Kathmandu Valley · Light, height and the right hour
Photography in Kathmandu Valley
Autumn's clear air, spring rhododendrons, festival chariots, the walled city of Lo Manthang and the mountain views at Poon Hill, Kala Patthar and Gokyo Ri, timed for the light.
Trips
Kathmandu Valleymax 2,175 mEverest by air, Kathmandu and Nagarkot
Three nights to see Everest without walking to it. A one-hour dawn mountain flight runs along the Himalaya to the Everest massif …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,420 mKathmandu stopover in two nights
Two nights in Kathmandu for travellers between flights or before a trek. See Swayambhu at sunset, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath and the …
Kathmandu Valleymax 1,540 mThe seven heritage zones of the Kathmandu Valley
Four nights, five days and all seven monument zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site: the Durbar squares of …
Places
Kathmandu Valley1,401 mBhaktapur
Khwopa, the city of potters, drums and the five-roofed Nyatapola
Kathmandu Valley1,370 mBoudhanath
The great white stupa where Tibet meets the Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu Valley1,541 mChangunarayan
A hilltop Vishnu temple with Nepal's oldest dated inscription
Kathmandu Valley1,550 mDhulikhel
A Newar hill town facing the Himalaya, on the road to Namobuddha
Kathmandu Valley1,400 mKathmandu
Yen of the Newars: a capital built round one wooden pavilion
Kathmandu Valley1,400 mKirtipur
Kipu, the ridge town that held off the Gorkha army three times
Kathmandu Valley2,175 mNagarkot
The valley's eastern rim, for Himalayan sunrise and pine ridge walks
Kathmandu Valley1,330 mPashupatinath
Shiva's temple on the Bagmati, where Nepal comes to pray and to part
Kathmandu Valley1,450 mPharping
Guru Rinpoche's caves and the gorge of Dakshinkali on the southern rim
Kathmandu Valley1,420 mSwayambhunath
The self-born stupa on the hill where the valley's story begins
Experiences
HeritageBhaktapur's three squares with a local guide
A morning walk linking Bhaktapur's Durbar Square, Taumadhi and Tachupal through the lanes between them. We see the Golden Gate, …
CraftThrow a pot in Bhaktapur's Pottery Square
Spend a morning with a Prajapati potter in Talako, the pottery quarter just south of Taumadhi. Watch pots thrown on …
FoodJuju dhau, bara and Khwopa's snack shops
A late-afternoon food walk through Bhaktapur's squares and lanes: juju dhau from the clay bowl, bara and chatamari off the …
HeritageDawn in Khwopa's toles and water spouts
An early walk for those staying overnight: neighbours at morning puja, women at the stone spouts, farmers heading out with …
SpiritualDawn kora with the pilgrims of Boudha
Walk three slow circuits round the great stupa at first light with Tibetan families, monks and neighbours. We explain the …
SpiritualSit in on a Tibetan monastery puja
Visit two of Boudha's monasteries during prayers: deep chanting, long horns, drums and butter lamps. We explain the main images, …
CraftWatch thangka painters at work in Boudha
Visit a working thangka studio near the stupa where painters grind mineral pigments and paint Buddhist scrolls by hand. Learn …
Slow daysWalk up to Kopan for quiet and valley views
A gentle walk from the stupa up to Kopan Monastery on its hill north of Boudha, through lanes and fields. …
Stays
heritage hotel1,400 mDwarika's Hotel
A heritage hotel at Battisputali, near Pashupatinath, built around brick courtyards and fitted with carved Newar windows, doors and struts …
city hotel1,400 mHotel Yak & Yeti
A large city hotel on Durbar Marg, built around part of a 19th-century Rana palace, with gardens, a pool and …
heritage hotel1,400 mHotel Shanker
A Rana-era palace in Lazimpat converted into a hotel, with a white neoclassical facade, high-ceilinged halls and a large garden …
city hotel1,400 mKathmandu Guest House
One of the first guesthouses in Thamel, opened in the late 1960s, and the place many say started the area's …
resort1,400 mGokarna Forest Resort
A resort inside the Gokarna forest, a former royal hunting reserve on the north-eastern edge of Kathmandu, with an 18-hole …
resort2,175 mClub Himalaya
The first resort hotel on the Nagarkot ridge, opened in 1996 on Windy Hill at about 2,175 m. Rooms open …
resort1,550 mDwarika's Resort Dhulikhel
A wellness-focused resort from the family behind Dwarika's Hotel, set on terraced hillside outside Dhulikhel with views of the Himalaya. …