How much are the entry fees at each site?
Each of the seven monument zones charges its own entry fee, and the amount depends on your nationality. The table further down this page shows every rate in Nepali rupees (NPR), as listed by the Nepal Tourism Board in November 2026.
The board gives no effective date for its list, and it says fees come from the departments that run each site and may change. Treat these figures as the best published guide, then check the board at the counter.
Which fees do sources disagree on?
Three of the seven sites have a different figure in at least one other source, so bring a little more cash than the table suggests.
| Site | Nepal Tourism Board | Other figures we found |
|---|---|---|
| Bhaktapur, foreign | US$18 or NPR 1,800 | NPR 2,000 (Tourist Guide Association); NPR 1,500 (Third Rock) |
| Patan, SAARC | NPR 500 | NPR 250 (Mountain Delights) |
| Changu Narayan, foreign | NPR 300 | NPR 400 (Tourist Guide Association) |
The Bhaktapur listing doesn’t add up on its own. At recent exchange rates, US$18 is worth well over NPR 1,800, so quote and pay in rupees.
Who qualifies for the lower rates?
SAARC visitors come from the eight countries of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, the Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. Bring your passport, because staff may ask for proof.
Two details catch people out:
- Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Squares: the board labels the NPR 500 rate “BIMSTEC”, not SAARC. BIMSTEC is a different group of countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand). If you hold a Pakistani, Afghan or Maldivian passport, you may not qualify, so ask at the counter.
- Pashupatinath: Indian nationals enter free, while other SAARC visitors pay NPR 1,000.
Are children free?
Children under 10 enter free at Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, according to the board. It doesn’t list a child rate for Patan, Pashupatinath or Changu Narayan, so ask there.
What are the opening hours?
We couldn’t find official opening hours for most of the seven sites, so we don’t list them as fact. These squares and stupas are open-air places that people walk through daily, and ticket counters usually run through the daytime.
Pashupatinath has the most detailed reports. One visitor guide citing the temple trust gives the grounds as open from 4 am to 9 pm, with the inner gates closing around the middle of the day. It also warns that published schedules conflict. Ask your guide or hotel on the day.
What isn’t covered by the entry fee?
Your square ticket may not cover every building inside. The board’s Kathmandu fee includes the Tribhuvan Museum, and its Patan fee includes the Patan Museum. Bhaktapur’s National Art Museum has a separate listing, at NPR 150 for foreign visitors.
Some shrines also charge their own small fees. The Tourist Guide Association lists NPR 100 for Patan’s Golden Temple.
How do tours handle entry fees?
Our tour prices don’t include entry fees, except on the luxury tour. You pay at each site, at the rate for your nationality, and each tour page shows the total. For the full cost of a trip, see the Kathmandu trip cost guide.
