Things to Kathman-do In Nepal’s Capital City
As the famed gateway to the Himalayas, Kathmandu has long been the starting point for grand expeditions going back to the early days of big mountain exploration. Today it is the biggest city in Nepal and home to a million of Nepal’s 29 million people. Like many cities in South Asia, it is busy to the point of chaotic, but it also hides some of the most impressive cultural sites in the world. There are seven UNESCO World Heritage sites within the Kathmandu Valley, each of them worth a visit, but most travelers can only fit in a few of the cities attractions. These are a few of our top picks.
How Much Time is Enough in Kathmandu and How Much is Too Much?
We think 2-3 days in Kathmandu is ample time to visit the city’s many highlights. More than three days and many travelers start to get a little cagey. Kathmandu is a very busy city and best visited in short forays. On our Far Xplorer trips, we often fold in at least one full day in Kathmandu, often a day and a half, as part of our trips.
1) BOUDHANATH STUPA (Sightsee, eat, shop) 25 minutes by taxi from our host hotel
This is our favorite place to bring new travelers, particularly in the afternoon of their arrival day. A stupa is a Buddhist shrine comprised of a solid dome topped with a peaked tower. The stupa at Boudhanath is one of the largest in the world, and the largest in Nepal. The site was originally founded by Tibetan Buddhists 1,500 years ago and is now home to a large community of Tibetan refugees who fled Tibet in the 1950s during the Chinese occupation. It is now like a little slice of old Tibet in a busy corner of the city.
We love it because it is always tranquil, quiet, and a great place to unwind from long air travels. You can stretch your legs with a walk around the stupa, then enjoy dinner on one of the rooftops overlooking the beautiful stupa as the sun sets in the Kathmandu Valley.
Time needed to enjoy it: 2-3 hours with dinner on a rooftop terrace.
2) BHAKTAPUR PALACE GROUNDS (Sightsee, shop, eat) 45 min by taxi from our host hotel
Originally founded in the 12th century, the ancient palace grounds that remain today were constructed in the 1700s by one of the three prominent Malla dynasties. Today it is far more than a royal estate, it is a well-preserved ancient city positioned seven miles from the edge of Kathmandu. As such it’s more tranquil with most of the narrow walkways and streets off limits to cars or motorbikes.
We love Bhaktapur because it’s a perfect place to explore for a few hours, grab lunch, and get a feel for what life in Nepal was like in centuries past. Our favorite attraction is a stop by the famous neighborhood of black clay potters. Most tourists walk by one particular potter, not realizing he’s the last of his kind. If we’re lucky we will get to spend time with our dear friend Lalit, the last potter still using a hand-powered wheel, a wheel he has used for more than six decades.
Time needed to enjoy it: You need at least 4-6 hours enjoy this mini city with 90 minutes of travel time to/from the hotel.
3) PATAN DURBAR SQUARE (Sightsee, lunch, shop) 25 minute taxi ride from our host hotel
The 400 year old palace grounds of Patan Durbar Square were constructed during the rise of the Malla Kings of Nepal. More than just a royal residence, Patan was, and still is, the center of the community of Lalitpur, or the City of Fine Arts. As one of three such palace grounds in the Kathmandu Valley, Patan is beautifully well preserved and completely restored from the 2015 earthquake that toppled many of the old pagodas and stupas. It’s a great place to spend a few hours visiting old Kathmandu and even a fun place to spend a night or two in one of the quaint hotels within the World Heritage grounds.
Don’t miss Patan’s best attraction, the Golden Temple! It’s hidden away in a narrow street.
Time needed to enjoy it: It can be enjoyed in a brief 90 minute visit, but 2-3 hours is best.
4) THAMEL TOURIST DISTRICT (Shop, eat, people watch) 20 minute walk from our host hotel or 10 minute taxi ride
For thousands of mountaineers, trekkers, and travelers, Thamel was, and still is, an important place to visit. In the early days of Himalayan mountaineering and trekking, the sprawling neighborhood of narrow streets and tiny shops was filled with essential gear and supplies needed for epic adventures in the mountains. Today it still offers all of the outdoor equipment and gear any traveler could need, but it’s also a perfect place to shop for souvenirs, enjoy a great meal, or just take in the colorful sights of a busy neighborhood.
There’s a good chance you will end up in the Thamel district more than once during your trip. It’s our go-to for ATMs, money exchange desks, souvenirs, great dinners, and last minute shopping needs.
5) SWAYAMBOUNATH STUPA or MONKEY TEMPLE (Sightsee) 25 minute taxi ride from our host hotel
Swayambhunath Temple makes for a fun and exotic visit and a guaranteed chance to see monkeys. The Buddhist site is built around a beautiful stupa flanked by old brick buildings, Indian-styled stupas, and a three-tiered pagoda. An active monastery adorned with massive ropes of Buddhist prayer flags complete the scene, but the ever present monkeys always try to steal the show. If you watch many movies or documentaries filmed in Kathmandu, there are always a few scenes from this amazing hilltop shrine. For most people it’s a quick visit of just an hour or so, but worth the trip.
5) PASHUPATINATH HINDU TEMPLE (Sightseeing only) 20 minute taxi ride from our host hotel
Every traveler passes right by the city’s most sacred Hindu site as they enter the city from the airport. Built on the banks of the Bagmati River, Pashupatinath is best known as Nepal’s most revered Hindu cremation site. Like Vernasi in India, devotees come to Pashupati to bid farewell to loved ones in beautiful ceremonies, that while somber, are open to anyone. The vast compound also includes ancient ruins of the temple grounds with some structures dating to the 12th century. The famous Hindu sadhus of Kathmandu are always found in Pashupati, offering blessings to local while trading photos for rupees with passing tourists. We like to visit Pashupatinath in the early morning hours, often on the last day of a trip.
Time needed to enjoy it: The best time to go is just after sunrise but you only need 90 minutes to get the full experience.
6) MOUNTAIN FLIGHT TO SEE MOUNT EVEREST
If you didn’t get a chance to see the Himalayas in all their glory, a quick sightseeing flight is a great way to cap off a trip. Since these scenic hops depart at sunrise, they can often be fit into your departure day prior to an afternoon flight home. Most mountain flights are 60-minutes long, making at least two passes along the Himalayas with the summit of Mount Everest the crown jewel of the experience.
Time needed to enjoy it: Depart hotel at 6am and be back by 12pm at the very latest.
7) KATHMANDU DURBAR SQUARE (Sightseeing) 20 minute walk from Thamel. 20 minute taxi from our host hotel
If you like city walks, and you’re confident in your navigational skills, we love to walk from Thamel to Kathmandu Durbar Square located near the city’s center. While not as expansive or well preserved as Patan Durbar Square or Bhaktapur, the palace grounds of the city proper are flanked by interesting old-world neighborhoods with colorful shops and markets. The walk from Thamel to Kathmandu is about a mile long with endless things to see along the way.
