Kathmandu, the capital city of Nepal, is a must see on your next trip to Nepal. Cows roam the streets. Hidden temples lay beyond cute alleyways. Views of the Himalayas poke out of the clouds when the weather is good. And most of all, the food is amazing. Plan to spend at least a couple of days in Kathmandu exploring the city.
We were in Kathmandu for a total of 4 weeks, helping out our friend at his coffee shop (Top of the World Coffee- it’s a great place and I would definitely recommend it) and exploring a lot of what the valley has to offer. Our apartment was in Patan, a town just south of Kathmandu, but we got up to the main city quite a bit.
Kathmandu is quite the scene. One of the best things to do is just walk around and soak up the atmosphere, but there are also many attractions worth seeing on your time there.
Explore Thamel
Thamel is a district in the city made up of 5 main streets. It is all catered towards tourists, so expect lots of tour agencies, cafes, and souvenir shops.
Walking around Thamel can get pretty chaotic, but it’s the perfect place to stop for a cup of coffee and stock up on some souvenirs. Do be sure to bargain though with the souvenirs as the prices can get pretty high.
Durbar Square
Once a part of the royal palace, Kathmandu Durbar square is a must see while visiting Kathmandu. Tourists are charged a fee of 1000rps, which includes the museum inside. If you are planning on returning another day, remember to bring you visa and passport to get a long term pass for the same 1000rps. Kathmandu Durbar square is the perfect place to spend an afternoon people watching or paying a visit to the museum. Unfortunately, some temples are still under renovation from the 2015 earthquake. It is still worth the visit, despite what other people say. There are many beautiful temples that weren’t destroyed and visiting is a great chance to get a peek into some of the locals’ daily lives.
Wander Old Town
In Kathmandu’s old town, stretching between Thamel and the Durbar Square, you’ll find temples around every turn of the road. The Old Town is so full of them, it would take days to really explore each one. To get from Thamel to the Durbar Square walk through Ason Tole and Indra Chowk, 2 busy markets with vendors selling produce and souvenirs from all over Nepal.
Take a cooking class or tour
Kathmandu is full of great tours and cooking classes. My favorite tour company is Backstreet Academy with tours ranging from this secret food tour to this great ‘hidden gems’ of Kathmandu walking tour. Backstreet Academy has all local guides with great depths of knowledge about Nepalese culture and history. They show you the places that only locals know about and that you would never find on your own.
Another great tour through them is this momo cooking class with a home chef that we did. The hosts were amazing and our momos turned out delicious. We learned every step of the process, from mixing up the filling to pinching the dough in 5 different ways. It also gave us an opportunity to talk with locals and learn about their daily life.
The tours with Seven Women also look really great. They have an interesting program where they employ and help local women. One of their popular classes is the cooking class. Another one that looks fun is the craft class where you have the opportunity to make your own souvenir with the help of the talented women.
If you are visiting Bhaktapur, get over to the Durbar Square and you’ll find several workshops nearby where you can learn to make things like clay pots or thangka, a Tibetan cloth painting.
Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath Stupa, also called Boudha Stupa, is the holiest and most important temple for Tibetan Buddhists outside of Tibet. It is surrounded by a small plaza, cafes and souvenir shops.
The stupa is technically part of the town of Boudha, but it is just right outside of Kathmandu. It is the best place to observe Tibetan Buddhism in all of Nepal and is totally worth the 15-30 minute drive!
When you visit, remember to walk clockwise around the stupa, as is the Buddhist custom. It is said that the mantra (prayers) are written in that direction across the sky.
Swayambhunath (Monkey temple)
The Swayambhunath Stupa, also known as the monkey temple, is another great place to observe the fascinating Buddhist culture. It sits atop a hill with sweeping views of the city. The first thing you’ll notice is the many monkeys that frolic around the stupa. According to legend, the monkeys come from the deity Manjushri’s hair lice, making them holy.
The Swayambhunath stupa is one of the 7 UNESCO world heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley along with the Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the Pashupatinath temple, the Boudhanath Stupa, and more.
3 day Kathmandu itinerary
If you are staying in Kathmandu for a short period of time, I recommend you stay at one of the many nice hotels in Thamel. Thamel is the tourist hub of the valley and a great central point for exploring. If you can I would recommend you stay much longer than 3 days. Kathmandu is a really interesting and different place that you won’t quite understand only rushing around to all the tourist attractions. But if you really do want to pack in a lot, this itinerary is for you. It still doesn’t include everything, so it’s just another reason to return!
Quick overview:
Day 1- Thamel, Ason Tole and Indrachowk, Kathmandu Durbar Square
Day 2- Pashupatinath Temple and Bhaktapur
Day 3- Day trip to Patan (Lalitpur)
Day 1:
Use your first day as a way to get to know Thamel and walk around the Kathmandu city itself.
Thamel
Thamel is the most touristy part of the city. Some roads are blocked off to cars, making it the perfect place to walk around.
>Start off by having breakfast and wandering around Thamel. There are tons of restaurants in the area, so you won’t have trouble finding a good place.
>From Thamel, walk the short distance to the Nateshwar temple and its square.
>Continue down southeast towards Ason Tole.
Ason Tole and Indrachowk-
Ason Tole and Inra Chowk are 2 intersections along a market street. As you walk around be sure to look up and admire the ancient Newari architecture.
>Wander down the busy market street. Keep in mind that there are motorcycles at times that try to squeeze through the crowd. If you need to escape for a bit just look for a side road to duck down. They will often lead to quiet courtyards.
>Wander into Indra Chowk
>Be sure to stop by Indra Chowk Lassi Pasal, the best sweet lassi in town! It is located on the backside of the Shree Kanteshwor Mahadev temple down Watu Marg. If you can’t find it, just ask a shop owner and they should be able to tell you.
>Continue down towards the Durbar Square
Kathmandu Durbar Square-
One of the 3 Durbar Squares in the valley, the Kathmandu Durbar Square is the perfect spot to people watch or learn more about the culture of Nepal. It is made up of many large squares and temples.
>Explore the Durbar Square
>Get some lunch in or around the square. There are many great restaurants in the area with both western and Nepalese food.
Give yourself at least an hour or 2 to just soak in the atmosphere.
Thamel
>Get a taxi or rickshaw back to Thamel.
Day 2:
Your second day should be spent exploring some of the areas surrounding Kathmandu city itself. The Kathmandu Valley used to be split into 3 kingdoms. Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. Now they each have their own Durbar Square and surrounding Old Town. This day will take you to Bhaktapur as well as the Pashupatinath temple.
Variations
Getting to the Boudhanath stupa from the Pashupatinath temple is easy too, so you can visit that instead of Bhaktapur if you would like. It is a hard decision because both are so great. You can also visit the Boudhanath Stupa instead of the Pashupatinath Temple if watching cremations doesn’t interest you.
Here is the itinerary including the Pashupatinath temple and Bhaktapur:
Pashupatinath Temple-
The Pashupatinath temple is the most popular cremation spot for Hindus and Buddhists alike. It is one of the best places in Kathmandu to observe traditional life. Non Hindus aren’t allowed in the temple itself, but you are in the surrounding parts.
>Take a taxi to the Pashupatinath Temple. It will drop you off just south of the area and you can walk up through the small market.
>You can explore the temple by yourself or hire a guide.
>Leave the Pashupatinath Temple and take a taxi to the Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur is one of the most beautiful areas in the valley with more temples per square foot than in both Kathmandu and Patan.
>Have lunch near the square and explore the area
>Walk to the Potters Square and Taumadhi Square, home to the tallest temple in Nepal. And be sure to taste king curd! It is made from buffalo milk and is the specialty of the area.
Thamel
>Get a taxi back to Thamel
Day 3:
Take a day trip to Patan for your 3rd day. Explore the Durbar Square and also be sure to walk down the cobbled alleyways surrounding the square. This day won’t be as full as the days prior, giving you time to really soak it all in.
To Patan
>Patan is easily accessible by taxi from Thamel. The drive could take up to 30 minutes on a high traffic day. Tell your taxi to drop you off at Patan Dhoka and walk from there to the Durbar Square
Patan
My favorite of the 3 Durbar Squares, the surrounding Old Town of Patan really sets it apart from the others. Keep in mind that Patan is also called Lalitpur by most locals.
>On the walk be sure to stop at the Golden Temple and duck down as many cute passages as you feel you have time for! The walk mentioned above takes you down some of the cutest streets, past places to buy souvenirs, and to all the best attractions in the area.
>Have lunch at the Durbar Square
>Explore the Durbar Square and be sure to stop into the museum!
>People watch for a while
>Once you are ready to head back to Thamel you can walk down the Pulchowk Gabahal Road to the main street or just get a taxi from near the Durbar Square.
Thamel
Have dinner in Thamel and walk around. It really lights up at night!
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