Kathmandu 3-Day Itinerary: Three Royal Cities and Sacred Stupas

With seven UNESCO World Heritage sites spread across the valley, grouping adjacent monuments onto the same day keeps taxi time to a minimum and leaves plenty of time for rooftop tea and courtyard walks. Carry Nepali rupee cash for heritage gates and dress in layers and slip-off shoes.

Day 1: Swayambhunath, Garden of Dreams, Asan Tole & Kathmandu Durbar Square

• Early morning at Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple): take a morning taxi to the foot of the eastern stone staircase to climb the 365 steps in cool air, walk clockwise around the gleaming white stupa and prayer wheels, and look out across the whole Kathmandu basin.
• Late morning in Kaiser Mahal & Thamel: return to the northern edge of Thamel for a second breakfast or lemon ginger tea inside the tranquil neoclassical pavilions of the Garden of Dreams.
• Afternoon bazaar walk to Kathmandu Durbar Square: walk south from Thamel through the spice and brassware lanes of Asan Tole and Indra Chowk straight into Kathmandu Durbar Square (Basantapur). Tour the carved courtyards of Hanuman Dhoka Palace, step into the red-brick courtyard of the Kumari Ghar, and finish with a steaming bowl of jhol momos.

Day 2: Kopan Monastery, Boudhanath Stupa & Sunset at Pashupatinath

• Morning at Boudhanath (or Kopan Hill): ride out to the northeastern valley to explore the tranquil garden courtyards of Shechen Monastery and Guru Lhakhang around Boudhanath Stupa, browse traditional thangka painting studios, and eat lunch on a rooftop terrace overlooking the dome's painted Buddha eyes.
• Late afternoon & dusk at Pashupatinath and Boudha: head ten minutes south to Pashupatinath Temple along the sacred Bagmati River to walk the eastern hillside shrines and watch the oil-lamp Bagmati Aarati ceremony at dusk, then return to Boudhanath to join monks and families on the candlelit evening kora walk.

Day 3: Car-Free Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square

• Morning in Bhaktapur: drive thirteen kilometres east after breakfast to spend three unhurried hours walking Bhaktapur's car-free brick squares, from the 55-Window Palace and five-tiered Nyatapola Temple on Taumadhi Square to the spinning wheels of Pottery Square and the carved Peacock Window, pausing for a clay cup of sweet juju dhau (king curd).
• Afternoon & evening in Patan (Lalitpur): on your way back into the city, cross straight to Patan Durbar Square to tour the stone Krishna Mandir, the world-class bronze galleries of the Patan Museum, and the gilded courtyard of the Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar) before a final Newari courtyard dinner in Patan.