known sacred caves, with a Shiva shrine and a link to Davis Falls opposite.
Two kinds of recognition
Symbols like the national flower, bird, animal and language carry formal government or constitutional recognition.
Named "national cave" by scale and popular consensus, without a formal act naming it so.
Source: Nepal Tourism Board; Wikipedia (Mustang Caves); HeritageDaily
Notable Caves Across Nepal
Academic surveys have documented 222 caves spread across 56 of Nepal's 77 districts, with the most in the hill region and the highest district counts in Surkhet, Mustang and Salyan. Siddha Gufa is the best known for scale, but several others stand out for sanctity or accessibility.
| Cave | Location | Known for |
|---|---|---|
| Siddha Gufa | Bandipur, Tanahun | Nepal's best-known cave |
| Sky Caves of Mustang | Upper Mustang | ~10,000 ancient man-made caves |
| Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave | Pokhara | Shiva shrine; ~2 km long; opposite Davis Falls |
| Mahendra Cave | Pokhara | Limestone cave with stalactites; Shiva statue; bats |
| Chamera (Bat) Cave | Pokhara | Large resident bat colony |
| Chobhar (Manjushree) Cave | Kathmandu Valley | Linked by legend to the origin of the Valley |
| Halesi–Maratika Caves | Khotang district | Pilgrimage site for Hindus (Shiva) and Buddhists (Maratika) |
Source: Nepal Tourism Board; Mountain Tiger Nepal; Wonder Nepal
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the national cave of Nepal?
Siddha Gufa, near Bandipur in Tanahun district, is widely regarded as Nepal's national cave, because it is the country's best-known show cave, often billed as its largest. Worth noting: this rests on popular recognition rather than a formal constitutional designation, unlike Nepal's official national flower, bird, or animal.
What is the largest cave in Nepal?
Tourism sources often call Siddha Gufa Nepal's largest cave, but that claim is not firmly established. Cave surveyors record a surveyed length of about 758 metres and a vertical range of about 105 metres, which made it the deepest cave documented in Nepal as of 2018.
What are the Sky Caves of Mustang?
The Sky Caves of Mustang are an estimated 10,000 human-made caves carved into cliffs in Nepal's Mustang district, containing burials, artifacts and Buddhist art dating back roughly 2,000–3,000 years. They have been on UNESCO's tentative list since 1996, as the "Cave architecture of Muktinath Valley".
How many caves are there in Nepal?
Academic research has documented 222 caves across 56 of Nepal's 77 districts, with the highest counts in the Surkhet, Mustang and Salyan districts.
What is Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave?
Gupteshwor Mahadev Cave, in Pokhara near Davis Falls, is one of Pokhara's major attractions, with a shrine to Lord Shiva (Mahadev) and a length of about 2 km. It lies opposite Davis Falls, whose water passes through the cave, and is a popular pilgrimage stop.
Where is Siddha Gufa located?
Siddha Gufa is at Bimalnagar, Bandipur, in Tanahun district.
How long is Siddha Gufa?
The surveyed length is about 758 m, with a surveyed vertical range of about 105 m.