Climb up to Swayambhunath

The old way up is the long stone stairway on the east side, 365 steps through trees full of monkeys. It is steep in places, so take it slowly and stop to look back at the city as it opens up below you.

At the top the white dome of the stupa sits under a gilded spire painted with the Buddha's eyes. Prayer flags run from the spire in every direction, and people walk around it clockwise, turning the prayer wheels as they go.

Around the stupa are small shrines, a Hindu temple to Harati, the goddess who protects children, and monasteries where you can hear morning chanting. Swayambhu is holy to Buddhists and Hindus alike, and you will see both praying side by side.

Walk to the western edge of the hilltop for the widest view across Kathmandu. On a clear day after the monsoon you can see the snow peaks to the north.

From the bottom of the stairway it is a short walk back towards the old city, so Swayambhu pairs well with a morning in Kathmandu Durbar Square. Head down the eastern steps, cross the Bishnumati and follow the lanes east through Chhetrapati, and you are in the old market streets within half an hour.

If you came by taxi to the western side, walk down the main stairway on the way out anyway. The view of the stupa from below, with the steps climbing up to it, is the picture most people remember.