Kathmandu
Currency
NPR
Language
Nepali
Timezone
Kathmandu
Continent
Asia
Discover Kathmandu
Kathmandu holds three royal cities in one valley, and the capital keeps its heart. Basantapur Durbar Square lines up palaces, temples and the Kasthamandap, the wooden pavilion that gave the city its name — many were raised again after the 2015 earthquake, and the work still shows. Swayambhunath, a stupa on its hill to the west, is reached by three hundred and sixty-five steps guarded by macaques. Boudhanath, to the east, is one of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of Tibetan life in exile. Pashupatinath, on the Bagmati, is the country's great Hindu sanctuary, where cremations take place in public.
When to go
October and November: skies washed by the monsoon, clear air, mountains visible — and the season of the big festivals, Dashain and Tihar. March and April work, hazier. The monsoon, June to September, makes mountain flights unreliable. Winter is cold in the morning, mild in the afternoon, and many buildings have no heating at all.
Getting around
Thamel, the travellers' quarter, is walked and nothing in it is far. Beyond it, taxi fares are agreed before getting in, the meter rarely being used. Scooters are easy to rent and the traffic does not forgive. Pollution and dust are real in winter: many people wear a mask, and it is not excessive caution. Power cuts are rarer than they were but have not disappeared.
Where to eat
Dal bhat — lentils, rice, vegetables — is the daily meal and is refilled at will. Momos, steamed or fried dumplings, are eaten at any hour. Newari food, the valley's own, is spicier and found in the old city's small kitchens. Buff, water buffalo, replaces beef, which is sacred. No halal address is listed in our data.
Good to know
The Nepalese rupee is the currency and cash dominates outside hotels. A visa is issued on arrival for most nationalities, paid in foreign currency. Heritage sites charge foreigners admission, with separate rates by zone. Leather is barred from some Hindu temples, and Pashupatinath closes its main precinct to non-Hindus: you watch from the opposite bank.
Where to Stay in Kathmandu
Top Activities in Kathmandu
landmarkBasantapur Durbar Square
Boudhanāth Stupa
Baudhanath
Swayambhunath
landmarkGaddi Baithak
landmarkKasthamandap
Heaven Himalaya
museumChhauni Museum
landmarkGarden of Dreams
from €3
landmarkShahid Gate
museumNatural History Museum
parkRatna Park
Free
Er. Abhiyan Poudel Flat
Incessant Rain Animation Studio
landmarkMaitighar Mandala
Hare Ram Hare Krishna building
landmarkKal Bhairab Temple
Narayanhiti Palace Museum
landmarkTrichandra Campus
Russian House in Kathmandu (Kamalpokhari)
Taragaon Museum
from €1
S-Style Dance Institute
Florid human resources
Reliance Trekking Pvt Ltd
Free