The Kathmandu Valley holds three former royal capitals — Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur — within an hour of one another, each with its own durbarDurbarThe court of an Indian ruler — and, by extension, the hall in which he gave audience, or the grand ceremonial assembly held there.Read in the glossary square of tiered temples and carved wooden struts. Newari craftsmanship is the through-line: brick, timber and bronze worked to a standard the valley has sustained for centuries.
It is also a place where the sacred is unsentimentally ordinary. Boudhanath's great white stupaStupaA solid domed Buddhist monument, built to house relics and walked around by worshippers as an act of devotion.Read in the glossary has pilgrims circling it at every hour; at Pashupatinath, cremations continue on the Bagmati as they always have. Neither is staged for anyone.
The 2015 earthquake took a real toll on the durbar squares, and restoration is ongoing — much of what you see has been rebuilt by hand in the original technique. We think that makes the valley more interesting, not less, and our guides are candid about what is original and what is reconstruction.
Signature Experiences
- ◆Boudhanath stupa walk among the pilgrims at dusk
- ◆Bhaktapur — the best preserved of the three durbar squares
- ◆Patan's museum and its bronze-casting workshops
Optional, By Arrangement
- ◆Scenic mountain flight along the Himalaya
- ◆A private blessing ceremony at Pashupatinath
- ◆Newari cooking class in a restored courtyard house
Where We Place Our Guests
- Dwarika's Hotel
The Table
- Newari cuisine and thali
- A tasting menu at Krishnarpan
- Momos and market tasting in Asan
Curator's Advisory
October to November and March to April are the clear seasons, when the mountains are out. Monsoon cloud from June obscures the Himalaya entirely. Allow a full day each for Bhaktapur and Patan rather than trying to see all three squares at once.
In & Around Kathmandu
Attractions
Where to Stay
Journeys Through Kathmandu
The Journal
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