20 Things To Do in Kathmandu

Kathmandu is a living museum that holds centuries of history and tradition. If you are planning to visit Kathmandu, Nepal, you might be confused about where to start or what to do.

Kathmandu is the capital city of Nepal, where modernity and tradition coexist. The most popular things to do in Kathmandu are visit ancient sites, the chaos of Thamel, ancient sites, museums, shopping, day tours, and so on. The charm of Kathmandu city hits your heart and refuses to let go. You can be watching views from a cable car, walking down a narrow valley, exploring traditional markets, traveling in a rikshaw, or just spiritually cleansing ourselves at 1,000-year-old temples.

There is peace in chaos. First-time visitors may find Kathmandu overwhelming and loud. However, if you make a list of things to do in Kathmandu, it will be so much fun. This ancient city has its own rhythm. Though chaotic at first, soon you will feel the familiarity, even on its first time. That’s the beauty of Kathmandu.

Every corner of the city have story to tell. The beauty of wooden houses, wet markets, and bustling shops is still uninterrupted in a modern world. Another beauty of Kathmandu is its diversity. Hinduism and Buddhism coexist gracefully. The park you see here is still an ancient courtyard, older than many countries.

Our Things to Do in Kathmandu blog includes the top 20 things to do in Kathmandu. Every place has a distinct identity and character. It provides you a indepth information, so you won’t feel lost during your visit to Kathmandu. This place has many things to offer, so keep your eyes open and let the city do its thing.

Incredible Historical Places to Visit in Kathmandu

Kathmandu Durbar Square (Royal Palace)

The Kathmandu Durbar Square is the heart of Kathmandu. This royal palace is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites, located in Basantapur. The beauty of ancient temples and palaces awes the visitors’ eyes. It’s a palace where the Malla and Shah kings lived. This Durbar Square is called Hanuman Dhoka.

The Kathmandu Durbar Square is made in a traditional Newari architectural style. Its meticulously carved wooden temples and shrines show intricate designs. This single ancient square has over 50 temples and courtyards. It’s a museum of temples, ideal for fellow history and architecture lovers.

Some of the popular temples and palaces are Nautale Dharara (9 stories palace), the Kumari Bahal (home to Nepal’s living goddess Kumari), and the 55-window palace facade. Walking through the interconnected courtyards, admiring designs and wood carvings, offers the best feeling. Night offer best experience as the Durbar Square lights up with warm yellow lights.

Narayanhiti Palace Museum

Another historical gem in Kathmandu is the Narayanhiti Palace Museum. It lies in the centre of Kathmandu, east of Kaiser Mahal and just north of Thamel. Narayanhiti Palace is the former royal palace of Nepal‘s kings. This museum shows the historical background of Nepal’s monarchy.

The Narayanhiti Palace Museum exhibits the Gold State Coach, a gift from Queen Elizabeth II used in King Birendra’s 1975 coronation, the jewel-encrusted Royal Crown (Sripech) worn by kings, and the Shree Sadan building, King Birendra’s private living quarters.

Camera and taking photos are strictly forbidden and allowed in limited places. However, museums, palace gardens, and throne halls are open for visitors. Narayanhiti Durbar Square holds a deep meaning and history for Nepalese people.

Important Note: In 2001 royal massacre happened at Narayanhiti Durbar. Only in 2008-09 was it converted into a public museum after the monarchy ended. Entry fees are modest.

Patan Durbar Square (Lalitpur)

Visiting Patan Durbar Square is another must things to do in Kathmandu. It is located 5 km south of Kathmandu in Lalitpur (Patan). Patan is known as the City of Fine Arts, so you can expect a lot.

The Patan Durbar Square is known for its exquisite Newar architecture and art. It is also part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Home to over 50 temples and 100 courtyards set around the old royal palace is a paradise for history and architecture lovers. This museum has a great collection of traditional Nepalese art and sacred bronzes.

Patan Durbar Square, now musuem was built during the Malla era. All these temples are carved from wood and stone. The beautiful arts and structures designed in wood and stone are worth exploring. One of the major highlights is the Krishna Mandir (1637) located in the center. It’s a delicate stone temple with intricate carvings detailing Hindu legends.

A few steps away is the Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar), a 12th-century gilded Buddhist monastery. Its intricate gilt-bronze work is the focal point. Each corner of the Patan Durbar Square tells a story. Also, visit the surrounding cafes with a rooftop view. The evening atmosphere is so blissful here.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur is an ancient city that lies east of Kathmandu. It has lots of things to do in Kathmandu. It is home to the centuries-old Durbar Square, with much history and represents the arts and culture of the time. Visiting Bhaktapur city feels like you have travelled back in time. The local people have successfully preserved their culture, traditions, and arts.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square was the kingdom of Malla kings, who are known for their artistry, and the 55-Window Palace (Pachpanna Jhyale Durbar) proves it. Its wide, three-story brick interior is designed with fifty-five complexly carved wooden windows.

Some other highlights of Bhaktapur Durbar Square are the Golden Gate (Lun Dhwakhā), a gold-coated gate carved with Hindu deities, and the Nyatapola Temple (1,702), a five-tiered pagoda temple that is the tallest in Nepal. Every inch of stone and wood here is carved. The Square is surrounded by statues of former kings in regal poses.

It’s a must to celebrate a special day just to visit this old town. Walking over the cobblestone lanes, craft shops, and traditional courtyards is the heart of the place. Similarly, there are lots of things to do in the Kathmandu Bhaktapur area, like the famous ones. So, make sure to stop by here.

The Best Kathmandu Religious & Spiritual Activities

Watch Shiva Aarti in Pashupatinath Temple

This destination is best for religious hearts and offers the best spiritual things to do in Kathmandu. Pashupatinath Temple is one of the most revered and holiest Hindu temples in Nepal. Built on the bank of the Bagmati River, it’s a Lord Shiva temple.

Non-Hindus are not allowed to enter the main temple. However, the outside courtyard of Pashupatinath is accessible. The temple is dotted wth many shrines and shows Nepalese culture. On the riverbank, you will find myriad stone lingams, sadhu shelters, and cremation ghats where Hindus perform last rites.

The highlight of visiting Pashupatinath temple is the evening aarti ceremony on the Bagmati riverbank. The aarati typically starts around 7 pm daily. Priests perform a aarati ritual like waving oil lamps, chant mantras along with traditional dance movements as a respect to Lord Shiva.

Watching Aarati, clapping along the rhythm of the bhajan, and the flicker of firelight against the water creates a beautiful atmosphere. You can visit Pashupatinath in the afternoon, wander around the marble courtyard dotted with 108 small shrines. Likewise, in the evening, you can enjoy the Aarati. It lasts for an hour. And do not forget to wear a modest dress and bring a shawl.

Swayambhunath Temple

Swayambhunath Temple is another iconic landmark. Stopping by Swayambhunath is a must-do thing to do in Kathmandu. It is locted in the top of the forest hill, west of Kathmandu.

Swayambhunath is a beautiful Buddhist stupa and is revered among Buddhist followers. The highlight is watching a 360 degree panromic views of Kathmandu Valley and the surrounding hills. Night view is especially great as the whole valley glows in colorful lights.

To reach Swayambhunath, you have to climb stonepaved staircase. The trail climbs through lined souvenir shops and prayer flags. You can circle the stupa and light butter lamps. The sound of clinking bells and monks chanting, as you watch over the valley, feels so peaceful.

Boudhanath Stupa (Boudha)

Another iconic place to visit in Kathmandu is Boudhanath Stupa. It lies toward the north side, 8 km east of the city center, amidst bustling Kathmandu. Its key feature is its giant white-washed dome (base diameter 120m), topped by a gilded spire, and Buddha’s eyes painted in four directions.

The dome of Boudhanath is one of the largest spherical stupas in the world. You can also spot Boudha when arriving by travelers and flying into Kathmandu. Another charming part of Bouddha is its a home to hundreds of the Kathmandu Tibetan Buddhist community. Here you will find dozens of souvenir stalls lining the avenue circling the stupa.

At Boudha, you will notice pilgrims and locals walking around the stupas and spinning prayer wheels. They also lit butter lamps in remembrance of the late people. You can also visit traditional teahouses for Tibetan snacks or butter tea, or try a Tibetan restaurant.

Best Art and Museums in Kathmandu

Kathmandu Art House

Wanna know contemporary Nepali culture? Kathmandu Art House (Thamel Art Square) is the perfect option. It is a modern gallery space where you see Nepalese fine art and paubha paintings. They also showcase progressive work by local artists.

At Kathmandu Art House, exhibition works are rotated according to their theme. So, during your visit, you can get to see an abstract painting, a sculpture, or a multimedia installation.

Besides the gallery, there are other things to do in Kathmandu Art House as well. They hosts workshops, talk shows, and even pottery glazing sessions.

Kathmandu Art House have friendly atmosphere to chat with artists. Here you can see Nepal’s art and current trends. It’s an oasis for people who are looking to break their monotonous lives.

Taragaon Museum

Taragaon Museum is another artistic gem things to do in Kathmandu. It is located in the Boudhanath area. Taragaon Museum is a contemporary art and cultural museum. The focal point of this museum is its pod-shaped brick complex. It was built in the 1970s by Austrian architect Carl Pruscha.

Taragaon Museum has a collection of art, like vintage photographs, paintings from the 18th-20th centuries, and maps. Many artists from Nepal and International ocasionally exhibits their art as well. It also displays Kathmandu Valley’s heritage. The gallery of sepia-toned photos of Kathmandu street scenes, palaces, and temples from the 1800s is anoth highlights.

Taragaon Next also organizes lots of events, hosts music nights, workshops, and crafts markets. Since it’s near Boudhanath, you can stop by along the way. The cozy and green setting of the musuem creats perfect atmosphere for personal space.

National Museum of Nepal

The National Museum of Nepal is for those who wanna know about Nepal in-depth. It is a classic museum of Nepalese history and art established in 1928. There are lots of things to do in the Kathmandu National Museum, also known as Chhauni. It is located just below the Swayambhunath.

The National Museum of Nepal is the oldest national museum, which was opened to the public in 1939. Its wide areas include multiple buildings and gardens. And you know what, you might spot roaming deer as well.

The museum exhibits collections of ancient weapons, religious statues, royal costumes, and natural history. Also, visit the Buddhist Art Gallery. There you can find wooden and metal Buddha figures and painted mandalas.

The Art Gallery section displays fine stone sculptures of past kings and gods. Make sure to visit here if you are a history lover. From Licchavi stone carvings to weapons used during the war, it has all.

Hikes & Excursions Things to do in Kathmandu

Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour

If you have limited time or do not like trekking, but still want to see Everest, the highest peak in the world, you can do the Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour. Yes, these unbelievable things to do in Kathmandu is possble. It’s a one-day helicopter tour to Everest Base Camp. It starts and ends in Kathmandu.

This Himalayan adventure takes you on a 5-6-hour round-trip. It flies over snow-capped peaks like Everest, Lhotse, Ama Dablam, and more, then lands at Kala Patthar (5,050m) famous viewpoint, and towards Everest Base Camp.

The Helicopter Tour offers 360° panoramic views of the mountains and Sagarmatha National Park. This package takes you near the world’s highest peak up-close without hiking for weeks. You can also add a breakfast stop at the Everest View Hotel (7,880 ft), one of the highest located hotels.

The helicopter flights operate all year round. For the best experience, you can do it in peak season, like March- May or September to November. With no doubt, helicopter tours to EBC is once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Shivapuri National Park Hiking

Shivapuri National Park Hiking is one of the popular things to do in Kathmandu. It provides good escapism and a chance to connect with nature closely.

Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park is located north of Kathmandu. It’s a protected forested mountain region. The best part of Shivapuri hiking is that you don’t have to leave the Kathmandu valley.

Within an urban city, Shivapuri Trails takes you into the dense forests. It starts with a 30-minute drive from downtown and takes you to the Budhanilkantha (Bishnu Temple) trailhead. Likewise, trekking through the jungles, passing over the streams and wooden bridges, you will reach the Shivapuri Peak (2,732 m). From the top of Shivapuri’s peak, you can see 360 view of Kathmandu Valley and the Himalayan ranges.

The Shivapuri National Park trails are well-marked, and along the way, you might spot deer, langur monkeys, and hundreds of bird species. Due to easy accessibility and being adventurous, it is a popular hiking destination among local people as well. For the entry, you have to pay a small amount. Shivapuri offers a good adventure in a short time during your visit to Kathmandu.

Fun Things to do in Kathmandu

Godavari Botanical Garden

Wanna connect with nature and do some relaxing activities in Kathmandu. Godavari Botanical Garden is an ideal place to visit. It lies in the south of Kathmandu, away from the rushing, crowded, and noisy city life.

National Botanical Garden, Godavari is at 1,515 m and at the base of Mt. Phulchowki. It’s a peaceful and beautiful old garden which is home to hundreds of flowers. Thematically arranged gardens of roses, lilies, ferns, cacti, medicinal herbs, and orchids are photography-worthy. And the best part is the low entry fee.

Every year, more than 190,000 visitors come here to enjoy the fresh atmosphere. Walking through arboretums and greenhouses feels relaxing. It’s a popular spot to go for a picnic surrounded by colourful seasonal flowers.

The best time to visit the National Botanical Garden is in the spring. Along with wandering around the garden, another fun thing to do in Kathmandu Godavari is hiking up to Phulchowki Hill. It is Kathmandu’s highest hill at 2,755 m.

Rock Climbing (Indoor and Outdoor)

Hungry for some physical activities. Here comes main activities for an adventurous soul. Rock climbing is another fun thing to do in Kathmandu.

Kathmandu has lots of growing rock-climbing places. One of the popular places to do rock climbing in the city is Kathmandu Sport Climbing Center (KSCC). It has Nepal’s largest indoor climbing walls, featuring lead, top-rope, speed walls, and bouldering (up to 45 feet high). It’s suitable for everyone, from a beginner to an expert. They provide instructors, and you can also rent gear.

Another alternative option to get a different taste is Initiative Outdoor in Jhamsikhel, Nepal’s first bouldering gym. They have various kinds of climbing problems of different levels. You can try it after paying a small fee, renting shoes, and chalk as well.

For more thrills, you can also try the outdoors. However, it requires experienced guides. There are lots of outdoor places to do rock climbing, as Kathmandu is filled with small rock crags.

Chandragiri Cable Car

Chandragiri Cable Car offers a great experience. Climbing up the Chandragiri Hills via cable car, enjoying the breathtaking Himalayan panorama, is another great experience.

You just have to drive 7 km southwest of Kathmandu and enjoy the 10-minute aerial ride high above pine forests. At the top of the 2,500m hill is the temple Bhaleshwor Mahadev. The red gondolas and panoramic view of Kathmandu Valley are a treat to the eyes. Watching rolling green hills and snow-capped peaks on the horizon soothes your soul.

The adventure of Chandragiri Cable Car is a great, family-friendly outing. At the top of the hills are various fun activities like gardens, thrilling activities, restaurants, and walking paths. A cable car ticket is moderately priced and worth trying.

Tattoo & Henna Art

Getting some tattoos and Henna art is quite a fun thing to do in Kathmandu. A tattoo souvenir from Nepal is quiet a experience.

Especially Thamel has lots of world-famous tattoo studios. You can get some traditional Nepali symbols (mandalas, deities) or Buddhist mantras. You can also join some workshops where artists from different nations come.

Similarly, henna (mehndi) is a culturally significant part of Nepal. There are lots of artists who can do beautiful designs. They are temporary and a good alternative of tattoo.

Pottery Workshops (Bhaktapur Pottery Square)

One of the must-do things to do in Kathmandu is pottery making. Bhaktapur’s Talakadu area is a popular place for pottery. It is deeply culturally rooted, where local people have been in this field for generations.

Kumha Tole, also known as the Pottery Square, is a popular open-air space where local people make clay crafts. They make pottery under the open sky. You can observe every step of making it from kneading clay, shaping on the wheel, to firing in kilns.

Besides these, there are lots of pottery and clay workshops to try hands-on. You can make an online reservation or just visit these studios in Bhaktapur. The class duration is just 1-2 hours.

In these workshops, you mold your own bowl or pot on the wheel. You will be guided by a skilled potter. It’s a fun thing to do in Kathmandu, something relaxing. You can also bring it back home as a souvenir of what you made.

Wood Carving Workshops

The design of palaces and temples speaks to the wood carving talent of the Nepalese people. It runs deep in their blood. Kathamndu and Bhaktpur have lots of wood carving shops where you can find craftsmen carving door frames, windows, or religious figures. You can visit some of the wood workshops to try creating your own.

If you do not want to hammer wood yourself, you can stroll through woodcarving alleys, especially near Kathmandu Durbar Square. There are varieties of beautiful woodwork.

Ason Market (Shopping and Sights)

Ason Tol is the best way to experience the lifestyle of Nepalese people. It is a traditional market with a six-way intersection bazaar in central Kathmandu. The Ason Market has been alive for many centuries. It carries many histories where the Newar community has traded for centuries.

The busy lanes and narrow alleys of colorful shops and commerce, people and rickshaws moving, are the main charm. Here you can see the shops and stalls lined up in those gulleys during the day. Shopkeepers shout to sell goods like various kinds of spices, grains, flowers, plants, rice, brassware, textiles, and silver jewelry.

Cutting through people and watching those shops stacked with big sacks of turmeric, cumin, rows of saffron, chilies, and various kinds of spices. The smells of incense and masala fill your lungs.

The center of Ason market has a fish-shaped stone (Nyālon) from a Newar legend, and temples such as the Annapurna Ajimā shrine. Ason has always been popular among tourists. It still carries an Old Kathmandu atmosphere and offers nostalgic feelings for even locals.

Though you might not feel familair to the crowds and hasty surroundings of Ason, walking through the Ason street is a one-of-a-kind experience. Do not forget to bring some Nepali rupees in cash and haggle a bit if buying goods.

Not to forget, Ason also has lots of Nepali and Newari snacks like samosa, sel roti (Nepalese fried bread), bara, lakhamari, milk tea, and many more. You won’t know it until you try it.

Momo (Dumpling) Cooking Class

Without trying, Mo: Mo, during your visit to Nepal, is incomplete. And you can try by making it yourself, so you can make it after returning home, and reminisce about the memories of Nepal.

Mo: Mo are the steamed dumplings that are filled with spiced meat or vegetables. Joining a Mo: Mo making class is a fun thing to do in Kathmandu. It offers a unique experience.

There are lots of Nepali cooking schools where you can make MO: Mo. They also teach how to make other traditional Nepali and Newari dishes. The workshops are mostly about 2-3 hours, where you can learn how to knead dough, roll wrappers, and fill and fold momos in the authentic ways.

Cooking class can be a hands-on cultural experience. You don’t have to be a chef to join these kinds of activities. They will teach you from zero. Likewise, these types of activities are also affordable and typically held in small groups.

Evening Strolls & Festivals

The easiest thing to do in Kathmandu is to go on a Evening strolls. Every alley and street of Kathmandu carries centuries-old history, tradition, and architectural designs.

Wandering around Jhamsikhel or Thamel is especially lively at night with street food stalls, live music, and neon-lit lounges.

Do not forget festivals. Rich in diversity, culture, and religion, Kathmandu celebrates many festivals. To experience their unique culture, choose a date around the festive season.

Some of the popular festivals are masked dances of Indra Jatra, Tihar, Dashain, Gai Jatra, chariot procession of Rato Machchhendranath, and many more. These festivals offer a close look at Nepali culture.

All these activities are some of the best things to do in Kathmandu. If you are interested and wanna experience it, you can contact us. Access Nepal Tours and Trekking is here to make your dream come true. Besides the already existing packages, we can customize any kind of adventure of your choice.

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