Kathmandu-3-day-itinerary

Three days, and you have to pick which Durbar Square wins

Three days is tight for Kathmandu given the three separately-ticketed Durbar Squares, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath, and Pashupatinath all competing for your time, so this plan cuts one thing deliberately: it treats Chandragiri Hills, not an overnight Nagarkot trip, as the mountain-view fix, because a half-day cable car ride beats losing an entire day and night to a sunrise viewpoint when you’ve only got 72 hours.

Before you start: get your visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International with cash US dollars, not card, $30 covers 15 days which is plenty here. The prepaid taxi counter inside the airport is a fixed NPR 700-800 into Thamel, use it instead of negotiating with curb touts who’ll quote double.

Day 1: The temples that matter most. Start at Pashupatinath (NPR 1,000) in the morning while it’s cooler and quieter. You won’t get into the inner pagoda as a non-Hindu, but the view of the cremation ghats from across the Bagmati is available and worth the trip, just keep cameras away from grieving families. From there head to Boudhanath Stupa (NPR 400), walk the kora loop rather than just photographing it from the entrance. For lunch skip the tourist strip and find a momo stall near Boudha, NPR 150-300 gets you a proper plate. In the afternoon, Kathmandu Durbar Square (NPR 1,000) rounds out the day, most of the earthquake-era reconstruction is done including the Kasthamandap pavilion, though patches of scaffolding remain. For dinner, skip Thamel’s overpriced menus and get to Patan for Newari food at Newa Lahana, NPR 500-1,200 and genuinely worth the taxi fare.

Day 2: Patan and Swayambhunath. Spend the morning in Patan Durbar Square, which is better preserved than its Kathmandu counterpart and less crowded, arguably the best of the three squares if you only have time for one proper visit. Wander the artisan workshops nearby for metalwork. In the afternoon, climb Swayambhunath, the actual Monkey Temple (don’t confuse it with Pashupatinath, a mix-up that shows up constantly), about 365 steps up the east side, NPR 200 entry. Evening: Thakali Bhanchha Ghar in Thamel for a solid set meal at NPR 400-700 if you’re staying central, or head back out to Boudha for Yangling Tibetan.

Day 3: Chandragiri, then Thamel logistics. Take the cable car up Chandragiri Hills, about an hour to the base station then a 10-minute ride, $13 one-way or $23 round-trip for foreigners, with temple and valley views at the top. This is a half-day commitment, not a full one, so you’ll be back in the city by early afternoon. Use the remaining hours for practical things: sort out any trekking gear you still need, but only from a shop that can show TAAN or NTB registration and proof of insurance, the unlicensed storefronts in Thamel are a real risk if you’re booking anything beyond a day hike. Farewell dinner at Bhojan Griha in Dilli Bazar gets you a full traditional meal with dance performance to close things out.

Getting around all three days: taxis are legally metered but drivers won’t use the meter, agree your price before getting in. Pathao and InDrive apps lock in a price up front and are the more reliable option, just watch for drivers asking extra cash at drop-off and hold to the app quote. There’s no metro system, so budget real time for traffic and Thamel’s narrow, motorbike-heavy streets.

Keep a fixed-price taxi receipt or app screenshot on you for the airport departure, it settles any price dispute before it starts.