Kathmandu Half Day Tour
The hilltop stupa and the old royal square, in about four hours.
Group $20Private $30, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur
Kathmandu Valley Tours with Local Guides
Kathmandu Valley tours are guided day trips to the valley's seven UNESCO monument zones and the hill viewpoints around them, including Patan, Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath and Nagarkot. Join a daily group or book your own private tour, and every tour page shows the entry fees you'll pay.
How long do you have?
- Daily group or private
- Hotel pick-up available
- Reserve free, pay later
- Free cancellation to 24 hours
Our Kathmandu Valley tours
Each price covers your guide, plus a vehicle and bottled water on driving tours. Entry fees, lunch and tips are extra, except that the luxury tour includes fees and lunch. Prices are per person from 2 guests, and larger parties get up to 40% off. Choose your number of guests on any tour page to see your price. Most group tours leave Thamel daily, and private driving tours include hotel pick-up.
Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour
Four of the seven UNESCO sites: two Buddhist, one Hindu and the old royal square.
Group $35Private $50, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
7 UNESCO Sites in One Day
Every UNESCO site in the valley in one long day. It works, but you see each one quickly.
Group $45Private $60, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
7 UNESCO Sites in 2 Days
The same seven sites with room to look around, split over two shorter days.
Group $65Private $95, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
Kathmandu Valley Day Tour: Patan and Bhaktapur
Two old royal cities on either side of the valley, with time to wander their back lanes.
Group $35Private $50, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
Nagarkot Sunrise and Bhaktapur
Dawn at the valley rim, then breakfast-time Bhaktapur before the crowds arrive.
Group $40Private $55, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
Bhaktapur Day Tour with Changu Narayan
The hilltop temple in the morning, then the old brick city of Bhaktapur.
Group $35Private $50, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
Pashupatinath and Boudhanath at Dusk
The Buddhist stupa in the late afternoon, then the Hindu temple as evening aarti begins.
Group $25Private $35, per person from 2 guestsUp to 40% off for more guestsPlus entry fees
12 tours
See every tour
Also Chandragiri, a street food walk, and Patan and its villages.
Which tour fits your time in Kathmandu?
The real choice is how much time you can spare. Here are the four UNESCO options on one scale.
Kathmandu Half Day Tour
2 sites. Unhurried. A short stop, or the day you land.
4 hoursKathmandu Sightseeing Tour
4 sites. Steady. Most first-time visitors.
6 to 7 hours7 UNESCO Sites in One Day
7 sites. Fast. Travellers with one day who want to see everything.
9 to 11 hours7 UNESCO Sites in 2 Days
7 sites. Relaxed. Anyone with the time. This is the one we'd choose.
2 days, 6 to 7 hours each
Private or group: what's the difference?
Almost every tour runs both ways, and you choose on the tour page. Prices below are for the Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour. We use a comfortable air-conditioned car, Scorpio or Hiace, chosen to fit the size of your party.
| Compare | Group tour | Private tour |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $35 per person | $50 per person |
| Who's with you | 2 to 10 travellers in a group | Only your party |
| Start time | Fixed, scheduled daily | You choose |
| Vehicle | Shared and air-conditioned | Private and air-conditioned |
| Pick-up | Meet in Thamel, or add hotel pick-up and drop-off for $10 per person. Included on sunrise tours | Hotel pick-up included |
| Guide language | English | Ask for your language |
| Pace | Set schedule | Change it to suit you |
| Reserving | Free on both. Pay online or in cash on the day | |
| Cancelling | Free up to 24 hours before the start | |
The seven UNESCO sites of the valley
UNESCO inscribed these seven monument zones together as one World Heritage property in 1979. They sit within about 15 km of each other, but valley traffic makes that feel further, which is why route order matters.
- Royal square
- Hindu temple
- Buddhist stupa
Above the valley, the Himalaya
On a clear morning the snow peaks stand behind the hills at the valley rim. Nagarkot is the classic place to see them, though cloud can hide them at any time of year. Compare the viewpoints in our guide to Nagarkot or Chandragiri.
Life between the temples
Markets, workshops and street life carry on around the monuments, and they're often what people remember. Read our guide to things to do in Kathmandu.
Vegetable market 
Bhaktapur 
Mask painter 
Puppet for sale 
Metalware shop
Festivals that change the valley
Most festivals follow lunar calendars, so dates move every year. See upcoming dates in our Nepal festival calendar.
Why book directly with us
You talk to the people running the tour
Your questions go to whoever is arranging your day, and there's no reseller in between.
You can change the day
Slow it down, swap a site or start earlier. On a private tour, tell us what suits you.
One contact on the day
If traffic or weather changes the plan, you deal with one person who can sort it out.
No surprises at the ticket counter
You'll see each fee before you book, along with what's included and what isn't.
What's included, and what entry fees cost
Our tour prices don't include entry fees, except on the luxury tour. Visiting all seven sites costs a foreign visitor NPR 5,700. Few tour pages spell this out, so here it is in full.
Included on a group tour
- Local guide, shared by up to 10 guests
- Shared air-conditioned vehicle and driver
- Daily departure from Thamel
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Included on a private tour
- Your own local guide
- Private air-conditioned vehicle and driver
- Hotel pick-up and drop-off
- Bottled water in the vehicle
Not included
- Entry fees, paid at each site, except on the luxury tour
- Lunch and drinks
- Tips for your guide and driver
- Hotel pick-up on group tours, available as an add-on
| Site (fees in NPR) | Foreign | SAARC | Indian | Chinese |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Swayambhunath | 200 | 50 | 50 | 200 |
| Kathmandu Durbar Square | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 1,000 |
| Patan Durbar Square * | 1,000 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Bhaktapur Durbar Square * | 1,800 | 500 | 500 | 500 |
| Changu Narayan * | 300 | 100 | 100 | 300 |
| Boudhanath | 400 | 100 | 100 | 400 |
| Pashupatinath | 1,000 | 1,000 | Free | 1,000 |
| All seven | 5,700 | 2,750 | 1,750 | 3,900 |
Planning your visit
Pick-up
Private tours pick you up from your hotel. Group tours meet in Thamel, and you can add hotel pick-up. Sunrise tours leave well before dawn, and include hotel pick-up on both group and private tours. Just landed? Read our first day in Kathmandu checklist.
Walking
The squares are flat but uneven, with stone steps at most temples. A road reaches the top at Swayambhunath, so the long stairway is optional. Tell us about any walking limits.
Air and weather
Dust and haze are part of the valley, especially in the dry months. Bring a mask if you're sensitive to them. In summer, carry a rain jacket.
Temple manners
Walk clockwise around stupas and shrines, take off your shoes where asked, and ask before you photograph anyone. New words? Our Kathmandu heritage glossary explains them.
Money
Ticket counters work in Nepali rupees. You pay entry fees at each site, so bring cash for tickets, lunch, tips and extras.
Nationality
Entry fees differ for SAARC, Indian and Chinese visitors. Carry your passport, as counter staff may ask for proof.
Kathmandu Valley tours: your questions answered
Can you see all seven UNESCO sites in one day?
Yes, but it's a fast day of 9 to 11 hours. One comparable itinerary allows about 5 hours 25 minutes on site across all seven stops, so you'll see each place briefly. If you have two days, split them.
Do I pay when I reserve?
No. Reserving is free. After we confirm by email, you can pay online through a secure link or in cash on the tour day.
Can I cancel?
Yes. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start. After that, or if you miss the tour, anything you've paid isn't refunded. If we can't run your tour, you'll get another day or a full refund.
Are entry fees included?
No, except on the luxury tour. You pay entry fees at each site, in Nepali rupees, and each tour page shows the total. SAARC, Indian and Chinese visitors pay less at some sites.
Can non-Hindu visitors enter Pashupatinath?
The main temple is for Hindus only. Everyone else can walk the grounds, the riverside and the surrounding shrines, see the main temple from the back premises, and watch evening aarti from across the Bagmati.
What should I wear?
Cover your shoulders and knees, and wear shoes that slip off easily, because you remove them at shrines. Leather items aren't allowed inside the main Pashupatinath complex.
Can I photograph everything?
Please don't photograph worshippers, priests or grieving families, or the cremations at Pashupatinath. Your guide will tell you where photos are welcome, and some inner shrines don't allow them.
When is the best time for a tour?
October and March are the busiest months for visitors. Air quality tends to be poorer from November to May, and summer brings monsoon rain, so an early start helps in any season. Mountain views from Nagarkot are never guaranteed.
Reserve your tour free
Tell us your date and party size, and we'll confirm by email. You don't pay anything to reserve. Pay online through a secure link or in cash on the day, and cancel free up to 24 hours before.
Call +977 986 707 2313