3 days in Kathmandu

Day by day

1. Day 1: Kathmandu Durbar Square and Freak Street

   Kathmandu Durbar Square, Freak Street and Swayambhunath, then Boudhanath in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Kathmandu Durbar Square

      The former royal square, also called Hanuman Dhoka after the palace guarded by a red-cloaked Hanuman statue, is a cluster of multi-roofed temples, palace courtyards and shrines.

   2. Late morning

      Freak Street

      Have a cheap lunch here after visiting Durbar Square, away from the square's tourist restaurants.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Momo

      Everywhere, from street stalls in Asan to Tibetan kitchens in Boudha and restaurants in Thamel.

   4. Afternoon

      Swayambhunath

      On a wooded hill west of the city, this ancient stupa painted with the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha is surrounded by shrines, prayer wheels and resident monkeys, which give it its nickname, the Monkey Temple.

   5. Evening

      Boudhanath

      Come in the late afternoon, walk the kora clockwise with the pilgrims, then watch the stupa from a rooftop café as butter lamps are lit.

2. Day 2: Pashupatinath Temple and Patan Durbar Square

   Pashupatinath Temple, Patan Durbar Square and Everest mountain flight, then Thamel in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Pashupatinath Temple

      Watch cremations quietly from the east bank and never photograph mourners up close; a licensed guide helps explain the rituals.

   2. Late morning

      Patan Durbar Square

      Patan's royal square is often considered the most harmonious in the valley, with the stone shikhara of the 17th-century Krishna Mandir, the Royal Palace's courtyards and a row of tiered temples.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Dal bhat tarkari

      Local bhojanalayas and Thakali restaurants across the city; Thakali-style sets are especially good.

   4. Afternoon

      Everest mountain flight

      Book for one of your first mornings so there is time to rebook if the flight is cancelled for cloud.

   5. Evening

      Thamel

      Compare prices across several shops before buying trekking gear, and check stitching and zips carefully.

3. Day 3: Patan Museum and Asan and Indra Chowk market walk

   Patan Museum, Asan and Indra Chowk market walk and Garden of Dreams, then Thamel in the evening.

   1. Morning

      Patan Museum

      Housed in the Keshav Narayan Chowk wing of Patan's royal palace, this museum displays bronze and stone Hindu and Buddhist sculpture with clear explanations of iconography.

   2. Late morning

      Asan and Indra Chowk market walk

      Walk it in the morning when the vegetable sellers are out, and step into side courtyards such as those off Kel Tole to find hidden shrines.

   3. Lunch

      Lunch: Newari khaja set

      Newari restaurants in Patan, Kirtipur and Bhaktapur, and some in central Kathmandu.

   4. Afternoon

      Garden of Dreams

      A neoclassical garden of pavilions, fountains and lawns created in the 1920s for Field Marshal Kaiser Shumsher Rana and restored with Austrian support.

   5. Evening

      Thamel

      Live-music bars, pubs and rooftop terraces packed with trekkers and young Nepalis, especially on Friday and Saturday.

Before you go

• Everest mountain flight: Book through an airline or agent a few days ahead, and choose a date early in your stay in case of weather cancellations.

If it rains

• Swap in Narayanhiti Palace Museum (Durbar Marg): Cameras and phones usually have to be deposited at the entrance, so plan to look rather than photograph.

Where to stay for this itinerary

With 3 nights, Thamel keeps most of this route within easy reach. For a calmer or cheaper base, Lazimpat ($$$) suits quiet stays, couples and luxury. Compare every area.

Pace and daylight

The sights in this plan add up to roughly 16–20 hours of visiting over 3 days, before meals and getting between them. Daylight runs from about 10.4 hours in December to 13.9 hours in June.

More or fewer days

• One day in Kathmandu
• 2 days in Kathmandu
• 5 days in Kathmandu

Questions travellers ask