Top 10 Experiences in Kathmandu: Temples, Momos, and Mountain Views
Kathmandu is the kind of city where you turn a corner and find a 500-year-old temple, turn another and find a momo shop that's been there since your parents were born, and look up and see the Himalayas. Here are the ten things you should not miss.
1. Sunrise at Boudhanath Stupa
One of the world's largest Buddhist stupas, and the spiritual heart of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. Entry: 400 NPR (~$3) for foreigners. But the experience is at dusk — monks in maroon robes performing kora (walking meditation around the stupa), prayer wheels spinning, incense smoke curling past the all-seeing Buddha eyes painted on the golden spire.
Surround the stupa are monasteries and rooftop cafes where you can sit with a cup of butter tea and watch the procession below. Allow 1.5-2 hours. Best at dawn or dusk.
2. Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) at Dawn
A 2,500-year-old Buddhist stupa atop a hill west of the city. Entry: 200 NPR. Climb 365 steps past hundreds of monkeys (they're bold — don't carry exposed food) to reach the summit.
The view: the entire Kathmandu Valley spread below, with the Himalayan range on the horizon on clear days. The golden spire with its painted all-seeing eyes is Nepal's most recognizable symbol. Best at sunrise when the mist sits in the valley and the light hits the stupa first.
3. Kathmandu Durbar Square
A UNESCO World Heritage palace square with Newari-style temples dating from the 12th-18th centuries. Entry: 1,000 NPR for foreigners (valid for multiple visits if you get a letter from the tourist office).
Some structures were damaged in the 2015 earthquake and restoration is ongoing, but the Kumari Ghar (palace of the Living Goddess — a prepubescent girl worshipped as the incarnation of the Hindu goddess Taleju) is intact. If you're lucky, the Kumari will appear briefly at the window.
Allow 2-3 hours. Hire a local guide (500-1,000 NPR) to understand the history — without context, it's just old buildings.
4. Pashupatinath Temple at Dusk
Nepal's holiest Hindu temple on the Bagmati River. The temple interior is for Hindus only, but you can observe the open-air cremation ceremonies from the east bank. Free to watch from across the river.
Funeral pyres burn along the ghats, and the evening aarti ceremony is deeply moving. Sadhus (holy men) in dramatic face paint pose for photos for tips (100-200 NPR). The contrast of sacred death rituals and tourist photo ops is uncomfortable and honest.
Allow 1.5-2 hours. Go at dusk for the most atmospheric experience.
5. Momos in Thamel
Kathmandu's momos (Nepali dumplings) are, I'll argue, the best dumplings in Asia. Stuffed with spiced buffalo meat, chicken, or vegetables, steamed or fried, served with a tomato-based dipping sauce that has a slow chili burn.
Yangling — The momo institution. Always packed. Steamed buffalo momos: 250 NPR. No-frills setting, incredible flavor.
Gilingche — More variety. Jhol momos (in a soupy sauce) are the move here. 200-350 NPR.
A plate of 10 momos for 200-300 NPR ($1.50-2.25) is one of the best food values on Earth.
6. Patan Durbar Square
Across the Bagmati River in Lalitpur, this is arguably more beautiful than Kathmandu's Durbar Square — more intimate, better preserved, with the finest museum in Nepal (Patan Museum) housed in the old royal palace. Entry: 1,000 NPR.
The surrounding Newari streets have active metalwork and woodcarving workshops. You can watch artisans creating the same statues and ornaments their families have produced for centuries. Allow 2-3 hours.
7. Nagarkot Sunrise
A hilltop village 32 km east of Kathmandu with panoramic views of the Himalayan range, including Everest on clear days. Tower entry: 50 NPR. Free views from hotel terraces.
Taxi from Kathmandu: 3,000-4,000 NPR one-way. Many visitors stay overnight to catch sunrise without the early drive. The dawn light on the mountain range — turning from dark silhouettes to pink to white — is worth the effort. October-November and March-April offer the clearest views.
8. Getting Lost in Thamel
Kathmandu's tourist hub isn't just trekking gear shops and restaurants. The narrow side streets have bookshops with rare Himalayan titles, thangka painting workshops, live music bars, and rooftop terraces with mountain views.
Buy trekking gear here — quality varies (inspect carefully), but prices are 50-70% of Western retail. Bargain. A decent down jacket goes for 2,000-5,000 NPR. Hiking poles: 500-1,500 NPR.
The streets buzz from morning to midnight. Get lost. Thamel rewards wandering.
9. Dal Bhat Power, 24 Hour
This is a common saying on the trekking trails, and it's accurate. Dal bhat — rice, lentil soup, vegetable curries, pickles, and papadam — is the Nepali national meal. Most restaurants offer unlimited refills.
A dal bhat power lunch at a Thamel restaurant costs 250-500 NPR. On the trails, it's 600-1,200 NPR (altitude markup). Either way, it's the most sustaining meal you can eat in the Himalayas.
For a splurge, try Newari cuisine at Bhojan Griha (Dillibazar) — a traditional Newari feast in a restored 150-year-old house. Set menu: 1,500-2,500 NPR. Musical performance included.
10. The Garden of Dreams
A restored Edwardian garden from 1920, tucked behind Thamel's chaos. Entry: 200 NPR. Manicured lawns, ornamental pavilions, pergolas, and lily ponds. The contrast between the garden's serenity and the honking traffic outside the walls is jarring and wonderful.
Bring a book. Sit for an hour. It's the cheapest therapy in Kathmandu.
The Practical Layer
Visa: On arrival at Tribhuvan Airport. 15-day ($30), 30-day ($50), 90-day ($125). Bring passport photos and USD cash. Indian citizens enter visa-free.
Transport: Pre-paid taxi from airport to Thamel: 600-800 NPR. Within the city: Pathao or InDrive apps. Walking is best in Thamel and old city areas.
Budget: $20-30/day covers guesthouse, food, and sightseeing. Mid-range: $40-60/day.
Safety: Very safe. Level 1. Traffic is the main hazard. Power outages are common — bring a headlamp and portable charger.
Kathmandu is the gateway to Everest. But it's also a destination in its own right — seven UNESCO sites, a food culture built on dumplings and dal, and a valley where medieval temples share space with the world's highest mountains. Don't treat Kathmandu as a transit point. For similar cultural intensity, Varanasi in India offers a parallel experience of ancient sacred cities. It deserves at least three days. Deciding between Kathmandu and Pokhara? Read our comparison guide. For a personal narrative, check our week in Kathmandu journal.
