Itinerary
4 days · 25 stops · 1h 6m travelling
One day for each of the valley's three royal cities, plus a day for the great pilgrimage sites — the seven UNESCO monument zones without the forced march. Based in Kathmandu for three nights, then a night in Bhaktapur.
Make this yours: you get an editable copy with every day and stop already in place, plus the travel between days. Nothing here changes — the copy is separate.
The Malla capital, and still the densest square kilometre in the valley. Kasthamandap and the Kumari's house are inside the durbar square complex; Kal Bhairav stands in the open, which is where oaths were once sworn.
Jana Bahal — Seto Machhindranath — is ten minutes north, and the walk there passes through Indra Chowk and Asan, the two junctions that still do the city's actual shopping.
Three of the valley's seven monument zones, and the day that shows you how completely Hindu and Buddhist practice share this place.
Swayambhunath in the morning light, Pashupatinath and the Guhyeshwari temple behind it in the middle of the day, then Boudha for the late afternoon — the kora fills as the light goes, and that is the point of arriving then rather than at noon.
Patan is the metalworkers' city, and its durbar square is the one to give real time to — the Sundari Chowk courtyard with the Tusa Hiti sunken bath is behind the palace and easy to walk past.
Afternoon further south to Khokana and Bungamati, two Newar villages that are still farming settlements: mustard-oil presses, a bit of woodcarving, and none of the crowds.
Move over to Bhaktapur and stay the night — the town at 07:00, before the day-trip buses, is a different place entirely, and that alone justifies the transfer.
Four squares to walk between: the durbar square with the 55-Window Palace, Taumadhi under Nyatapola, Pottery Square where wheels are still turning, and Dattatraya at the eastern end. Changu Narayan sits on the ridge north of town and is the oldest temple site in the valley.
Or start an empty plan and build it day by day.