Kathmandu (काठमांडौ), Nepal

Kathmandu, Nepal


Kathmandu (काठमांडौ) is the capital and largest city of Nepal. The Kathmandu metropolitan area includes nearby Patan and Bhaktapur, neighboring cities which were former capitals of ancient kingdoms. The metropolitan area has a population of 1.6 million people.

Although battered by political turmoil in the past decade, Kathmandu continues to attract a steady stream of tourists and visitors, drawn by its fascinating culture, as well as the opportunity of viewing the Himalayan mountains up close.

Thamel, Kathmandu

Tourist Attractions and Sights in Kathmandu

Cities of the Kathmandu Valley

Boudhanath, Kathmandu


Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur are rich in heritage sites which have collectively been inscribed as World Heritage Sites. There is a lot of see in this city, and through this guide, I hope to describe them all to you.

The history of Kathmandu goes back to antiquity, with evidence of human settlement here as early as 167 BC. The Pashupatinath Temple was already a pilgrimage site during the time of Buddha.

Kathmandu is located in the warm temperate zone - one of five climatic regions in Nepal. It experiences a fairly pleasant climate with temperature ranging from 30°C in summer to 10°C in winter. The warmest months are from April to September while the coldest are December and January. Heaviest rain is expected in July, with over 300 mm for that month. Driest months are November and December.

A busy street in Kathmandu

World Heritage Site Inscription Details

Heritage sites in Kathmandu, along with the cities of Patan and Bhaktapur, were inscribed as a World Heritage Site. Details as shown below:

Location: N 27 42 14.22 E 85 18 30.888 covering a core zone of 188.95 hectares and a buffer zone of 239.34 hectares of the Kathmandu Valley
Inscription Year: 1979
Type of Site: Cultural
Inscription Criteria: III, IV, VI Street in Thamel, Kathmandu

Travel to Kathmandu

Citizens of most countries will require a visa to enter Nepal. This can be obtained upon your arrival at Kathmandu's Tribhuvan International Airport (KTM). The visa fee depends on your length of stay. A 15-day visa will cost you US$25.

There is plenty of taxis waiting for customers at the Kathmandu airport. A taxi ride to the tourist enclave of Thamel should cost you not more than 300 Nepali rupees. If you can't stand the hassle of bargaining, you can pre-pay your taxi at the booth inside the airport. This will cost you 450 Nepali rupees.

To change money, do it when you arrive in Thamel, where you are likely to get better rates.

Kasthamandap, Thapathali, Kathmandu

Travel within Kathmandu

Most streets do not have street names. To explore, you need to remember the landmarks, which can be a square (chowk) or an intersection (tole). It is possible to explore Kathmandu on foot, which gives you the opportunity to observe the locals up close. The streets are usually filled with people - I often wonder where all the people come from, and where are they going. It is not uncommon for the locals to crowd around tourists, especially if you are carrying a big medium-format camera.

For longer distances, you should get a rickshaw or taxi. You can also book a taxi to take you around for the whole day. Always pre-negotiate the fare before entering. It will cost about 300 Nepali rupees to go to Patan, and between 1000 to 3000 rupees to visit Bhaktapur or to go to the airport.

Rani Pokhari, Kathmandu

More Places of Interest in Kathmandu

Junga Hiranya Hemnarayan Mandir, Kathmandu

More Sights in the Kathmandu Valley

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