Nuts and Bolts: Travel Tips for Visiting the Kathmandu Valley
- Rand Blimes
- May 16
- 9 min read
Nuts and Bolts posts give you the practical information you need, but without stripping away the humor, mishaps, and little victories that make real travel what it is. These aren’t just guides. They’re how we actually did it—mistakes, triumphs, and all.
This page has some travel tips for visiting the Kathmandu Valley, to aid in planning your own trip. Remember, we are a family of five, and we travel mostly to eat. We were in the Kathmandu Valley in April, 2016. If your trip to the Kathmandu Valley is significantly longer/shorter/with a different focus, you may have a very different experience.
The Kathmandu Valley is far more than just its namesake capital. You can visit the uber-atmospheric cities of Bhaktapur and Patan. You can see the colorful houses sprawling on the hillsides in Kirtipur. There are brutal religious rituals, mountain views, and more friendly locals than you could see in even a very long trip.
So, get out of Kathmandu for a while. Whether it is a whirlwind daytrip that hits multiple sights, or a week spent lazily wandering through the alleys of Bhaktapur, or even a mini-trek out of Nagarkot, the Kathmandu Valley is full of the stuff that travelers dream about.
Travel Tips for Visiting the Kathmandu Valley: Weather
April is a pretty great time to be in the Kathmandu Valley—if you like sunshine, mild heat, a bit of dust in your teeth, and the occasional existential moment brought on by smog-filtered sunsets.
Daytime temperatures usually hover in the pleasant 75–85°F (24–29°C) range, which means T-shirts during the day and maybe a light jacket in the evenings.
Nights can be cooler—especially if you're at somewhere like Nagarkot, which is significantly higher than Kathmandu.
One warning: air quality in April can be . . . let’s say ambitious. If you’re sensitive to pollution, bring a mask. And temper expectations about grand mountain views. It could happen . . . or you could just have an expansive view of hazy, opaque air.
Getting Around
Getting around the Kathmandu Valley is surprisingly easy—if slightly bumpy.
For the most flexibility, it’s easy to hire a car and driver for a day or half-day. This is a great option for linking several sites (like Dashinkali, Kirtipur, and the Parphing Monastery) without playing transit roulette. Most guesthouses and travel agents in Kathmandu can arrange it with very little drama.
If you’re feeling adventurous—or on a tighter budget—public buses and microbuses connect Kathmandu with major destinations like Bhaktapur and Patan. They’re cheap, frequent, and slightly chaotic, which is part of the fun (unless it’s rush hour, in which case the fun gets . . . condensed).
Taxis are also widely available and good for shorter hops. Agree on a fare before you get in or use a ride app like Pathao for transparency and less haggling.
What to Do
NOTE: many of the heritage sites in the Kathmandu Valley have entry fees—sometimes steep ones. Find a list of fees here.
Bhaktapur
This is my favorite of the valley’s royal cities—and I’ve written about it here.
Bhaktapur is brick and silence and slowly turning prayer wheels. The whole city feels carved by hand and blessed by stillness. Don’t rush it. Walk the alleyways. Wait for the light to shift. And let the square surprise you.
If you only choose one place outside of Kathmandu to spend a night (or five), Bhaktapur is where you should go. Especially since a large portion of the visitors to Bhaktapur come on daytrips. Stay the night, and you can wander one of the world’s most atmospheric cities in peace.
Patan (Lalitpur)
Patan’s Durbar Square is a gem—compact, elegant, and full of intricate detail. The museum there is excellent. The courtyards are quiet. And the craftsmanship here still hums through the city like a current. You’ll find fewer crowds than in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square, and maybe a little more time for reflection.
If Bhaktapur doesn’t sate your desire for medieval cities with stunning squares, spend a night or two here as well. It is also easy to visit on a daytrip from Kathmandu.
Kirtipur
Often overlooked, Kirtipur clings to a ridge southwest of Kathmandu like it is trying to stand up and get a little more notice. Colorful houses cover Kirtipur like a patch-quilted blanket. The well-used religious sites are covered with a patina of time and vermillion.
Kirtipur is well worth the detour. Cobbled streets, friendly locals, and views over the whole valley make it a peaceful day trip. It’s a working town, not a curated attraction—and that’s part of the charm.
Protip: there is . . . well . . . basically a huge pile of garbage that sits just below the road that takes you to and from Kirtipur. Muster your courage, grab your camera, and traipse out into the middle of that sea of rubbish. This is the exact spot to get the best picture of Kirtipur. And the best part? The whole “mountain-of-garbage” thing keeps the “Insta-posers” at bay.
Changu Narayan
Changu Narayan doesn’t care how many temples you’ve already seen. It’s going to impress you anyway.
Perched on a quiet hilltop east of Bhaktapur, this is Nepal’s oldest surviving Hindu temple, dating back to at least the 4th century. That’s not a typo. You’re walking into a place that was already old when much of the world was still figuring out how to wear pants properly.
The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, and the stone carvings here—some dating back to the Licchavi period (approximately 400–880 CE) —are among the finest in the country. Walk slowly. Look closely. You’ll see Garuda kneeling in devotion, ten-armed Vishnu battling demons, and inscriptions in Sanskrit that have been puzzling scholars for centuries.
The temple was shaken by the 2015 earthquake, but it remained standing. When we were there in 2016, some sections were propped up with wood beams, but it remained undiminished.
The little village of Changu is sleepy. The approach road winds through mustard fields and Newari homes. There’s an art school nearby, a tiny museum, and a handful of guesthouses for those who want to linger. The temple itself feels lived in, not polished—fragrant with incense, a little dusty around the edges, sacred in a way that doesn’t feel staged.
Most visitors pair it with Bhaktapur, but Changu deserves its own quiet moment. Come in the late afternoon when the light hits the stone just right. Sit on the steps. Let the centuries settle around you.
If Bhaktapur is the proud museum of the valley, Changu Narayan is the memory that still breathes.
Pashupatinath
Pashupatinath isn’t a tourist site. It’s a functioning temple, and a place where many come to cremate their loved ones. It is actually considered auspicious to die beside the river at this temple.
It is one of the most sacred Hindu temples in the world. This riverside complex devoted to Lord Shiva draws pilgrims from all over Nepal and India—and it doesn’t ease visitors in gently. The Bagmati River flows past cremation ghats where families perform last rites in full view. Holy men wrapped in saffron and ash wander the grounds. Bells ring. Smoke drifts. Monkeys scramble across rooftops. And the sense of ancient, unfiltered ritual is everywhere.
Years ago, I had one of the most soul-searching travel moments of my life here.
Visitors aren’t allowed inside the main temple (that’s reserved for practicing Hindus), but the rest of the complex is open and worth exploring. The stone shrines, the faded murals, the riverside steps—it all feels like it's existed forever and expects you to catch up.
Dakshinkali Temple
Don’t expect the brutal side of religious ceremony to stay politely behind a sign if you decide to visit Dakshinkali Temple. Located in a forested gorge about an hour outside Kathmandu, it’s one of the most important shrines to Kali, the fierce goddess of time, destruction, and protection.
And Kali, as it turns out, doesn’t do subtle.
This is a temple of animal sacrifice—a practice that might sound distant and mythic until you actually visit and see the reality behind the word.
When we went, the road into the temple was lined with vendors selling chickens and goats—not for curry, but for ritual. Devotees buy the animals, carry them into the temple grounds, and offer them to the goddess in the belief that sacrifice clears obstacles, cures illness, or fulfills a deeply personal vow.
When I first visited back in 1999, the line between worship and witnessing was a lot blurrier. Tourists could get uncomfortably close to the central platform where sacrifices took place—close enough to see what modern tourism boards tend to skip over.
These days, things are different. Visitors are kept back from the inner sanctum. You won’t see the act itself unless you’re deliberately seeking it out (and willing to violate the rules of the place . . . please don’t). But you will see the supplicants walking solemnly down the temple path carrying garlanded animals… and others carrying them out again, sometimes wrapped in cloth, the ritual completed.
It’s intense. It’s not sanitized. But it’s not a spectacle either. For those offering the animals, it’s an act of deep meaning, passed through generations.
Don’t go to slake your bloodlust. You’ll be disappointed. And you’ll stand out like a guy eating a double cheeseburger while walking through a herd of cows. Inappropriate. Tone-deaf. And lucky to not get a little bit gored by the alpha.
Like with all travel, go to slake your curiosity. Chat with someone. Learn a little about why people do something that may seem . . . well . . . different from what your life generally entails.
Dakshinkali doesn’t offer the polished perfection of palace squares or mountaintop monasteries. But if you’re willing to confront the raw edges of belief—and do so with respect—it’s one of the valley’s most unforgettable experiences. Come with reverence. Come with questions. And maybe leave with more than you expected.
Parphing Monastery
If you go to Dakshinkali, you should also swing by Parphing. Parphing is peaceful, with a pair of lovely monasteries perched on the edge of the valley. The place has spiritual weight—Padmasambhava, a legendary Indian Buddhist mystic, is said to have meditated here. There are caves, prayer flags, and wide views. If you’re craving calm, this is where you find it.
Nagarkot
Nagarkot is where you go when you want the Himalayas to show up for you without asking you to lace up hiking boots. It’s a quiet ridge town on the edge of the Kathmandu Valley, famous for its panoramic views—a long sweep of sky-piercing peaks, from Annapurna in the west to Everest (yes, that Everest) in the east.
On a clear morning, if the weather gods are in a good mood and you set your alarm, you can climb to the Nagarkot View Tower just before sunrise. It’s a 20- to 30-minute uphill walk from most hotels, and from the top, you’ll see the Himalayas stretch across the horizon like a frozen skyline. If the visibility is excellent—and that’s a big if—you might catch a glimpse of Mount Everest, tiny and distant but unmistakably regal on the horizon. (Binoculars help. So does optimism.)
Even when Everest doesn’t show, the light itself is worth it. The hills below fill with mist. The snowy ridgelines blush pink and gold. The world feels freshly unwrapped.
Nagarkot is a popular overnight escape from Kathmandu. The air is cleaner, the vibe is calmer, and there’s something quietly luxurious about watching the sunrise from your guesthouse balcony with a cup of tea and zero plans.
You won’t be the only one there—but it won’t feel like a crowd. It’ll feel like a favor from the mountains.
If you plan to spend a while in Kathmandu and the Valley, spend a couple of nights at Nagarkot to break things up a bit and give you a break from the hustle and chaos.
Don’t miss out on the deeply rich Kathmandu Valley. The cities are among the most picturesque and atmospheric in the world. The religious sites inspire meditation, reflection, and may just have you contemplating your own mortality a bit. There are even some good walking paths, and, if and only if you are exceedingly lucky, you may even get a glimpse of the mighty Chomolungma while barely breaking a sweat.
Because travel in the Kathmandu Valley has a bit of something for any world explorer.
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