Best of Kathmandu Valley

After breakfast, your guide and the driver will pick you up from your hotel and accompany you to the 2,000-plus-year-old Swayambhunath Stupa, one of Nepal’s oldest Tibetan Buddhist sites. Ascend 365 stone steps to reach the main stupa, where a massive dome base supports a cube tower adorned with iconic all-seeing Buddha eyes, said to perceive all good and evil. As you circle the stupa, pay homage to the seated Buddha statues in niches with perpetually lit oil lamps, and glimpse the prayer wheels gleaming from years of devoted use and linga statues, a sacred symbol of the Hindu god Shiva’s regenerative power.

Then, let’s delve into Kathmandu Durbar Square, the most down-to-earth of Kathmandu Valley’s three royal palace squares. Step into the pigeon-filled plaza, where locals lounge on temple steps, vendors sell thangka scrolls and wooden carvings under deity images, and ladies with vegetable baskets offer marigolds at a shrine to Ganesh, the elephant-headed remover of obstacles. Striking buildings are ubiquitous, including the three-story Kumari Temple, home to the Living Goddess Kumari, a young girl believed to be the earthly incarnation of the city’s guardian deity, Taleju. Even the old kings and current president would bow to her for blessings. Dressed in red, with bold eye makeup and a painted third eye on her forehead, she makes brief appearances at the second-floor window around 11:00 am and 4:00 pm every day - please note no photos allowed. During major festivals like Indra Jatra in September, she also parades through the streets, offering chances to catch a glimpse of her.In the afternoon, we’ll explore Pashupatinath Temple, Nepal’s largest Hindu complex and a key Shiva pilgrimage site. If your visit falls in February during the Shivaratri Festival, you may behold thousands of pilgrims and sadhus gathering for grand celebrations. Situated along the sacred Bagmati River, the spot is also renowned as Nepal’s largest open-air cremation site. Take your chance to watch a funeral ceremony: a body wrapped in orange cloth is placed upon a pyre, while family members gather in silence, calmly witnessing the cremation as if death were merely a part of everyday life. Meanwhile, your guide will explain that social hierarchy persists even in death: upstream cremation platforms are for royals and nobles, while downstream ones are for commoners.

Then, continue the religious tour to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the world’s biggest spherical stupas. As you wander around its base, allow your eyes to trace the 108 niches, each containing a tiny Buddha statue, exuding a solemn ambience. The surrounding area also buzzes with Tibetan teahouses and thangka shops, where the mingled aromas of butter tea and sandalwood intertwine. Here, you may also spot white khata scarves, Tibetan Buddhist symbols of respect and blessings, often offered by mountaineers before their Himalayan expeditions.

★ Traditional Nepali Cultural Dinner Show

In the evening, follow your guide to a renowned local restaurant to enjoy Nepal’s signature Dal Bhat set, a plate of rice served with lentil soup, curry, and pickles. You may find locals mixing and scooping the food with their right hand. Feel free to try the custom, or use the provided utensils if you prefer. Also sample other specialties like Sekuwa, grilled meat skewers, and masala tea, a milk tea infused with local spices and ginger. During dinner, dancers in vibrant ethnic costumes perform traditional folk dances such as the Newar dance, using graceful gestures and expressions to tell myths or pray for a good harvest.

After that, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

This morning, enjoy a hotel pick-up from your guide and the driver for a visit to Changu Narayan Temple, Nepal’s oldest Hindu shrine built in the 4th century. Step inside to admire the main double-roofed shrine, whose upper copper-clad layer dazzles in the sunlight, while the lower red-tiled one appears more modest. Out front, a wooden pillar intricately carved with vivid deities stands. The ten avatar carvings of Vishnu the Preserver will surely catch your eye; listen to your guide recount the most striking ones: the lion-man tearing apart the demon king and the dwarf incarnation across the three realms with just three steps.

Then, let’s make our way to Bhaktapur Durbar Square, which is the most medieval-style place among the three royal squares. It consists of four sub-squares and once had nearly a hundred courtyards. Admire the most popular Nyatapola Temple, a five-tiered pagoda and the tallest in Kathmandu Valley. You’ll see each of its tiers features a pair of stone guardians - wrestlers, elephants, lions, griffins, and goddesses in sequence - each said to be ten times more powerful than the one below. Climb the steep steps to its top for a commanding view over the entire square. Next, proceed to Tachapal Square, the oldest of the sub-squares, to see the three-tiered Dattatreya Temple, where intricate pillars, doors, and windows are richly detailed with woodcarvings of gods, mythical creatures, and scenes of everyday life.
► FYI: Bhaktapur’s yogurt reportedly won a royal taste contest among the three cities, earning the title “juju dhau”, meaning “king of yogurt.” If you’re interested, try this creamy treat in a clay bowl from local shops or street carts for around NPR 50 (USD 0.3) at your own expense.

After lunch, go on a visit to Patan Durbar Square, the oldest of the three. The Golden Temple here is a real standout, with its gilded copper door carved with Hindu myths, all gleaming in the sunlight and showcasing incredible craftsmanship. Patan also boasts its own Kumari Temple. And if we arrive between 2:00 pm and 4:00 pm, you may have a chance to receive a red tika blessing on your forehead from the goddess, just in exchange for a small donation.

At last, your guide and the driver will escort you back to your hotel in Kathmandu.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Today, your guide and the driver will meet you at your hotel at the agreed time and escort you to the airport for your departure. Wishing you a pleasant journey home! If you have extra vacation time, consider extending your Nepal adventure: track wildlife in Chitwan’s jungles or trek the exhilarating trails in Pokhara. Our hotline is always open for you; get in touch and let’s make it happen!

Meal: Breakfast