Kathmandu-5-day-itinerary
Five days: skip the overnight Nagarkot trip, here’s why
Most five-day plans burn a full night and morning on Nagarkot for sunrise Himalaya views. Skip that this time and swap in Chandragiri Hills, a half-day cable car trip that delivers mountain views without eating an overnight, freeing up the extra time for Bhaktapur to get its own proper day instead of a rushed add-on.
Arrival: visa on arrival at Tribhuvan International, cash US dollars only since card machines are unreliable, $50 covers 30 days. Use the airport’s prepaid taxi counter, fixed NPR 700-800 to Thamel, ignore the curb touts quoting NPR 1,500 or more. If a driver tells you your hotel is closed or burned down, it’s a redirect scam to a commission guesthouse, refuse and call your hotel directly.
Day 1: Central temples. Morning at Kathmandu Durbar Square (NPR 1,000), most of the 2015 earthquake damage has been rebuilt including the Kasthamandap pavilion, reopened 2023-24, with only minor scaffolding left in places. Afternoon, climb Swayambhunath, the actual Monkey Temple, not Pashupatinath, a confusion that shows up in far too many guides, NPR 200 and about 365 steps up the east side. Evening in Thamel for logistics and a light dinner, but keep expectations modest, the food here is overpriced for what it is.
Day 2: Pashupatinath and Boudhanath. Morning at Pashupatinath (NPR 1,000), the Hindu cremation temple on the Bagmati. Non-Hindus can’t enter the inner pagoda but the ghats are visible respectfully from across the river, don’t photograph grieving families. Midday, Boudhanath Stupa (NPR 400), walk the full kora loop. For dinner, get out to Patan, Newa Lahana or Honacha for real Newari food, chhoila, bara, proper thali, NPR 500-1,200 and worth the taxi ride away from Thamel’s mediocre tourist menus.
Day 3: Patan, properly. A full day in Lalitpur. Patan Durbar Square is the best-preserved of the three squares and less crowded, worth prioritizing over a rushed Kathmandu Durbar Square repeat visit. Spend time in the metalwork district watching artisans work. Lunch and dinner both here, momos run NPR 150-300 same as elsewhere but noticeably better made.
Day 4: Bhaktapur, the full day. About 45-90 minutes out by road. Entry runs NPR 1,800-2,000, the highest of the three because it covers the whole town rather than just the square, and the ticket is valid across multiple days. Give it real time, the pottery square and the medieval streetscape are the best-preserved in the valley, don’t treat it as a quick photo stop between other plans.
Day 5: Chandragiri and departure. Morning cable car up Chandragiri Hills, about an hour to the base then a 10-minute ride, $13 one-way or $23 round-trip for foreigners, temple and valley views at the top without the overnight commitment Nagarkot demands. This is a half-day trip, so you’ll have the afternoon free before heading to the airport. If you still need trekking gear for a later leg of your trip, only buy from a shop with confirmed TAAN or NTB registration and insurance, not an impulse purchase from an unlicensed Thamel storefront.
Getting around all five days: taxis are meant to run on the meter but drivers refuse, agree the price before you get in. Pathao and InDrive apps lock the fare in advance and are the more dependable option, though watch for drivers pushing extra cash at drop-off, hold to the app price. There’s no metro or subway, so plan extra time for Thamel’s narrow, motorbike-clogged streets.
Confirm your departure flight time the day before, and build in an extra 30 minutes for Kathmandu traffic on the way to the airport.