Kathmandu, Nepal
Top places to visit in Kathmandu
6 places worth your time in Kathmandu, with what each is actually like and when to go.
Last updated 2026-08-11
1. Durbar Square
Photo: neiljs · CC BY 2.0 · source
The old royal palace complex of temples and courtyards, still being rebuilt after 2015.
Where: BasantapurMap: Open in Maps Cost: NPR 1,000 foreign entryWatch out Men who attach themselves as 'official guides' at the entrance and demand a fee at the end; official guides carry a licence card.
2. Swayambhunath
Photo: jmhullot · CC BY SA 2.0 · source
The stupa on the hill west of the city, with painted eyes on all four sides and resident macaques.
Map: Open in Maps Best time: SunriseTip: The monkeys take food and bags — carry nothing loose.
3. Boudhanath
Photo: Wonderlane · CC BY 2.0 · source
One of the largest stupas in the world, and the centre of Tibetan Buddhist life in Nepal.
4. Pashupatinath
Photo: kkcondon · CC BY SA 2.0 · source
The Hindu temple on the Bagmati where open-air cremations take place.
Map: Open in Maps Tip: Photography of the cremation ghats is intrusive; the far bank is the respectful distance.
5. Thamel
Photo: Wonderlane · CC BY 2.0 · source
The tourist quarter of trekking shops, bars and bookshops — chaotic and unavoidable.
Watch out Fake trekking agencies taking full payment for permits and guides that do not exist. Book through a registered agency and check the TAAN membership.
6. Patan Durbar Square
Photo: Aleksandr Zykov · CC BY SA 2.0 · source
Across the river in Lalitpur, the best-preserved of the three royal squares.
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