Kathmandu

Four days across the seven Kathmandu Valley monument zones

Four days lets you see all seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site, inscribed by UNESCO in 1979. Spend day one in Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath, day two at Pashupatinath and Boudhanath, day three in Patan, and day four in Bhaktapur with Changu Narayan.

Kathmandu Durbar Square, also called Hanuman Dhoka after the old royal palace, is a cluster of pagoda temples and courtyards. The city's name comes from the Kasthamandap, a wooden pavilion that stood here. Swayambhunath sits on a hill to the west, reached by a long flight of steps where monkeys roam.

Pashupatinath, Nepal's most important Hindu temple, stands on the Bagmati river close to the airport. Non-Hindus can visit the riverbank and the terraces opposite the main shrine. Boudhanath, a short ride north-east, is the centre of the city's Tibetan Buddhist community; pilgrims circle it at dawn and dusk.

Patan, across the river, has its own Durbar Square and a fine museum in the old palace. Bhaktapur, about an hour east, is the best-preserved of the three royal cities. Changu Narayan, the seventh monument zone, sits on a ridge above it with one of the valley's oldest temples. Many monuments were damaged in the 2015 earthquake, and some are still under restoration.

October and November skies and the valley's festival season

October and November are Kathmandu's finest months. The monsoon has washed the air clean, highs sit around 24–27°C, rain almost stops, and the Himalayan peaks show from the valley rim. The big Hindu festivals of Dashain and Tihar also fall in autumn, on lunar dates that change each year.

Dashain is Nepal's longest and most important festival, when families gather and offices close for days. Tihar, the festival of lights, follows a few weeks later with oil lamps, marigold garlands and offerings to crows, dogs and cows. Book transport well ahead for both.

March and April are the second-best season, warm and mostly dry, though haze can hide the mountains. Winters are dry and sunny by day, but January nights fall to about 3°C and few buildings are heated.

Momos, dal bhat and Newari cooking

Eat dal bhat, the national meal of rice, lentil soup, vegetable curry and pickle, at least once; refills are usually free. Momos, steamed or fried dumplings, are the city's favourite snack. For something more local, look for Newari restaurants in Patan, Bhaktapur and the old quarters of Kathmandu.

The Newar people are the largest ethnic group in the valley, and their cooking uses buffalo meat, beaten rice, spiced soybeans and rice beer. Bhaktapur is known for juju dhau, a rich sweet yoghurt served in clay bowls.

Thamel has restaurants for every taste, from Tibetan to Italian, aimed at trekkers. Eat freshly cooked food, avoid raw salads in small places and stick to bottled or filtered water.

Thamel permits and flights for treks beyond Kathmandu

Kathmandu is the starting point for most Himalayan trips in Nepal. Trekking permits, gear shops and licensed agencies are concentrated in Thamel, domestic flights to Pokhara and the mountain airstrips leave from Tribhuvan International, and tourist buses run to Pokhara and Chitwan.

Plan at least one buffer day in Kathmandu after a trek, because mountain flights are often delayed by cloud. Use the time for the museums of Patan or a sunrise drive to the valley rim, where the high peaks appear on clear autumn mornings.

For visas, money and the rest of the country, read our Nepal travel guide. Kathmandu also connects by air with Delhi and other South Asian cities.