For the main highlights, 2 to 3 days is enough to visit Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, and Thamel. For a deeper Kathmandu Valley experience, 4 to 5 days is better. This gives you time to add Patan, Bhaktapur, Changu Narayan, Kirtipur, local food tours, monastery visits, and nearby viewpoints such as Nagarkot or Chandragiri. If Kathmandu is part of a larger Nepal trip, most travellers spend 1 to 2 nights at the beginning and 1 night at the end.

Top things to do in Kathmandu include:

Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square and the Kumari House

Explore Swayambhunath, also known as the Monkey Temple

Walk around Boudhanath Stupa

Visit Pashupatinath Temple

Explore Thamel for restaurants, shops, cafes, and trekking gear

Take a heritage walk through Asan, Indra Chowk, and old Kathmandu

Visit Patan Durbar Square and Patan Museum

Spend a day in Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Enjoy a sunrise or mountain view trip to Nagarkot, Chandragiri, or Dhulikhel

Try Nepali and Newari food such as momo, dal bhat, choila, bara, yomari, and lassi

Yes, Kathmandu is generally safe for tourists. Popular areas such as Thamel, Boudha, Patan, Bhaktapur, and major heritage sites are used to receiving international visitors. Travellers should still take normal city precautions. Keep valuables secure, be careful in crowded markets, use reliable taxis or arranged transfers, and take care when crossing roads because traffic can be busy. Kathmandu is also dusty in some areas, so travellers with asthma or allergies may want to carry a mask. Bottled or filtered water is recommended instead of tap water.

The best places to visit in Kathmandu and the surrounding valley include:

Kathmandu Durbar Square: Historic royal square with temples, courtyards, and the Kumari House

Swayambhunath: Hilltop Buddhist stupa with city views

Boudhanath: One of Nepal’s most important Buddhist stupas

Pashupatinath: Sacred Hindu temple complex on the Bagmati River

Thamel: Main tourist area for hotels, restaurants, shops, and nightlife

Asan and Indra Chowk: Traditional markets and old city streets

Garden of Dreams: Peaceful garden near Thamel

Patan Durbar Square: Art, temples, courtyards, and Patan Museum

Bhaktapur Durbar Square: Preserved Newar city with temples, pottery, and traditional streets

Changu Narayan: Ancient hilltop temple near Bhaktapur

Kopan Monastery: Peaceful Buddhist monastery above Boudha

Chandragiri Hills: Cable car and mountain views near Kathmandu

Kathmandu can be visited year-round, but the best time to visit is spring and autumn.

Spring, from March to May, offers warm weather, flowers, and good conditions for sightseeing. Autumn, from September to November, is the most popular season, with clearer skies, comfortable temperatures, and major festivals. Winter, from December to February, is cool, and increasingly popular for for sightseeing, especially during the day. Summer and monsoon, from June to August, bring rain and humidity, but the city is greener and less crowded.

Yes. Kathmandu is one of the best places in Nepal to experience festivals.

Festivals worth planning around include:

Indra Jatra: Major Kathmandu festival with chariot processions, masked dances, and the Living Goddess Kumari

Tihar: Festival of lights, usually in October or November

Holi: Festival of colours, usually in March

Buddha Jayanti: Celebrated at Buddhist sites such as Boudhanath and Swayambhunath

Maha Shivaratri: Major festival at Pashupatinath Temple

Ghode Jatra: Horse festival in Kathmandu

Bisket Jatra: Major Newar festival in nearby Bhaktapur

Rato Machhindranath Jatra: Major chariot festival in Patan

Festival dates often follow lunar calendars, so exact dates change each year.

Yes. Kathmandu has many sacred Hindu and Buddhist sites, so respectful behaviour is important. Dress modestly when visiting temples, monasteries, and heritage sites. Remove shoes where required. Walk clockwise around stupas, prayer wheels, and shrines. Ask before taking photos of people, monks, ceremonies, or inside religious spaces.

Non-Hindus may not be allowed inside the main temple areas of some Hindu temples, including the inner shrine of Pashupatinath. Always follow signs and local guidance. Avoid touching offerings, statues, ritual items, or people’s heads. Public displays of affection should be modest around religious and traditional areas.

Tipping is not mandatory in the restaurant industry, but common in the tourism industry. Travellers commonly tip guides, drivers, hotel staff, porters, restaurant staff, and activity guides. For city tours, tipping your guide and driver at the end of the tour is common.

Travel insurance is strongly recommended for Kathmandu, especially if your Nepal trip includes trekking, adventure activities, domestic flights, or onward travel to remote areas. For Kathmandu-only trips, insurance should still cover medical treatment, trip cancellation, lost baggage, delays, and emergency support.

Booking Kathmandu with NepalTravel.com helps make your arrival and city experience smoother.

We are a modern travel company with deep roots in the community in Kathmandu. We are equipped to provide 24/7 support to all time-zones, while being current with changing local logistics on the ground in Nepal and Bhutan. We are also experienced in international ticketing through our parent company Zen Travels. We can thus provide comprehensive support that ensures your peace of mind so you can enjoy your Himalayan vacation to the fullest.