Is 3 days enough in Kathmandu?
Yes, 3 days in Kathmandu is enough for the seven UNESCO monument zones and two things most short visits miss. Those are the Newar villages south of Patan and sunrise on the valley rim. The Newars are the valley’s long-established people, and their towns built most of what you’ve come to see.
The plan below gives you one city day, one slow day and one early day. It’s a different shape from the two-day plan, because you can now afford a gentle middle. Move the days around to suit the weather.
What should you do on day one?
Day one covers four sites in the city: Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath. You finish at Pashupatinath at dusk, so you may be able to watch aarti (the evening lamp ceremony) from across the river.
Drive allowances in these tables are our own planning figures, because we couldn’t find published times for most legs.
| Time | What to do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 8:00 am | Leave your hotel | Start from Thamel |
| 8:30 to 9:45 am | Swayambhunath | NPR 200. A road reaches near the top, so the stairs are optional |
| 9:45 to 10:15 am | Drive to Kathmandu Durbar Square | About 2 km in a straight line |
| 10:15 am to 12:30 pm | Kathmandu Durbar Square and Asan market | NPR 1,000. Asan is an old bazaar on the route north-east of the square |
| 12:30 to 2:00 pm | Lunch and a rest | You’ve earned a slow one |
| 2:00 to 2:45 pm | Drive to Boudhanath | About 6 km in a straight line, longer by road |
| 2:45 to 4:45 pm | Boudhanath | NPR 400. Walk around the stupa clockwise |
| 4:45 to 5:15 pm | Drive to Pashupatinath | Under 2 km in a straight line, but in rush hour |
| 5:15 to 7:00 pm | Pashupatinath | NPR 1,000. The main temple is for Hindus only |
| After dark | Return to your hotel | Published aarti times conflict, so ask on the day |
What should you do on day two?
Day two is Patan Durbar Square, then the villages of Bungamati and Khokana. In Your Pocket places the villages about 10 km south of Kathmandu, and less than an hour by taxi.
| Time | What to do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 9:00 am | Leave your hotel | Later start. kimkim says to expect about 30 minutes to Patan |
| 9:30 am to 12:30 pm | Patan Durbar Square and Patan Museum | NPR 1,000, museum included |
| 12:30 to 1:30 pm | Lunch in Patan | The Patan Museum has a courtyard café, according to Nepal Traveller |
| 1:30 to 2:15 pm | Drive to Bungamati | Our allowance, not a published time |
| 2:15 to 3:15 pm | Bungamati | Known for its woodcarvers and the Rato Machindranath temple |
| 3:15 to 4:15 pm | Khokana | Known for mustard oil and the Rudrayani temple |
| 4:15 to 5:30 pm | Return to your hotel | Rush hour again, so don’t plan much that evening |
Both villages are lived-in places, not museums. Ask before you photograph people at work.
What should you do on day three?
Day three starts in the dark at Nagarkot, a ridge on the eastern rim of the valley, then comes down through Changu Narayan to Bhaktapur. The Everest Holiday gives its pick-up for this route as around 4:30 am. In Your Pocket puts the drive at about 1.5 hours.
| Time | What to do | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 4:30 am | Leave your hotel | Bring a warm layer, as the ridge is about 800 m higher than the city |
| 6:00 to 7:30 am | Nagarkot viewpoint and breakfast | Sunrise and views depend on the weather |
| 7:30 to 8:30 am | Drive to Changu Narayan | Allow about an hour |
| 8:30 to 9:30 am | Changu Narayan | NPR 300. Kathmandu.im lists hours of 6 am to 6 pm |
| 9:30 to 10:00 am | Drive to Bhaktapur | About 5 km in a straight line |
| 10:00 am to 2:00 pm | Bhaktapur Durbar Square and lunch | NPR 1,800 |
| 2:00 to 3:30 pm | Return to your hotel | kimkim gives about 30 minutes to an hour or more |
All fees in these tables are for foreign visitors, as listed by the Nepal Tourism Board in November 2026. They add up to NPR 5,700. Other rates are on the Kathmandu entry fees page.
If mountains are your main reason for this day, read Nagarkot or Chandragiri first. In Your Pocket says clear skies are most likely in October and November.
What are the options for rain or haze?
Swap the outdoor day first, and don’t get up at 4 am for a forecast of cloud. Monsoon rain peaks in July and August, when World Meteorological Organization normals show more than 20 rain days each. In winter and spring, haze can hide the mountains on dry days too.
- Forecast poor for Nagarkot: skip the sunrise. Leave at 8 am and spend the day at Bhaktapur and Changu Narayan.
- Heavy rain on day one: swap Swayambhunath for the National Museum, which Nepal Traveller places at the base of the same hill. It suggests allowing 2 to 3 hours. Check the hours and closed days before you go.
- Heavy rain on day two: skip the villages and add Narayanhiti Palace Museum in the afternoon.
- Rain on the last day: keep Bhaktapur, and leave out Changu Narayan, where the walk up is slower when wet.
How can you change the plan to suit you?
Three small changes suit different kinds of travellers. All three keep the same core sites.
- Fit walkers: walk from Nagarkot to Changu Narayan. In Your Pocket gives about 3 to 4 hours, while our Nagarkot Sunrise and Hike to Changu Narayan page allows 4 to 5. You’ll have less time in Bhaktapur, and you’ll be tired, so leave it for another day if you need to.
- Families and people avoiding long walks: swap Nagarkot for the Chandragiri cable car, which Wonder Nepal says is 45 minutes to an hour by car. Go midweek, as that source warns queues can pass two hours on Saturdays and public holidays.
- Food lovers: add our Kathmandu Street Food Walk in the evening of day two, or try local food on your own.
Do you need a tour for all three days?
You don’t. Most people can do days one and two on their own with taxis, and pick up a car for day three, as buses are a poor choice for sunrise. Hop Nepal says the bus to Nagarkot takes over 3 hours, with a change at Bhaktapur. It also notes there’s no taxi stand in Nagarkot, so arrange your return first.
If you’d like help on some days only, these tours match the plan:
- Day one: Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour, 6 to 7 hours, private or group
- Day two: Patan Day Tour with Bungamati and Khokana, 6 to 7 hours, private or group
Is there a tour for day three?
Yes, though it covers one fewer stop than this plan. Nagarkot Sunrise and Bhaktapur takes 6 to 8 hours, private or group, and it doesn’t list Changu Narayan as a stop. For more options, the best day trip from Kathmandu page compares drives and what to expect at each.
