Seven World Heritage sites in one valley: a weekend guide to Kathmandu
Kathmandu Valley was listed by UNESCO in 1979 with seven monument zones. Here is how to see them, what each one costs and how to plan your days.
Few places on earth pack so much history into such a small space. Kathmandu Valley was inscribed on UNESCO’s World Heritage List in 1979, and it is made up of seven monument zones, each within an easy ride of the others.
The seven zones
- Kathmandu Durbar Square (Hanuman Dhoka): the old royal palace, temples and the home of the Kumari.
- Patan Durbar Square: some of the finest Newar architecture anywhere, plus the excellent Patan Museum.
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square: a living medieval city of brick lanes, pottery squares and the famous five-storey Nyatapola temple.
- Swayambhu: the hilltop stupa watched over by monkeys and the all-seeing eyes of the Buddha.
- Bauddhanath: one of the largest stupas in the world and the heart of Tibetan Buddhist life in the valley.
- Pashupati: Nepal’s most sacred Hindu temple complex on the banks of the Bagmati.
- Changu Narayan: a quiet hilltop temple that is one of the oldest in the valley.
Entry fees (foreign visitors)
According to the Nepal Tourism Board:
- Kathmandu Durbar Square: NPR 1,000
- Patan Durbar Square: NPR 1,000
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square: $18 or NPR 1,800
- Pashupatinath: NPR 1,000 per entry per day
- Boudha: NPR 400
- Swayambhu: NPR 200
- Changu Narayan: NPR 300
SAARC visitors pay lower rates, and Nepali citizens usually enter free. Fees can change, so carry a little extra.
A two-day plan
Day 1: Start early at Swayambhu for the morning light, then head into Kathmandu Durbar Square before the crowds. After lunch, cross to Patan for the afternoon and stay for sunset in the square.
Day 2: Take a taxi to Changu Narayan in the morning, walk or drive down to Bhaktapur for lunch (try juju dhau, the king of curds), then finish at Pashupati and Boudha in the evening, when the butter lamps are lit and pilgrims walk around the stupa.
Respectful visiting
Dress modestly at temples, walk clockwise around stupas, ask before photographing people, and remember that only Hindus may enter the main Pashupatinath temple.
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