Kathmandu Valley Day Tour: Three Royal Cities
The palace squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, the three old Newar kingdoms of the valley, in one full day with a private guide.
- Duration
- About 9 hours
- Start
- 8:30 AM from your hotel
- Group
- Private, up to 12
- Grade
- Easy
Until 1769, the Kathmandu Valley wasn't one kingdom but three, each with its own king, its own palace and its own square full of temples. Naturally, each one tried to outdo the others. This tour takes you to all three Durbar Squares in a single day, so you can see how each city built its own version of the same grand idea.
You'll start in Kathmandu at Hanuman Dhoka, then cross the Bagmati to Patan, the city of metalworkers, where the stone Krishna Mandir faces the palace courtyards and the excellent Patan Museum. In the afternoon you'll head east to Bhaktapur, the best preserved of the three: think the five-storey Nyatapola temple, the 55-window palace and a square full of potters at work. And yes, there's time for a bowl of juju dhau, Bhaktapur's famously rich 'king curd'.
Highlights
- All three Durbar Squares in one day
- Krishna Mandir and the courtyards of Patan
- Nyatapola, Nepal's tallest pagoda, in Bhaktapur
- Juju dhau, Bhaktapur's 'king curd'
How the day runs
Kathmandu and Patan
- 8:30 AM pickup.
- Kathmandu Durbar Square: Hanuman Dhoka palace, Taleju temple and the Kumari Ghar.
- Drive to Patan (about 30 minutes): Krishna Mandir, the palace courtyards and the Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar). Lunch in Patan.
Bhaktapur
- Drive to Bhaktapur (about 45 minutes).
- Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square with the Nyatapola temple, and Pottery Square.
- Back at your hotel at about 5:30 PM.
Tour facts
- Duration
- About 9 hours
- Start
- 8:30 AM from your hotel
- Sites
- Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares
- Driving
- About 2 hours in total
What the price includes
Included
- Pickup and drop-off at your hotel in Kathmandu, Patan or Bhaktapur
- Private car or van with driver for the whole day
- A licensed, English-speaking tour guide
- Government taxes and our service charge
Not included
- Entrance fees at the sites (paid in rupees at each gate)
- Lunch, snacks and drinks
- Tips for your guide and driver
Good to know
- Meeting point
- Your hotel lobby in Kathmandu
- Cancellation
- Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start time. If you cancel later or don't show up, the tour price is not refunded.
- Notes
- Entrance fees come to about NPR 3,800 per person: Kathmandu Durbar Square NPR 1,000, Patan Durbar Square NPR 1,000, Bhaktapur Durbar Square NPR 1,800.
- Tour code
- KCT-VALLEY-01
Questions about this tour
What should I wear?
Something that covers your shoulders and knees, and shoes you can slip on and off easily. Some temples will ask you to take off your shoes and any leather items before you go in.
Are entrance fees included?
No. You'll pay the fees in Nepali rupees at each gate, and your guide will show you where. Hang on to your ticket, though, as some sites check it more than once.
Can we change the order or add a stop?
Of course! The tour is private, so your guide can swap sites around or add a short stop on the way, as long as everything still fits into the day.
Want to change something?
Every tour is private, so we can easily change the start time, add a stop or even join two tours into one day. Just tell us what you have in mind!
Ask about this tourfrom $40 per person
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