How many hours do you need for a Kathmandu layover?
You need about 8 to 10 hours on the ground before leaving the airport makes sense. This is our own estimate, not an official rule. No authority publishes a minimum, and the timing sources are mostly travel companies. Build in more if you can.
| Stage | Time to allow | Where this comes from |
|---|---|---|
| Land, immigration, visa, leave the airport | Up to 1 hour, and possibly more | AirConnect allows up to 60 minutes including the trip into town. The department’s FAQ mentions long queues |
| A short tour | 4 to 6 hours | Our layover tour length. Others advertise 3 to 4 hours for the same two sites, or 4 to 8 for more |
| Back at the airport before departure | 3 hours | Wego’s advice for international flights. AirConnect says at least 2 |
| Total | 8 to 10 hours | Our arithmetic, using the 3-hour figure |
The airport end is where you have the least slack. Wego reports that Nepal Airlines counters close one hour before departure. Republica reported in August 2025 that the airport’s immigration office asked passengers to reach departure immigration at least one hour before the flight, citing night-time congestion. Your own airline’s time is the one that counts.
Before you plan anything, read our Kathmandu transit visa page. The visa decides whether any of this is possible for you.
What fits in your layover?
What fits depends on the hours you have left after immigration and the airport margin. These are planning guides based on the sums above, and traffic can upset any of them.
| Layover | What’s realistic | Our view |
|---|---|---|
| Under 8 hours | Don’t leave the airport. Ask your airline whether you can wait airside | Too little margin for a late flight or a long visa queue |
| 8 to 10 hours | Pashupatinath and Boudhanath only, if the day runs smoothly | Tight. Only for people comfortable with the risk |
| 10 to 12 hours | The same two sites at an easier pace, with a meal | The sensible minimum if you can choose your flights |
| 12 to 24 hours | Add Kathmandu Durbar Square or Swayambhunath, and possibly a hotel | Check a transit visa’s 24-hour limit against your exact flight times |
| Over 24 hours | A transit visa won’t cover it, so you’d need a tourist visa | Look at a full day of sightseeing instead |
Pashupatinath and Boudhanath are usually paired because they’re near the airport and each other. Mosaic Adventure puts both within about 10 minutes of the airport. The Longest Way Home says the walk between them takes 20 to 30 minutes. AirConnect gives 20 to 40 minutes each way for the airport to Thamel trip. Other sites will take more of your time.
Entry costs NPR 1,400 for the pair at the foreign rate: NPR 1,000 for Pashupatinath and NPR 400 for Boudhanath, as listed by the Nepal Tourism Board in November 2026. The main temple at Pashupatinath is for Hindus only. Non-Hindu visitors can use the grounds, ghats and surrounding shrines.
Is the layover tour available yet?
Our layover tour is listed, but we’re still confirming the conditions around it. Those are the visa rules, the shortest connection we can safely accept, what happens to your bags, and how much buffer we build in. Please don’t book a flight on the strength of this tour.
The plan is a private trip from Tribhuvan International Airport to Pashupatinath and Boudhanath and back, in 4 to 6 hours. It’s priced per vehicle. You can see the current details on the Kathmandu layover tour page.
What should you settle before you leave the airport?
Settle your visa, your bags and your return time before you go anywhere. These questions apply to any layover, with us or with someone else.
- Visa: can your passport get a transit or tourist visa at the airport? Ask your airline and the Department of Immigration.
- Airline: are both flights on one ticket? What happens if you leave and come back? Ask before booking.
- Bags: are your bags checked through? One operator, Transport Hire Nepal, says you can leave luggage in the vehicle. We couldn’t find official information on airport left-luggage.
- Flight changes: check your onward flight before you leave the terminal, and keep your phone charged.
- Airport hours: Tribhuvan has closed at night for works before. It was due to close from 11:45 pm to 6:30 am until about 18 May 2026, according to Nepal News. We couldn’t confirm the current hours. Check your flight times.
- Cash: bring US dollars for the visa, and Nepali rupees for fees and food. Change a small amount only.
- Clothes: cover your shoulders and knees for temples. There’s more in what to wear in Kathmandu.
Also check how you’ll get back. For the ride itself, prices and the prepaid counter are in the Kathmandu taxi fare guide. If you go on your own, ask the driver to wait or arrange your return in advance, and leave for the airport early.
What does a stop in Kathmandu cost?
A short stop costs US$5 if a transit visa is available to you, or US$30 for the shortest tourist visa. Official pages conflict on this, so budget for US$30. Add NPR 1,400 in entry fees for the two nearest sites at the foreign rate. Transport comes on top. Transport Hire Nepal, for comparison, lists US$125 for one to three people on its own transit tour, without entry fees, visa or meals. Its page wasn’t recently dated when we read it, so ask for a current price.
Is it worth leaving the airport at all?
It’s worth it if you’ve got 10 hours or more, a clear visa answer and a flight you can trust. From 8 to 10 hours it’s tight, and under 8 the honest advice is not to leave the airport. A missed connection costs far more than a tour, and a transit visa is capped at 24 hours.
Go out if you can answer yes to all three of these. Can I get a visa? Do I have at least 8 hours, and ideally 10? Do I know where my bags are? If any answer is no, plan your Kathmandu visit for another trip, when you can give it a few days.