Allow roughly 5–7 hours door-to-door from central Kolkata to your room in Thamel: reach Kolkata airport about 2–3 hours before the international flight, allow time for the flight and baggage, then immigration at Tribhuvan International Airport and the road transfer into town. The exact schedule and fare must be checked against your booked ticket; do not plan sightseeing immediately after landing. With an Indian passport, carry your valid passport and confirm the latest official Nepal entry guidance before departure. At the airport, use the official prepaid taxi counter or a reputable ride-hailing option rather than accepting unsolicited offers; the drive to Thamel commonly takes 30–60 minutes depending on traffic and costs approximately NPR 700–1,500.
After checking in and taking a short rest, walk to Garden of Dreams for an easy first outing. Spend about an hour among the formal lawns, pavilions and shaded paths—an especially good reset after the flight. Entry is typically around NPR 400–500 for foreign visitors, but verify the current tariff and opening hours before going. For lunch and coffee, continue to Kaiser Café, conveniently beside the garden; budget roughly NPR 800–1,500 per person and allow an hour.
Use the late afternoon to explore Thamel on foot, browsing trekking shops, handicraft stores and quieter side lanes rather than buying from the first shop you enter. Keep valuables secure in crowded stretches and compare prices; bargaining is normal but should remain friendly. From Thamel, walk or take a short taxi ride toward Kathmandu Durbar Square in Basantapur—allow 20–35 minutes on foot, or about 10–20 minutes by taxi depending on congestion. Reserve around 1½ hours for the palace courtyards and Kumari Bahal. The square’s ticketing and individual building access can change, so check the current foreign-visitor fee and closing time locally; arriving before late afternoon gives you more reliable access and softer light.
Finish at Indra Chowk, roughly a 10-minute walk from the square, for about 45 minutes of market atmosphere and inexpensive snacks such as samosa, sel roti or yomari when available. It is lively in the evening, but keep your phone and wallet secure in the densest lanes. Return to Thamel on foot if comfortable—about 20–30 minutes—or use a metered/reputable taxi, typically NPR 300–600. Keep the first night light and confirm tomorrow’s transport and attraction hours with your hotel; a realistic day-one activity budget, excluding the flight and room, is about NPR 1,500–3,000 (approximately ₹950–1,900, depending on exchange rate).
Start around 7:30 AM with a Pathao or InDrive taxi from Thamel to Swayambhunath, allowing 20–35 minutes depending on traffic. The hilltop complex is calmest before tour groups arrive; allow about 1½ hours for the stupa, shrines and valley viewpoint. There are steep steps, mischievous monkeys and an entrance fee of roughly NPR 200–250 (about ₹125–160), so carry small notes and keep food in your bag. From here, a taxi or a 25–35-minute downhill walk leads toward Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Continue to Kathmandu Durbar Square in Basantapur for about an hour, using this visit to explore courtyards or temples you missed on arrival day. The ticket is typically around NPR 1,000 (about ₹625), though fees and validity can change; check at the official counter. Then walk through Asan Market, roughly 15–20 minutes away, for an hour of spice shops, brassware, vegetables and local street life. It is busy and narrow, so keep your phone and wallet secure rather than stopping in the middle of the lanes.
Take a taxi from Asan Market to Yala Café near Patan Dhoka, allowing 30–60 minutes in midday traffic. Budget NPR 600–1,200 (approximately ₹375–750) for lunch; order a Newari set or a lighter café meal and give yourself a proper break before the afternoon temples. Continue by taxi to Pashupatinath Temple near Gaushala, generally another 25–45 minutes. Plan roughly two hours for the courtyards, riverbank and ghats: non-Hindu visitors cannot enter the main temple, but can visit surrounding areas. The visitor fee is commonly about NPR 1,000 (around ₹625); dress modestly and avoid photographing worshippers or cremation rituals. If you want to attend an evening Bagmati aarti, confirm the timing locally rather than relying on a fixed schedule.
Finish with a short taxi ride from Pashupatinath to Boudhanath Stupa, usually 15–30 minutes. Arrive before dusk for a relaxed 1½-hour kora around the stupa and the surrounding monastery district; the atmosphere becomes especially good as butter lamps and shop lights come on. Entry is commonly around NPR 400 (about ₹250), with cafés and Tibetan restaurants around the outer lanes if you want tea or an early dinner. For the return to Thamel, allow 35–60 minutes by taxi; budget roughly NPR 800–1,500 for the day’s several app taxis, depending on traffic and surge pricing.
Leave Thamel around 7:00–7:30 AM by Pathao or InDrive taxi for Bhaktapur, allowing roughly 1–1½ hours via the Araniko Highway. A taxi is the practical choice if you want to keep the schedule; the local bus from Ratna Park or Kamalbinayak is much cheaper—about NPR 35–100—but can take up to two hours. Start at Bhaktapur Durbar Square, where the palace courtyards, brick lanes and carved wooden details are best enjoyed before the main tourist groups arrive. Allow about two hours, and confirm the current foreign-visitor ticket price and entry arrangements at the gate; carry your passport or a photo of its details.
Walk a few minutes to Taumadhi Square for Nyatapola Temple, Nepal’s tallest traditional pagoda. Take your time climbing the broad steps and looking back over the square—the guardian statues and temple proportions are the real highlights. Continue on foot to Pottery Square, where local makers still shape and dry clay vessels in the open air. Around an hour is enough, though you may want longer if the workshops are active; ask before photographing people, and wrap ceramics carefully if you buy one. For lunch, settle at Newa Lahana for a filling Newari spread such as bara, choila and traditional set meals, budgeting about NPR 600–1,200. Food service can be unhurried, so allow a full hour.
After lunch, arrange a taxi from Bhaktapur to Nagarkot View Tower, allowing roughly 1½ hours depending on traffic and the winding hill road. This is the day’s least predictable transfer, so agree on the fare and return plan before leaving; a prearranged vehicle is safer than hoping to find a taxi easily after sunset. Spend around two hours at the viewpoint, where clear winter weather can reveal the Himalayan range and the surrounding hills. Sunset is not guaranteed—cloud and haze are common—so treat the landscape and fresh mountain air as the reward rather than relying on a perfect panorama. Return to Kathmandu by the same vehicle, allowing 1½–2 hours, and expect to reach Thamel late; budget approximately NPR 2,500–4,000 for the Bhaktapur–Nagarkot–Kathmandu taxi circuit, depending on negotiation and waiting time.
After breakfast in Bhaktapur, leave around 8:00 AM for Patan (Lalitpur) by private taxi via Kathmandu. Allow 1½–2½ hours rather than relying on the shortest estimate: Friday traffic can build quickly around Koteshwor, Tripureshwor and the Ring Road. Ask the driver to drop you near Patan Durbar Square, and keep your luggage secured or stored at your accommodation before sightseeing. A taxi should cost roughly NPR 1,500–3,000; the cheaper bus connection via Ratna Park and Lagankhel can cost NPR 100–250 but is slower and less convenient with bags.
Begin at Patan Museum, inside the former royal palace on Patan Durbar Square. Give yourself about 1½ hours for its superb collection of Buddhist and Hindu sculpture, metalwork and ritual objects; opening hours and ticket arrangements can change, so check the museum’s official listing before setting out. Continue directly through Patan Durbar Square for another 1½ hours, looking beyond the best-known temples into the courtyards and narrow lanes around Mangal Bazaar. A short walk brings you to Mahaboudha Temple, a remarkable terracotta Buddhist shrine tucked just south of the square; 30 minutes is enough to appreciate its detail, but dress modestly and avoid blocking worshippers.
Spend about 45 minutes browsing Mangal Bazaar, where you can compare small handicrafts, incense, paubha-style art and Newari snacks. Prices are often negotiable, but keep bargaining friendly and ask before photographing people or workshops. For lunch, take a taxi to The Yellow House in Sanepa—allow around 10–20 minutes depending on traffic—and budget NPR 800–1,500 for a relaxed meal and coffee. It is a useful break after the dense heritage quarter; leave by roughly 2:00 PM so the final visit does not become rushed.
From Sanepa, arrange a Pathao, InDrive or hotel taxi to Kopan Monastery in northern Kathmandu, allowing roughly 45–75 minutes in afternoon traffic. The hilltop setting gives you a calmer end to the day and wide valley views; allow 1½ hours, but check visitor access in advance because teaching sessions, prayer times or religious activities may restrict entry. Wear clothing covering shoulders and knees, keep voices low, and follow signs about photography. Return to your accommodation before dark if possible; a taxi back to central Kathmandu or Lalitpur is the simplest option, usually around NPR 700–1,500 depending on traffic and exact destination.
Have an easy final breakfast around Patan Dhoka for about 45 minutes before checking out. Patan Dhoka is useful for a quick, inexpensive meal—look for a local chiya shop serving sel roti, eggs, or a simple dal bhat plate, typically around NPR 150–400. Keep your luggage at the hotel or with reception rather than carrying it through the old streets, and settle any bill before leaving. If your flight is before mid-afternoon, skip the sightseeing stop and go directly to the airport; the timing depends entirely on your confirmed departure time.
With a later flight, take a short taxi ride from Patan Dhoka toward Baber Mahal Revisited in Thapathali, allowing roughly 20–40 minutes in daytime traffic. This restored Rana-era complex is a pleasant, compact final wander, with courtyards, design shops, galleries and cafés; allow about an hour. Individual businesses keep different hours, so treat this as a flexible stop rather than a guaranteed early-morning attraction. A coffee or light snack here generally costs more than in Patan—budget around NPR 400–900—and it is best to confirm your taxi’s airport route before settling in.
Leave Baber Mahal Revisited or your central Kathmandu hotel by taxi for Tribhuvan International Airport, allowing 45–90 minutes depending on traffic and aiming to arrive at least three hours before the international flight. Pathao or InDrive may be cheaper when available, while a hotel taxi is easier with luggage; budget roughly NPR 700–1,500 from Lalitpur, allowing extra time for traffic around Thapathali, Maitighar and the airport approach. At Tribhuvan International Airport, keep your passport, ticket and any baggage receipt accessible, and allow time for airline check-in, security and departure formalities. The Kathmandu–Kolkata flight is only part of the journey: plan approximately 5–7 hours door-to-door including airport procedures and onward transport after landing in Kolkata.
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