Itineraries for Your Trip to Kathmandu
3 Days in Kathmandu for Families
As the mother of a half-Nepali child, I know what an exciting place Kathmandu can be for kids. When I lived there, I loved wandering through the backstreets of Patan, seeing what new sights I’d find each day. On our last family trip back to Nepal, I was delighted that my then-one-year-old daughter seemed to feel the same way: I strapped her into my front facing baby carrier, and she was mesmerized by the sights and sounds before her.
A well-planned itinerary that focuses on specific parts of the city each day will minimize the need to sit in traffic, and kids of all ages will love the drama and grandeur of Kathmandu’s public squares, palaces, temples, and stupas.
Kathmandu is very hot and humid between May and September.
If you only have time for one thing, make it the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath).
Spend your first day in and around Patan Durbar Square, an old royal complex full of temples and palaces. Kids can feed the flocks of pigeons with the locals. The excellent Patan Museum is set in the old palace building and although the information will mostly be of interest to adults, kids will enjoy the golden Buddhas and bodhisattva statues on display.
Don’t miss the amazing Golden Temple around the corner from the square: Kids will love the ornate decorations and the four brass monkeys in the corners. Also, look out for all the colorful street art around Patan.
Start early today and head to the Chandragiri Cable Car. When the weather is clear, views of the snowcapped Himalayas to the north will amaze both parents and children. Otherwise, the city views are great, and kids will love the ride.
After, take a taxi to the Swayambhunath Stupa, a Buddhist pilgrimage site atop a hill. It’s nicknamed the Monkey Temple because of all the monkeys that live here. They are cheeky and shouldn’t be fed, but kids will love watching them. The stupa itself is an impressive sight, with its honeycomb spire and Buddha eyes.
Depending on your kids’ ages and interests, spend your final day either hiking in the Shivapuri National Park or taking a cooking class in a local home. The Shivapuri National Park is on the northern edge of Kathmandu. It’s an accessible area with easy-to-moderate hiking trails that are ideal for single-day walks.
Alternatively, teach your kids some practical life skills while having fun with a Nepali cooking course. Kids especially love Tibetan dumplings (momos), so learning to make their own will excite them. Taking a class in a local home gives an insight into how Kathmandu residents live.
