Kathmandu

Nepal's capital and the seven World Heritage sites of the Kathmandu Valley: Swayambhunath, Boudhanath Stupa, the old cities of Patan and Bhaktapur, and sunrise at Nagarkot.

Kathmandu is the capital of Nepal, in the Kathmandu Valley at an altitude of about 1,400 meters. Three old Malla-dynasty capitals in the valley – Kathmandu, Patan (Lalitpur) and Bhaktapur – together with Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan, make up seven monument groups that form the "Kathmandu Valley" World Cultural Heritage site, where Hinduism, Tibetan Buddhism and Newar culture meet.

Key areas to explore: ① The city center – Durbar Square, Asan Market, Thamel and the Garden of Dreams are within walking distance. ② The east – Pashupatinath and Boudhanath are about 3 km apart and can be combined in half a day; to the north are Kopan Monastery and Budhanilkantha (the Sleeping Vishnu). ③ The west – Swayambhunath (the Monkey Temple) and Seto Gumba (the White Monastery), plus the Chandragiri cable car. ④ The south – Patan, Kirtipur, Bungamati, and Pharping and Dakshinkali. ⑤ The eastern hills – Bhaktapur, Changu Narayan and sunrise at Nagarkot, plus the Dhulikhel, Namobuddha and Panauti route.

Getting around: Tribhuvan International Airport has direct flights from Chengdu, Kunming, Lhasa, Guangzhou, Hong Kong and other cities; Chinese citizens are exempt from the visa fee (via visa on arrival or e-visa). Within the valley, take taxis or hire a car; trips between sights take 20–60 minutes, and traffic is heavy. Climate: October–November has the clearest skies and the best chance of seeing the snow peaks; March–April is warm with rhododendrons in bloom; June–September is the rainy season. Plan on 3–4 days, and you can add Pokhara (about 200 km away), Chitwan or an Everest sightseeing flight. Tips: the air is very dusty, so wearing a mask is recommended; tap water is not safe to drink; the inner sanctums of some Hindu temples are closed to non-Hindus; the Nepali rupee cannot be exchanged directly for the Chinese yuan, so bring US dollars.

Top sights

• Kathmandu Durbar Square – The old royal palace square of the Malla kings, with the Hanuman Dhoka palace, the residence of the living goddess Kumari, and dozens of Ne…
• Swayambhunath – A 2,500-year-old stupa on a hilltop west of central Kathmandu, with the Buddha eyes painted on all four sides. It offers the best panoramic…
• Boudhanath Stupa – The largest stupa in Nepal and the heart of Tibetan Buddhism in the country. A classic experience is circling the stupa at dusk alongside T…
• Pashupatinath Temple – Nepal's holiest Hindu temple, with open-air cremation ghats and sadhus along the Bagmati River. It is a powerful place to confront mortalit…
• Patan Durbar Square – The old royal palace square of Patan (Lalitpur), with the stone Krishna Temple, golden temples, and one of Nepal's finest religious art mus…
• Thamel – Kathmandu's hub for backpackers and outdoor gear, where guesthouses, restaurants, mountaineering shops, and thangka stalls crowd narrow lan…
• Everest Mountain Flight – A scenic flight of about one hour from Kathmandu Airport at dawn, flying along the Himalayas, where you can see close-up through the window…
• Nagarkot – A hill village at about 2,175 m on the eastern edge of the valley. On clear days you can watch a sunrise over the full sweep of the Himalay…
• Changu Narayan Temple – One of the oldest Hindu temples in the valley, dedicated to Vishnu. Stone inscriptions in its courtyard date back to the 5th century, and t…
• Garden of Dreams – A neoclassical garden next to Thamel, where pavilions, pools, and lawns form a quiet corner in the busy city. It is a good place to stop fo…
• Narayanhiti Palace Museum – The last royal palace of Nepal, where the 2001 royal massacre took place. After the monarchy was abolished in 2008, it was opened as a muse…
• Kopan Monastery – A Tibetan Buddhist Gelug monastery on a hill north of Boudhanath, known for meditation courses open to foreigners. It offers wide views ove…
• Budhanilkantha Temple – A 5-meter-long black stone sculpture of Vishnu reclining on a bed of serpents in an open-air pool on the northern edge of the valley. It is…
• Chandragiri Cable Car – A cable car southwest of the valley that climbs to a peak at about 2,520 m in about 10 minutes. On clear days, the Annapurna-to-Everest lin…
• Dakshinkali Temple – A temple to the goddess Kali in a valley at the southern end of the valley, where animal sacrifices are held early in the morning on Tuesda…
• Pharping – A Newar town and Tibetan Buddhist holy site on the southern edge of the valley. Legend holds that Padmasambhava attained enlightenment in a…
• Kirtipur – A Newar old town on a ridge in the southwestern valley, with the Bagheshwari Temple, Chilancho Stupa, and traditional brick houses. It has…
• Bungamati – An old Newar village south of Patan, birthplace of the red Machhendranath (rain god), one of the most revered deities in the valley. Temple…
• Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park – A national park along the northern rim of the valley, covered in primeval forest. Climbing Shivapuri Peak (about 2,732 m) gives views of bo…
• Asan Tole & Indra Chowk – The liveliest old street market between Durbar Square and Thamel, where spices, fabrics, copperware, and small shrines crowd a square at th…
• Dharahara – A white watchtower in central Kathmandu, first built in 1832, collapsed in the 2015 earthquake and rebuilt as a new landmark for the city.
• Chobhar Gorge & Adinath Lokeshwar – Legend says Manjushri slashed through this gorge with his sword and drained the lake, forming the Kathmandu Valley. A 'Adinath Lokeshwar' B…
• Taudaha Lake – A small lake on the southern outskirts of the valley, said to be a remnant of the ancient lake that once filled the valley. In winter it ho…
• Seto Gumba (Druk Amitabha Mountain) – A white Drukpa Kagyu monastery on a hilltop on the western side of the valley. Its white buildings and neat gardens offer views over all of…
• Khokana – An old Newar village famous for its traditional mustard oil presses. It has brick houses, a village pond, and a temple to Rudrayani, and th…
• Kumari Ghar – The residence of the living goddess on the south side of Kathmandu Durbar Square, where you may catch a glimpse of the young Kumari, revere…

Where to eat

• Krishnarpan Restaurant – An upscale Nepalese restaurant inside The Dwarika's Hotel, offering multi-course tasting menus that showcase regional f…
• Honacha (Patan) – A historic Newari eatery next to Patan Durbar Square, family-run for decades and highly popular among locals for its gr…
• Bhojan Griha – A century-old heritage house restaurant in Dillibazar, featuring multi-ethnic Nepalese dance performances during dinner…
• Yangling Tibetan Restaurant – A family-run Tibetan eatery on the western edge of Thamel, famous for its handmade momos and spicy chili momos at budge…
• Tukche Thakali Kitchen (Gairidhara) – A Thakali family restaurant opened in 1997, serving authentic thali, dhedo, and mutton momos, making it a popular choic…
• Fire and Ice Pizzeria (Thamel) – An iconic Italian pizzeria in Thamel opened in 1995, famous for its thin-crust pizzas and a popular choice for a change…

Itineraries

• Classic Nepal: Ancient Cities, Snow Mountains & Jungle – From Kathmandu Valley, Bandipur, and Pokhara to Chitwan, connecting ancient cities, snow-capped mountains, and jungles.
• Kathmandu Stopover: Two-Day World Heritage Highlights – See Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Pashupatinath and Boudhanath in two days, with an optional early Everest mountain fli…
• Kathmandu Valley Ancient Cities & Sunrise – Explore the main World Heritage sites in the valley over four days, stay in Nagarkot for a snow-capped mountain sunrise…
• Kathmandu Tibetan Buddhist Pilgrimage – Stay in Boudha and join the pilgrims circling the stupa. Visit Kopan Monastery, Swayambhunath, Padmasambhava's cave at…
• Based in Patan: Newar Towns of the Southern Valley – Use Patan's old town as a base for slow trips to the southern valley towns of Bungamati, Kirtipur and Pharping.
• Everest Base Camp (EBC) & Kala Patthar – Fly to Lukla and enter the Khumbu region, trekking via Namche, Tengboche, and Dingboche to EBC and Kala Patthar.
• Kathmandu & Western Bhutan – Explore the ancient cities of the Kathmandu Valley first, then fly to Paro to visit Thimphu and Punakha, and hike up to…
• Kathmandu Valley Rim Hikes – Based in Thamel, hike Shivapuri and Chandragiri, then stay at Nagarkot for sunrise and walk to Changu Narayan.
• Annapurna Circuit Trek: Crossing Thorong La – Follow the Marshyangdi River valley up to Manang, cross Thorong La to Muktinath, and descend along the Kali Gandaki bac…
• Kathmandu Valley Highlights and Dhulikhel – Five days touring the valley's World Heritage sites and southern towns, then east to Dhulikhel, Namobuddha and Panauti.
• Nepal Buddhist Pilgrimage Tour – Connect Boudhanath, Namo Buddha, Lumbini, and Pharping to visit the birthplace of the Buddha and sacred Tibetan sites.
• Janakpur: Sacred City of Sita Getaway – Fly from Kathmandu to Janakpur to witness the evening prayers at Janaki Temple, the sacred site of Dhanusha, and Mithil…