Time of year visited: October Climate: Hot & humid, no rain Time spent: 5 days
Overall
Hippie capital of the world. It’s a total blend of different culture. Traffic is pretty bad but it’s a small city so you can pretty much walk everywhere. We were based in Thamel which is the tourist part of the city, but has all the good restaurants, bars and shops you will need right outside your door.
We loved the atmosphere here – people were very nice and welcoming, it feels very artsy and laid back. Nepal in general is a very beautiful place.
Where to stay
Location: Thamel Hotel:Dream Nepal Hotel & Apartment Price: $40/night Breakfast included: yes Free wifi: yes Additional notes: they also provide free airport pickups/drop offs Recommended? definitely! very simple hotel, rooms are clean and staff is very friendly and welcoming. They upgraded us to an apartment when we came back from EBC and stored our luggages while we were gone.
What to see
Thamel This is where you will shop, eat and drink. If you need some hiking gear or are looking to bring back some unauthentic North Face jackets to your family/friends this is the place!
Middle of Thamel
Durbar Square This area of town is still greatly affected by the earthquake of 2015 and you will see a lot of ruins. The square was where the city’s kings were crowned and ruled.
We walked there from the Nepal Tourist Bureau (after getting our trekker’s card for EBC) and it took us about 20min. You can also walk from Thamel and it will take you about the same time. They charge NRS 1,000 – do not pay! You can simply go around the gate by entering by one of the small streets on the side.
Boudhanath Stupa You will need a car to get to Stupa and be prepare, this is a crazy busy part of Kathmandu! They charge NRS 250 to walk on top of the temple. Honestly, we walked in through a side street (again!) and just walked all around it (at the bottom), which is the same thing as walking on top of it. Definitely a must see. You can also grab a beer at one of the rooftop restaurants facing Stupa to have a great view.
There are also a lot of cute shops selling art around it so bring some extra cash if you’re in the mood for some shopping.
Swayambhunath Temple The temple is a short walk from Thamel at the top of a hill. You can either walk up 365 steps or take a rickshaw there. It's a little bit chaotic with monkeys everywhere, people praying and others trying to sell you stuff but totally worth the view!
Pashupatinath Temple
MUST GO! It's a very sacred Hindu temple located right on the banks of the Bagmati River. You will need a car to get here as it is a bit outside of the city. Be ready, you will see live cremations. There's 2 entries to the temple: on 1 side you can walk around the monument and on the other (on the river) is where the cremations happen. There are guides walking around everywhere and they will definitely start talking to you as soon as you walk in - I recommend getting one unless you know all about the history and traditions - you will learn a lot and understand the process a lot better.