Heritage & sights · About 13 km east

Take a day trip to Bhaktapur

The best-kept of the three old royal cities: brick lanes, the five-storey Nyatapola temple, potters' square, and juju dhau (king curd) in a clay bowl.

Best time

Leave early and stay into the late afternoon, when the day visitors thin out.

How long

A full day, or stay a night for the quiet morning.

Getting there

About an hour by taxi or bus east from Kathmandu, depending on traffic.

Directions

Three squares in one walk

Bhaktapur is the best-kept of the valley's old royal cities, a place of brick lanes, carved wood and very little traffic. Start at Durbar Square, with its palace and the Golden Gate, then walk to Taumadhi Square, where the five-storey Nyatapola temple rises over everything.

From there head down to Pottery Square, where potters still throw pots by hand and lay them out in rows to dry in the sun.

Juju dhau and slow afternoons

Bhaktapur is famous for juju dhau, the king of curd: thick, sweet yoghurt set in a clay bowl. Buy it from any of the small shops that make it, and eat it sitting on temple steps.

The city rewards slowness. Sit in a square, watch people go about their day, and wander without a plan. The lanes between the squares are where Bhaktapur feels most alive.

Getting around

Bhaktapur is best on foot, and most of the old town is closed to cars. Wear comfortable shoes: the brick lanes are uneven and you will walk more than you expect.

There are guesthouses inside the old town for an overnight stay, and the evening, when the squares empty and the temples are lit, is a different city from the busy middle of the day.

Tips

Visitors buy an entry ticket for the city at the gates; keep it for the whole visit.
Bisket Jatra, at the Nepali New Year in April, is Bhaktapur's biggest festival, with chariots pulled through the streets.
Stay overnight if you can. Early morning, before the visitors arrive, is the best time of all.
Pair it with Nagarkot, further up the same road, for a sunrise the next day.