Skip to content
List your business

Best Attractions in Kathmandu (2026)

Kathmandu's sights are concentrated in the Kathmandu Valley, where the main monuments are inscribed together as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the city, Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the Hanuman Dhoka palace and the home of the Kumari, Swayambhunath rises on its hill to the west, Boudhanath is the great white stupa of the Tibetan community to the east, and Pashupatinath is the most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal. Patan Durbar Square and Bhaktapur Durbar Square are separate old royal cities within easy reach, and Changu Narayan is one of the oldest temples in the country. Many monuments were damaged in the 2015 earthquake, so expect restored buildings and some scaffolding.

Foreign visitors pay entry fees at the Durbar Squares and the main religious sites, so carry cash and keep tickets with you. A good plan is to pair Kathmandu Durbar Square with Swayambhunath on one day, and Pashupatinath with an evening kora at Boudhanath on another. Give Patan a day of its own, starting at the Patan Museum to understand the art, and combine Bhaktapur with Changu Narayan. Early mornings are the best time to see daily worship, while dusk at Boudhanath and the evening aarti at Pashupatinath are the most atmospheric. The Garden of Dreams and the Narayanhiti Palace Museum sit side by side at the edge of Thamel and fill a quieter half day.

10 places · Updated October 27, 2026

Our top 3 attractions in Kathmandu

  1. Kathmandu Durbar Square Royal palace square and temples, BasantapurThe old royal heart of Kathmandu, where the Hanuman Dhoka palace, the Kumari's residence and Malla-era temples surround a UNESCO-listed square.
  2. Swayambhunath Buddhist stupa, SwayambhuAn ancient hilltop stupa west of central Kathmandu, painted with the eyes of the Buddha and known as the Monkey Temple for the troops living around it.
  3. Boudhanath Stupa Buddhist stupa, BoudhaThe largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley, a centre of Tibetan Buddhist life ringed by monasteries, prayer wheels, guesthouses and restaurants east of the city.

Attraction

2. Swayambhunath

Buddhist stupaSwayambhu

An ancient hilltop stupa west of central Kathmandu, painted with the eyes of the Buddha and known as the Monkey Temple for the troops living around it.

View details — Swayambhunath