Kathmandu

Kathmandu sits in a bowl-shaped valley at around 1,400 metres, ringed by hills and, on clear days, with the Himalaya visible beyond them. The valley holds three former royal cities — Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur — each with its own Durbar Square, and together with four religious sites they form a single UNESCO World Heritage property.

The modern city is crowded and dusty, and the 2015 earthquake damaged many monuments, a number of which have been rebuilt or are still under restoration. What survives is extraordinary: brick and carved-timber architecture, living temples used daily, and courtyards behind ordinary doorways.

The Kathmandu Valley has one of the densest concentrations of religious architecture anywhere, with Hindu and Buddhist sites standing side by side and in active use rather than preserved as monuments.

It is also the practical gateway to the Nepali Himalaya. Permits, guides, gear and flights to the mountain airstrips all run through the city, and most trekking itineraries begin and end here.

• Boudhanath. One of the largest stupas in the world, at the centre of the Tibetan Buddhist community, circled clockwise by pilgrims at dawn and dusk.
• Swayambhunath. The hilltop stupa west of the city, reached by a long stairway, with painted eyes over the valley and resident monkeys.
• Pashupatinath. The most important Hindu temple complex in Nepal, on the Bagmati river, where open-air cremations take place. Only Hindus may enter the main temple; the riverbanks are open and should be approached with respect.
• Patan Durbar Square. The best preserved of the three royal squares, with a fine museum in the old palace and a dense quarter of metalworking courtyards around it.
• Bhaktapur. A walled town at the eastern end of the valley, largely free of traffic, with pottery squares and the Nyatapola temple.
• Thamel. The traveller district of gear shops, bookshops and restaurants — useful rather than beautiful, and where trekking logistics are arranged.
• The Garden of Dreams. A restored neoclassical garden beside Thamel, and the quietest place in central Kathmandu.

October and November are the best months: clear skies after the monsoon, mountain views and the main trekking season. This is also when the big festivals of Dashain and Tihar fall.

March to May is the second season, warmer with rhododendrons in the hills, though haze builds towards May.

June to September is the monsoon: heavy rain, landslides on mountain roads, flight delays and few mountain views.

December to February is cold but dry and clear in the valley, with fewer visitors and the highest passes closed.

Thamel is the standard base: everything a trekker needs, plus restaurants and hotels at every price. It is noisy and commercial.

Lazimpat and Jhamsikhel are quieter, with better restaurants and a more residential feel.

Patan (Lalitpur) is the most rewarding place to stay for a longer visit: the finest architecture in the valley and a calmer pace, with the centre a short ride away.

Boudhanath suits travellers who want to be near the stupa and the monasteries, with early-morning and evening circumambulations on the doorstep.

Thamel: the traveller quarter, gear shops, restaurants and agencies.

Kathmandu Durbar Square and Asan: the old royal square and the market streets north of it, the busiest part of the old city.

Patan (Lalitpur): across the Bagmati, the finest Durbar Square, metalworking courtyards and a good museum.

Bhaktapur: a separate walled town at the valley's eastern edge, largely pedestrian.

Boudhanath: the Tibetan Buddhist quarter around the great stupa.

Jhamsikhel and Lazimpat: quieter residential districts with restaurants and guesthouses.

Traffic is heavy and roads are often poor. Ride-hailing apps for cars and motorbikes are the simplest option and remove haggling; metered taxis frequently negotiate a flat fare instead.

Local buses and microbuses are cheap and crowded. Walking is pleasant within the old quarters and difficult along the main roads, where pavements are intermittent and dust is heavy.

Tribhuvan International Airport is close to the centre, and is also the departure point for domestic flights to the mountain airstrips. Domestic flights are weather-dependent and delays are common; leave margin before international connections.

Dal bhat — lentils, rice, vegetable curry and pickle — is the staple, usually served with free refills, and is what most Nepalis eat twice a day.

Momos, steamed or fried dumplings, are the national snack and are sold everywhere. Newari cuisine, specific to the valley, is worth seeking out: choila, bara, sukuti and beaten rice, best eaten in Patan or Bhaktapur.

Thamel has a wide range of international food aimed at travellers. Bhaktapur is known for juju dhau, a thick sweetened yoghurt served in clay pots.

Bhaktapur and Patan are the obvious ones, each a half to full day, and both are technically within the valley rather than outside it.

Nagarkot, on the valley rim, is the standard sunrise viewpoint for the Himalaya, usually done as an overnight so as to be there at dawn.

Dhulikhel and Namobuddha, east of the valley, combine hill views with a walk between them.

Chandragiri, reached by cable car from the valley floor, gives a mountain panorama in a half day when the air is clear.

Nepal is inexpensive. Food, local transport and guesthouses all cost little, and dal bhat with refills is the cheapest filling meal in the country.

The real costs are trekking-related: permits and conservation fees, guides and porters, domestic flights to mountain airstrips, and equipment. Entry fees also apply to each of the Durbar Squares and to Boudhanath and Pashupatinath, and they are charged separately.

Walk clockwise around stupas. It is the expected direction at Boudhanath and Swayambhunath.

Dress modestly at religious sites, remove shoes where indicated, and ask before photographing people, especially at cremation ghats.

Carry cash. Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants but not in most shops, and ATMs have low withdrawal limits.

Leave a buffer around domestic flights. Mountain services are weather-dependent and cancellations are routine.

Air quality and dust are significant, particularly in the dry months; a mask is genuinely useful.

Check official advice on trekking permits and routes before travelling; requirements change.