Our 3 weeks in Nepal started in Kathmandu and we spent a few days discovering most of the highlights in this city. In this article, we share the 8 x best places to visit in Kathmandu such as the Boudhanath Stupa, the Pashupatinath Temple, Durbar Square, and many more…
As there are so many places to visit in Kathmandu we can recommend taking at least 2 or 3 days to explore Kathmandu at your own pace.
How to get to Kathmandu
- By plane:
The easiest and fastest way to reach Kathmandu if you are traveling from abroad is by plane. or national flights from Pokhara are also possible but quite expensive.
- From the airport to Kathmandu center (Thamel):
From Kathmandu International Airport, by taxi, 30 minutes, prices are around Rs 700-750/one-way or if you find a local taxi on the street outside the airport, prices are around Rs 500/one-way - By bus:
Kathmandu is easy to reach by tourist and public buses from almost any place in Nepal but keep in mind that the roads are not always in good condition and distances are long.
Where to stay in Kathmandu
Our favorite place to stay in Kathmandu is the Thamel district, which is in our opinion the perfect base to explore all the highlights and the best things to do in Kathmandu. Our accommodation was the Glasshouse hotel, which is a family ran the budget-friendly hotel with a nice rooftop terrace. If you are looking for a luxurious place to stay we can recommend staying at The RoadHouse Hotel in the center of Thamel.
Read also: Where to stay in Nepal: our favorite accommodations
8 x best places to visit in Kathmandu
There are plenty of things to do in Kathmandu, from visiting religious sites to flying over the highest mountain peaks in the world. Below we have listed our favorite and best places to visit in Kathmandu.
Boudhanath Stupa
This spiritual temple is one of the highlights in Nepal and also the most important temple for local people. The Boudhanath Temple is surrounded by shops, bars & restaurants with rooftop bars so you can have a great view over this white-domed Stupa. We went earlier in the morning to avoid the crowds and to snap some lovely pictures.
COST
Entrance fee is Rs 400 per person ($3,5)
LOCATION
Boudhanath Stupa
BOOK
A guided heritage tour in the Kathmandu Valley that includes this amazing Stupa
Swayambhunath Stupa
The Swayambhunath Stupa or Monkey Temple is located just outside the center of Thamel (about a 10-min taxi drive) and if you arrive at the Northside you’ll need to walk up the 370 steps. Once you reach the top of the temple complex, you’ll get rewarded by stunning, panoramic views over the Kathmandu Valley, where we loved to watch the locals & monks doing their rituals and prays.
COST
The entrance fee is Rs 200 per person
LOCATION
Swayambhunath Stupa
BOOK
This amazing Heritage tour in Kathmandu includes the Swayambhutnath Stupa
Pashupatinath Temple
The Pashupatinath Temple is the largest temple in Nepal and one of the most religious sites of Asia. Cremations of human bodies take place on platforms that are built on the riverside of the Bagmati River. During our visit to the Pashupatinath Temple, an important person was just cremated, which was impressive to see.
COST
Entrance fee is Rs 1000 per person
LOCATION
Pashupatinath Temple
BOOK
A guided tour that includes all the highlights of Kathmandu such as the Pashupatinath Temple
Kathmandu Durbar Square
The landmark attraction of Durbar Square is located in the center of Kathmandu and also recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. On the day we went to Durbar Square a huge event was taking place. Normally we try to beat the crowds, but this time it made the visit more authentic and unique.
COST
Entrance fee is between Rs 800 -Rs 1000 per person
LOCATION
Kathmandu Durbar Square
BOOK
This guided cultural tour shows you the most historical en cultural landmarks of Kathmandu
Visit Bhaktapur
We are not really culturally minded people but the UNESCO World Heritage City of Bhaktapur is definitely worth to visit. Stunning cultural and historical sights make this a perfect place to soak up the history of Nepal. Our visit to Bhaktapur was unexpected and we ended up staying here for 2 days. Nyatapola temple is one of the main sights and also here we had the privilege to experience a big event.
COST
The entrance fee is Rs 1500 per person but asks for a stamp to re-entry if you consider staying a few days.
BOOK
Book a guided day-tour to Bhaktapur and Patan here
Experience an Everest mountain flight
Mount Everest is the world’s highest peak and for many a bucket list to hike up to basecamp but this takes at least 8-10 days. So, if you haven’t that much time and you really want to experience an amazing view over the Himalayan peaks, then is a mountain flight a great option to do.
COST
$150 per person
LOCATION
Everest Mountain Flight
BOOK
An Everest Mountain Flight to complete your Nepal adventure and watch the Himalayas from another perspective
Wander around in Thamel
Thamel is Kathmandu’s backpacker’s district and it’s the place to be to enjoy the many cozy bars and restaurants or to find some extra trekking equipment. We stayed 5 days in Thamel as it was the perfect base to explore Kathmandu.
FAVORITE PLACES
OR2K (our favorite lunch spot, a vegetarian restaurant with lots of vegan options)
Sarangi (cheap fresh and healthy food, wide vegetarian & vegan menu)
Mitho (our favorite dinner spot)
New Orleans (great atmosphere with live music, wide menu with more western food, vegetarian-friendly)
BOOK
An authentic cooking class and make your own Nepali lunch or dinner
Mount Everest Base Camp trek
Trekking to Mount Everest Base Camp is a bucket list for many and also for us and also one of the reasons why we traveled to Nepal. Unfortunately due to bad weather our flights to Lukla were canceled 3 days in a row and we both got sick afterward, so we have to cancel our Mount Everest adventure. But we keep being positive and definitely go back someday.
COST
$900-$1200 per person
BOOK
a 15 days/14 nights Everest Base Camp Trek with a guide here
Find the best places to visit in Kathmandu with our travel resources
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