NP · Bagmati Province · 27.71°N 85.32°E

kathmandu

Temple courtyards, Buddhist stupas and busy old-city lanes in a Himalayan valley.

Best time
March–April and October–November are the comfortable months, with the clearest mountain views after the monsoon. June–August brings heavy rain and landslides; December–February has cold nights, and spring can be hazy.
How long
3–4 days
Getting there
About 4.5 hours direct from KL. The airport is 30 minutes to an hour from Thamel, depending on traffic. Nepal is 2 hours 15 minutes behind KL.
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NP · Bagmati Provincekathmandu27.71°N 85.32°Egowherelah.com
Dear group chat,Temple courtyards, Buddhist stupas and busy old-city lanes in a Himalayan valley.— gowherelahTo: whoever’s drivingKathmanduNP, Bagmati Province
KLkathmandu
≈ 3,238 km from KL, as the crow flies
Durbar Square, Kathmandu‎

Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0

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Photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each.

Kathmandu is a jumble of temple squares, stupas and busy lanes in a wide Himalayan valley. Give it a few days before any trek: the old royal cities and Buddhist sites are a trip in themselves.

Makan

  1. Dal bhatRice, lentil soup and vegetable curry, refilled until you're full.Map ↗
  2. MomosSteamed dumplings with a tomato-sesame chutney, filled with buffalo, chicken or vegetables.Map ↗
  3. Sel rotiA crisp, sweet ring of fried rice bread, eaten at festivals and for breakfast.Map ↗

Things to do

  1. Kathmandu Durbar SquareThe old royal square of pagoda temples and palaces, parts of it rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake.Map ↗
  2. SwayambhunathThe 'Monkey Temple', a hilltop stupa whose painted eyes look out over the city.Map ↗
  3. BoudhanathOne of the world's largest stupas, circled clockwise by pilgrims spinning prayer wheels.Map ↗
  4. PatanA separate old royal city across the river, with a Durbar Square of its own and metalworking shops.Map ↗
  5. BhaktapurThe best-preserved of the valley's royal cities, with squares where potters work in the open.Map ↗

Good to know

  • Thamel has several halal Kashmiri, Indian and Turkish restaurants; elsewhere, vegetable momos and dal bhat are the easy fallback.
  • Leave a spare day before your flight home, because mountain weather delays domestic flights.

Last checked October 2026. Things change, so check opening times, fees and transport before you go.