Solo travel · Kathmandu · Nepal
Solo travel in Kathmandu
How to enjoy Kathmandu at your own pace.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Nirmal Dulal, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Kathmandu is one of Asia's easiest cities for solo travellers, thanks to Thamel's hostels, travel agencies and trekking community. It is simple to find trekking partners or join group tours to the valley's sights. Many solo travellers base themselves in Thamel.
Key facts
- Base
- Thamel
- Getting around
- Walking
- Emergency number
- Police 100, Tourist Police 1144, ambulance 102
- Language
- Nepali, Newar (Nepal Bhasa) and English
Solo travel tips
- Hostels and agencies in Thamel keep noticeboards for finding trekking partners.
- Hire a guide from a registered agency for treks rather than going alone on remote routes.
- Stay in Boudha or Patan for a few nights to see a calmer side of the valley.
- Use ride-hailing apps after dark instead of walking long distances.
- Join a cooking class or meditation session at Kopan to meet other travellers.
Where to stay
$$ · Best for first-timers, budget, solo travellers and nightlife
Thamel
A grid of narrow lanes about 15 minutes' walk north of Kathmandu Durbar Square, Thamel has the city's densest choice of hotels, from hostels to boutique courtyards, plus trekking-gear shops, travel agents, live-music bars and restaurants serving everything from dal bhat to wood-fired pizza. It is convenient and sociable but noisy and very commercial.
- Good
- Every traveller service in one area; Huge range of places to stay and eat; Walk to the old city
- Watch out
- Noisy and crowded; Touts and souvenir sellers; Feels removed from local life
- Nearby
- Garden of Dreams, Asan Tole, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Narayanhiti Palace Museum
Great on your own
Historic site · Freak Street and Durbar Square
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Arrive early to see morning worship before tour groups; keep your ticket, which is checked at several entry points around the square.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Religious site · Swayambhu
Swayambhunath
Climb the eastern stairs early in the morning when pilgrims circle the stupa, and keep food and loose items away from the monkeys.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Views
- History
- Photo spot
- Kids
Religious site · Boudha
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.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- History
- Photo spot
- Couples
- After dark
Religious site · Gaushala
Pashupatinath Temple
Watch cremations quietly from the east bank and never photograph mourners up close; a licensed guide helps explain the rituals.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- After dark
Historic site · Patan (Lalitpur)
Patan Durbar Square
Spend the afternoon here, then stay for dusk when locals gather on the temple steps.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Iconic
- History
- Architecture
- Photo spot
Experience · Tribhuvan International Airport
Everest mountain flight
Book for one of your first mornings so there is time to rebook if the flight is cancelled for cloud.
- Time needed
- About 1 hour in the air
- Cost
- Expensive
- Views
- Kids
- Photo spot
- Iconic
Meeting people
- Momo crawl — Compare buff, chicken and vegetable momo, steamed, fried and in jhol soup, across old-city stalls and Thamel restaurants.
- Newari feast in Patan — Order a khaja set with choila, bara and beaten rice in a Patan Newari restaurant after visiting the Durbar Square.
- Thamel — Live-music bars, pubs and rooftop terraces packed with trekkers and young Nepalis, especially on Friday and Saturday.
- Jhamsikhel — Wine bars and relaxed restaurant bars favoured by Kathmandu's expat and professional crowd.
Sensible precautions
Traffic, broken pavements and air pollution are the main everyday hazards, and dust and smog can be heavy in winter and spring. Petty theft and touting occur in Thamel. Earthquakes are a known risk in the region, so note your hotel's exit routes.
- Emergency number
- Police 100, Tourist Police 1144, ambulance 102
- Staying connected
- Nepal Telecom and Ncell offer tourist SIM cards at the airport and in Thamel with passport registration; most hotels and cafés have Wi-Fi, though speeds vary.
Questions travellers ask
+Is Kathmandu good for solo travellers?
Kathmandu is one of Asia's easiest cities for solo travellers, thanks to Thamel's hostels, travel agencies and trekking community. It is simple to find trekking partners or join group tours to the valley's sights.
+Where should solo travellers stay in Kathmandu?
Thamel: The traveller quarter of guesthouses, trekking shops, bars and rooftop cafés.