Kathmandu is a lively city with beautiful mountain views, old temples, and busy markets. The historic Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, and the quiet Boudhanath Stupa are all places that you should see. The Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath) has great views of the city, so don't miss it.
If you want to try something new, go climbing near Shivapuri or Chandragiri Hills. At night, check out Thamel's cool bars and live music.
People who like to eat should try momo, thukpa, and Newari foods. Kathmandu is a great place to visit whether you have one day or more. It has a lot of history, culture, and excitement.
Kathmandu has many amazing things to discover and do. Read this blog to see our top picks.
Top Historical Sites
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Kathmandu Durbar Square is one of the fascinating historical sites of the UNESCO. The square is full of wooden carved, ancient courtyards, and cultural monuments from the 12th century.
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
Swayambhunath is also known as the Monkey Temple, one of the oldest temples for both Buddhists and Hindus.
It is located at the top of Swayambhu, from where you can view the entire Kathmandu Valley. Swayambhunath is one of the top tourist attractions in Kathmandu and offers a calm environment and a good combination of spirituality. Visiting swayambhunath is one of the must do things in Kathmandu.
Pashupatinath Temple
Pashupatinath Temple is the most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal. Thousands of devotees visit it every year during the celebration of the Maha Shivaratri.
Pashupatinath is one of the main attractions for the people who really love to explore culture and traditional aspects. Also most recommended place to visit for hindu pilgrims.
Boudhanath Stupa
The Boudhanath Stupa is the largest and one of the spherical stupas in the world. It is also known as the spiritual heart of Tibetan buddhism in Nepal.
The ambiance of this place is very calm and meditative, with monks and pilgrims spinning the prayer wheels and chanting mantras. Exploring Boudhanath is a must for spiritual experience and to taste the local foods.
Narayanhiti Palace
The palace Naryanhiti, where the royal families of Nepal used to live. Now, it has turned into a museum that offers the royal experience of how people live lavish lives and the modern history of Nepal. A trip to Naryanhiti is not only interesting but also reminds you of the massacre of royals.
Cultural Experiences
Kathmandu is not only a city of temples or mountains, but it also has vibrant streets, traditions, and cultural histories. If you are thinking of visiting Kathmandu, these things to experience the roots of the city:
Heritage Walks
You can definitely go for a heritage walk in the ancient streets of Kathmandu because it is the best way to know about the history of Kathmandu.
You can visit Basantapur areas, Patan, and Bhaktapur areas, where you can see the locals selling handicrafts, vegetables, and traditional wear. The atmosphere of these places is full of local musicians, street vendors, and artisans.
Traditional Food Experiences
For the food lovers, Kathmandu is the biggest food hub where you can try numerous varieties of food. You can try dishes like momo, thukpa, selroti,yomari, and Nepali traditional foods here.
Art Galleries and Museums
Another thing that offers a cultural experience is visiting art galleries and museums. The aspect of art and museums is very prosperous in Kathmandu.
You can visit the National Museum of Nepal, Patan Museum, Nepal Art Council, and Siddhartha art gallery. These places offer a variety of traditional and modern art, sculpture, and photography.
Adventure Activities
Kathmandu also offers adventure activities for visitors. The mountains, woodlands, and beautiful sightseeing near Kathmandu give you the opportunity to embrace the wild , natural trekking and rural gateways.
Hiking and Nature Walks
If you are fond of walking into nature then Kathmandu valley provides easy and interesting hiking. Some of the popular hiking trails are Nagarkot, Shivapuri National Park, champadevi, Pulchowki hiking, Chandragiri hiking etc. This hikings allows you to see birds, butterflies and deer with spectacular views of valleys and mountains.
Day Trips Around Kathmandu
Kathmandu is surrounded by historical cities, beautiful hill tops and peaceful villages which are perfect for a day trip. The places like Bhaktapur, Patan, kirtipur, chandragiri hills etc are famous for day tours.
These places can be reached within hours and gives you a relaxed atmosphere, beautiful panoramic views of the valley, traditional houses in Newar architecture, as well as traditional Newari restaurants serving Newari feast.
If you’re planning to explore beyond the city, check out these popular destinations from Kathmandu by car.
Nightlife and Entertainment
Thamel offers fun and enjoyable nights with live music, silent drink and dancing. Thamel is the best place to visit when you want to thrill with the nightlife of Kathmandu. There is also a diversity of places with live music that one can enjoy in the area (including Nepali bands and rock and reggae).
Sample Itineraries
Whether you are planning for a one day tour in Kathmandu or more days to explore, Kathmandu is the perfect combination of history, spirituality, adventure, nightlife and street shopping. Here’s a quick itinerary that might help you to create a beautiful memories in Kathmandu:
One-Day Itinerary
One-day itinerary is for those who have just a single date in Kathmandu and want to cover religious to historical sites and end your day with a chilling environment in the colourful tourist hub in Thamel.
You can start your day with Swayambhunath temple. Climbing the steps to attend tranquil morning prayer and sightseeing of Kathmandu valley and having fun with monkeys.
For the daytime, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath Temple, Boudha Stupa, Patan, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square would be the options. Here you can explore the most sacred temple of Nepal to a huge buddhist stupa along with the traditional art culture in durbar square areas.
After spending all day in historical places, go to the tourist centre of Kathmandu Thamel. Where you can enjoy the live music in vibrant restaurants such as OR2K, Thamel House Restaurant or Roadhouse Cafe. Then, go to nightclubs such as the Purple Haze, Sam Bar, or Reggae Bar to explore the nightlife of Kathmandu.
Two-Day Itinerary
If you have more than one day, a two day itinerary would be the best option. In this two-day itinerary you will visit the nearby cities as well and miz culture, adventure and local experience.
- Day 1: Heritage sites and nightlife
- Morning: In the morning time, you will visit Patan Durbar Square and Patan museum, which is one of the best architectural collections of the Newari people.
- Afternoon: Take a ride to Bhaktapur to explore the ancient places. Here, you can visit Nyatapola Temple, 55-Window Palace, Pottery square, and see craftsmen make clay pots with their hands.
- Evening Thamel Night life: After enjoying a hectic day, you need some relaxed time in the vibrant restaurant of Thamel. You can enjoy the dynamic culture, dine, drink and live music with your friends.
- Day 2: Adventure, Markets and Newari food
- Morning: You can begin your day with a scenic cable car ride to the top of chandragiri hills. You can also reach there by hiking. From it you can see the panoramic landscape of the beautiful himalayas including mountains such as Ganesh Himal, Langtang and Mount Everest.
- Afternoon: Return to the city and explore the local bazaar such as Asan, Indra Chowk which is the oldest and liveliest market of Kathmandu. You can see the traditional dresses, fabrics and handicraft that the local people are selling.
- Evening: You can enjoy the local dinner in a peaceful city Kirtipur in the middle of Newar culture. You can try a classical Newari meal in a local newari restaurant. You can also enjoy the sunset scenes in Kirtipur.
Final Thoughts
Travelling within Kathmandu valley is fun as long as you have an ideal transportation. Visiting all the historical places through public transport is not possible because it is very poor and sometimes delusional.
It has narrow roads and heavy traffic, which makes it difficult to navigate. Therefore, hiring a vehicle in Kathmandu is one of the most convenient ways to explore each and every corner of Kathmandu.
Renting your ideal vehicle according to your group size from Rent in Nepal provides flexibility, comfortable and safe.
Either you want to visit antique temples, local streets for shopping, hike to the mountain tops such as chandragiri or nagarkot a private car or jeep will make your Kathmandu tour unforgettable and pleasant without any hassle.
