We start at about 8:30 am at Basantapur, the open square in front of the old royal palace, before the tour groups arrive. Durbar Square, or Hanuman Dhoka, was the seat of the Malla kings and then the Shah kings until the royal family moved to Narayanhiti Palace in the late 19th century. Your guide walks you past the rebuilt Kasthamandap, the three-roofed Maju Dega on its nine-step plinth, the Kumari Ghar where the Living Goddess sometimes appears at her window, and the black stone Kal Bhairav. Foreigners pay NPR 1,000 and SAARC nationals NPR 150; check current status before you travel.
From the square we leave by the north-east corner onto the old diagonal road that once carried trade between India and Tibet. At Indra Chowk, women sell glass beads and shawls below the Akash Bhairav temple. Kel Tole has the Seto Machhindranath temple, a courtyard of brass lamps, pigeons and prayer guarded by bronze lions. Smaller courtyards called bahals open off the lane through low doorways, each with a stupa or shrine and families going about their day, and the guide knows which ones welcome quiet visitors.
The walk finishes at Asan Tole, the six-way junction where the small gilded Annapurna temple is surrounded by grain, spice and dried-fish traders. From here Thamel is a 10-minute walk north. The pace is slow with plenty of stops, the ground is flat but uneven, and the lanes are narrow and busy with scooters, so we keep groups small. Dress for temples, with shoulders and knees covered, and bring small notes for offerings, a glass of tea and a bag of spices from the Asan stalls.
Good for
- First-timers
- Families
- Photographers
- Seniors
- Groups
Questions travellers ask
How long do you need for Kathmandu Durbar Square?
Allow at least 90 minutes for Durbar Square itself, including the palace courtyards where they are open, and three hours if you continue the walk to Asan. Mornings before 10 am are cooler and quieter. Keep your ticket with you, because staff check it at several entry points around the square.
Can we see the Kumari, the Living Goddess?
Often, but not on a schedule. The Kumari sometimes appears briefly at a carved window of the Kumari Ghar courtyard when her guardians allow it, usually late morning or afternoon. Photographing her is forbidden, though the courtyard itself is open to look at. During Indra Jatra, in late August or September, she rides through the old town in a chariot.
Was Kathmandu Durbar Square destroyed in the earthquake?
Parts of it were. The 25 April 2015 earthquake brought down Kasthamandap, several temples and part of the palace, but much of the square survived. Kasthamandap reopened after rebuilding in 2021 and other temples have been restored, while the nine-storey Basantapur tower is still being repaired; check current status before you travel.
