What to Do in the Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley’s UNESCO listing covers seven separate, non-adjoining monument zones, not one combined site, and there is no all-access pass between them: each charges its own ticket at its own gate.
Kathmandu Durbar Square
At Basantapur, a 15 to 20 minute walk south from Thamel through the Ason and Indra Chowk bazaars, the old royal palace complex holds the rebuilt Kasthamandap pavilion (reopened 2022, after the 2015 earthquake), Kumari Ghar, home of the living goddess, and the Kal Bhairav stone relief. Foreigner admission is NPR 1,000, SAARC NPR 150, valid one day.
Patan and its museum
Across the Bagmati River, 5km south, Patan Durbar Square centers on the stone-carved Krishna Mandir and includes the Patan Museum in its ticket, one of Asia’s strongest collections of Newar bronze and stone art. Foreigner entry is NPR 1,000, SAARC NPR 500. Ask at the visitors’ center inside the square for a free multi-day stamp if you’re staying nearby. Patan heritage walks are bookable on GetYourGuide .
Bhaktapur, the medieval city intact
Thirteen kilometers east, Bhaktapur is the valley’s best-preserved old town: the 30-meter Nyatapola Temple, the Palace of 55 Windows, and Pottery Square, where potters throw clay by hand on wooden wheels. Foreigner admission is NPR 1,800, the highest of the seven zones, SAARC NPR 500. Get your ticket stamped with a passport photo at the main-gate tourism center for a free 7-day extension.
Swayambhunath and Boudhanath
Swayambhunath, the Monkey Temple, sits on a hilltop 3km west; 365 stone steps climb past carved guardians to the whitewashed dome. Foreigner entry is NPR 200, SAARC NPR 50, and the resident rhesus macaques are wild, so keep food and plastic bags out of sight. Boudhanath, 7km northeast in the Tibetan quarter, is one of the largest stupas anywhere and the center of Tibetan Buddhist life in Nepal; foreigner entry is NPR 400, SAARC NPR 100. Go at dusk for the kora, when butter lamps light the base.
Pashupatinath’s ghats
Nepal’s holiest Shiva temple sits on the Bagmati River 5km east of Thamel, and the Nepal Tourism Board posts current fees for all seven zones. Foreigner entry is NPR 1,000; free entry applies specifically to Indian and Nepali passport holders, not to Hindus of other nationalities. The inner sanctum stays restricted to practicing Hindus, but the surrounding precinct and cross-river terraces are open to all. The Arya Ghat cremations are visible from across the river; observe quietly, and never photograph mourners or an active pyre.
The verdict
Give Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur a separate morning each rather than compressing all three into one day; the carving and ritual detail in each square rewards slow time more than speed. For hotels near the old city, compare options on Booking.com , and for what fits into a single day beyond the valley center, see the day trips guide .
Before you go
Carry small NPR notes for every ticket booth; none of the seven monument zones take cards, and gate staff rarely have change for a large bill.