Kathmandu Valley travel guide

Practical answers for planning your days in the valley, with fees, times and rules checked against published sources. Each page shows the date we last checked it.

Timing a trip around a festival? See upcoming dates in the Nepal festival calendar.

Green terraced fields and village houses on a hillside at Nagarkot, with snow peaks far behind
Nagarkot

Plan your days

  • A tiered pagoda with red cloth trim above the brick rooftops of old Kathmandu

    How many days in Kathmandu?

    How many days in Kathmandu you need by trip type, from a layover to a trek, with spare days for Lukla flights and what each length lets you see.

  • Prayer flags in blue, white, red, green and yellow crossing in front of a stupa spire

    One day in Kathmandu

    One day in Kathmandu, hour by hour. Four UNESCO sites in a realistic order, with distances, rush hour timing, fees and a rainy day plan.

  • Looking down on a brick-paved street through old Patan, lined with tiled roofs and people walking

    2 days in Kathmandu

    2 days in Kathmandu, hour by hour. All seven UNESCO sites in a realistic order, with drive times, rush hour notes, fees and a plan for rainy days.

  • Snow peaks of the Himalaya rising above forested hills and a hotel at Nagarkot

    3 days in Kathmandu

    3 days in Kathmandu, hour by hour. The seven UNESCO sites, Newar villages and a Nagarkot sunrise, with drive times, fees and rainy day swaps.

  • Boudhanath stupa under a blue sky with strings of prayer flags running down from the spire

    Kathmandu itinerary for 1 to 5 days

    Kathmandu itinerary options from one to five days, with a day-by-day plan for four and five days, drive times, fees and what to drop if you run short.

  • Green terraced fields and village houses on a hillside at Nagarkot, with snow peaks far behind

    Best time to visit Kathmandu

    The best time to visit Kathmandu by month, with rainfall and temperature from WMO normals, air quality figures, visitor numbers and 2026 to 2027 festival dates.

  • Tiered gold temple roofs at Pashupatinath above white shrines, with a large crowd below

    What to wear in Kathmandu

    What to wear in Kathmandu by season and by site, with temple dress rules at Pashupatinath, shoe and leather rules, and packing notes from climate data.

  • Brass kettles, incense burners and hanging lamps on a blue shop door in Kathmandu

    Things to do in Kathmandu

    Things to do and places to visit in Kathmandu, ranked, from Boudhanath and Bhaktapur to museums and hikes, with time needed, fees and honest notes on each.

  • Forested hills dotted with houses on the valley rim, with a white Himalayan range on the horizon

    Best day trip from Kathmandu

    The best day trip from Kathmandu compared, with drive times, distances and what to expect at Bhaktapur, Nagarkot, Chandragiri, Namobuddha and others.

  • Tiered temple roofs with red cloth trim and pigeons flying over them in old Kathmandu

    Is Kathmandu worth visiting?

    Is Kathmandu worth visiting? An honest case for and against, with air pollution figures, traffic, crowds, earthquake repairs and who should skip it.

  • A red cable car cabin high above the spread of the Kathmandu Valley

    Nagarkot or Chandragiri, which is better?

    Nagarkot or Chandragiri, which is better? A side-by-side look at drive times, cable car fare and hours, views, crowds and who each one suits.

Costs and getting around

  • The five-tiered Nyatapola Temple framed by a window, with two people in silhouette looking out

    Kathmandu entry fees and opening hours

    Entry fees for all seven UNESCO sites in Kathmandu by nationality, checked in November 2026, with the figures that still conflict between sources.

  • Radishes, cauliflower, carrots and green vegetables piled up at a Kathmandu market

    Kathmandu trip cost

    What a Kathmandu trip costs per day at low, mid and high budgets, with the source and date of each figure, plus ATM fees, visa costs and money changers.

  • A tiered pagoda with red cloth trim above the brick rooftops of old Kathmandu

    Kathmandu taxi fares

    Kathmandu taxi fares in 2026, including the airport to Thamel prepaid price, the official meter rate, ride-hailing apps and the common overcharging tricks.

  • Tiered temple roofs with red cloth trim and pigeons flying over them in old Kathmandu

    Kathmandu tour guide fees and tipping

    What a Kathmandu tour guide costs per day, the guide association's published rates, how much to tip, and how to check a tourist guide licence in Nepal.

  • Looking down on a brick-paved street through old Patan, lined with tiled roofs and people walking

    Do you need a tour guide in Nepal?

    Do you need a tour guide in Nepal? For Kathmandu sightseeing we found no rule requiring one. When a guide is worth paying for, when it isn't, and what to ask.

  • Three travellers with luggage walking across the forecourt towards the Tribhuvan International Airport terminal

    Kathmandu transit visa and layover rules

    Nepal visa on arrival fees, and the transit visa listed at US$5 for up to 24 hours, though official pages conflict. Excluded nationalities and open questions.

Sites and culture

  • Swayambhunath stupa with its gold spire and prayer flags, with shrines around the dome and the city below

    Kathmandu UNESCO sites explained

    The seven Kathmandu UNESCO monument zones compared, with the 1979 inscription, the criteria, the 2006 boundary change and the 2003 to 2007 Danger Listing.

  • Tiered gold temple roofs at Pashupatinath above white shrines, with a large crowd below

    Kathmandu UNESCO sites map

    A map of the seven UNESCO monument zones in the Kathmandu Valley, with rivers, main roads, entry fees, distances and a free printable PDF.

  • Tiered temple roofs in Kathmandu under a wide sky of broken cloud

    History of the Kathmandu Valley

    A dated history of the Kathmandu Valley from the Licchavi kings through the three Malla kingdoms to the Shah conquest of 1768 and 1769, with a timeline.

  • Looking down on a brick-paved street through old Patan, lined with tiled roofs and people walking

    Kathmandu earthquake restoration tracker

    Kathmandu earthquake restoration status at named monuments, with a date and source for each. National figure 825 of 920 sites. Last checked November 2026.

  • Tiered gold temple roofs at Pashupatinath above white shrines, with a large crowd below

    Pashupatinath rules for non-Hindu visitors

    Pashupatinath non-Hindu rules explained: who can enter the main temple, what others can see, and dress, leather, photography and aarti, from PADT and NTB.

  • The temple buildings and stone walkways of the Pashupatinath complex seen from above

    Pashupatinath cremation ghats

    Pashupatinath cremation ghats in plain facts: Arya Ghat, Bhasmeshwor Ghat and the electric crematorium, with clear rules on behaviour and no photographs.

  • Close view of a stupa tower with painted eyes and bright prayer flags against a blue sky

    Boudhanath stupa vs Swayambhunath

    Boudhanath stupa vs Swayambhunath compared on history, setting, steps, fees and what's there, with advice on which to choose if you only have time for one.

  • A row of gold prayer wheels engraved with script

    Kathmandu heritage glossary

    Plain-language meanings of the temple, stupa, deity and festival words you'll meet at Kathmandu's heritage sites, with notes where sources disagree.

Good to know

  • A street dog lying on a stone pavement beside a shop in Kathmandu

    Is Kathmandu safe?

    Is Kathmandu safe? Dated US, UK and Canadian advisories, the 2025 unrest, 2026 events, road, water, earthquake and scam risks, and emergency numbers.

  • The white shikhara tower beside the Swayambhunath stupa, hung with prayer flags

    Steps and mobility at the Kathmandu sites

    Steps, surfaces and wheelchair realities at Kathmandu's seven UNESCO sites, including Swayambhunath's stairway, source conflicts and what to ask.

  • A stall of mangoes, potatoes, tomatoes and other produce beside a carved wooden window

    Local food in Kathmandu

    Local food in Kathmandu explained in plain words, from samay baji and yomari to momo and dal bhat, with raw meat warnings, drinks and food hygiene advice.

  • A carved and painted wooden puppet hanging at a shop front on a Kathmandu street

    Kathmandu self guided walking tour

    A self-guided walk through old Kathmandu from Thamel to Durbar Square, about 2 km, with named landmarks in order, timing, entry fee and street safety tips.

  • A cup of milk tea on a stone ledge with yellow flowers and blue hills behind

    Your first day in Kathmandu: arrival checklist

    A first-day Kathmandu checklist: visa steps, ATM limits, Ncell and Nepal Telecom SIM prices, airport taxi, plugs, water, time zone and emergency numbers.

Plan your day in the Kathmandu Valley

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