Kathmandu Valley

Three nights is the sweet spot for most first visits: one day for Kathmandu Durbar Square, Swayambhunath and Pashupatinath, one for Patan and Boudhanath, and one for Bhaktapur with Nagarkot or Changunarayan. Two nights covers the highlights at a brisk pace. Add a fourth night for Dhulikhel, Namobuddha or the Everest mountain flight with a weather back-up.

A 3-night Kathmandu city break with a 3-star hotel, private transfers, sightseeing and a guide costs from about ₹16,000 per person twin sharing, excluding flights. Kathmandu with Pokhara for 5 nights starts around ₹24,000, and Kathmandu–Pokhara–Chitwan for 6 nights around ₹32,000. Return flights from Delhi typically add ₹10,000 to 20,000 depending on season.

No. Indian citizens can enter Nepal with either a valid Indian passport or an Election Commission voter ID card, and no visa is needed. Aadhaar is not reliably accepted, especially by airlines, so do not rely on it. Children have separate rules, such as school identity certificates for ages 15 to 18. Check current status before you travel.

October and November are best, with clear skies, mountain views and comfortable days around 23 to 26 °C. February to April is also good, warmer, with rhododendrons and festivals such as Bisket Jatra, though spring haze softens the views. December and January are clear but cold in the mornings. June to August brings monsoon rain and hidden peaks.

Not from the city itself. On very clear mornings a distant tip of Everest can be seen from Nagarkot's view tower and some points on the valley rim, mainly from October to December. For a close view, take the one-hour Everest mountain flight from Kathmandu, a fixed-wing plane that flies along the range at about 7,600 m with every passenger at a window.

Kathmandu is generally safe for visitors, with petty theft in crowds the most common problem. Street protests and general strikes do occur; in September 2025 protests led to curfews and serious damage to some buildings, including hotels. Situations change, so check current advisories before you travel, avoid demonstrations, and follow your guide's and hotel's advice.

The Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, inscribed in 1979, has seven monument zones: Kathmandu Durbar Square (Hanuman Dhoka), Patan Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan. All seven can be visited in two to three days by car with a guide. Each charges its own entry fee, with lower SAARC rates for Indians.

Nagarkot, at about 2,175 m, gives the wider panorama, from Langtang and Dorje Lakpa to Gauri Shankar, and a speck of Everest on the best days. Dhulikhel, at about 1,550 m, is warmer, has a Newar old town and links to Namobuddha and Panauti. Pick Nagarkot for views alone and Dhulikhel for a gentler mix of culture and mountains.

For foreign nationals, roughly NPR 1,000 each at Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Squares and Pashupatinath, NPR 1,800 at Bhaktapur, around NPR 400 at Boudhanath, NPR 200 at Swayambhunath and NPR 300 at Changunarayan. SAARC nationals, including Indians, pay much less, and Hindu pilgrims enter Pashupatinath free for darshan. Check current status before you travel.