Swayambhunath Stupa Climb
The 365-step pilgrim climb to the 'Monkey Temple' — one of the oldest Buddhist stupas in the world and the best short walk in Kathmandu for valley views.
Know before you go
Trip readiness
Best timing
Year-round
Treat this as the first planning window, then verify local trail and weather conditions.
Time needed
1.5h
Include acclimatization and transport buffers for mountain routes.
Permit status
Permit required
Swayambhunath entry fee (NPR 200 for foreigners, free for Nepalis)
Difficulty
Easy
Kathmandu route. Match this to fitness, altitude experience, and daily walking hours.
Live conditions
Trail weather available
Use the weather card before starting, especially during monsoon and winter windows.
Swayambhunath ('self-existent') is one of the oldest and most sacred Buddhist stupas in the world, legendarily 2,000+ years old and sitting atop a 77-metre-high hill west of the old city. The classic eastern approach climbs 365 stone steps flanked by prayer wheels, painted Buddhas, and — famously — scores of rhesus macaques.
At the top, the white stupa with its painted Buddha eyes is ringed by shrines, monasteries, and prayer flags. The platform gives an open panorama of the old city of Kathmandu, with the northern Himalayan wall rising behind on clear mornings.
Allow 60–90 minutes for a relaxed circuit: up the east stairs, clockwise koro around the stupa, descent via the western road past the Tibetan monasteries. The walk is short but ritual-dense — one of the essential half-hour cultural experiences in Nepal.
Planning this trek? Local operators publishing trips here can arrange it.
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