Hilltop stupaSwayambhunath
The self-born stupa on the hill, with the whole Kathmandu Valley laid out below it.
See this place →UNESCO-listed · Kathmandu Valley
Boudhanath Stupa
The great white dome of Boudha, where the circle of prayer wheels never stops turning.
CountryNepal
RegionKathmandu
Height1,400 m
Best timeAny month; dawn or dusk
Typical visit1–2 hours
What it is
One of the largest Buddhist stupas in the world and the heart of Kathmandu’s Tibetan community. The dome is ringed by a continuous kora of pilgrims, butter lamps and hand-turned prayer wheels, and the whole square is framed by whitewashed courtyards, thangka workshops and rooftop tea shops.
How we visit it
We come early, before the traffic reaches the roundabout, and walk the circle with a guide who explains the symbols on the dome — then breakfast above the square, and the side lanes of Kumari Hill if you have time.
Before you go
Good to know
- Circumambulate clockwise, the way the pilgrims do
- Dress modestly if you go inside a temple; shoes off at the door
- Photography is welcome, but ask before photographing a person up close
Keep exploring
Other places in Nepal
Hilltop stupaUNESCO-listed · Old city
Kathmandu Durbar Square & Basantapur
Basantapur’s temple square — the old royal plaza of the Malla kings, still a working city square.
See this place →Old city market
Ason Bazaar
The trading square of old Kathmandu — spice pyramids, brass, baskets and the noisiest, best hour of the day.
See this place →UNESCO-listed · Twin heritage cities
Patan & Bhaktapur
Two valley cities of brick courtyards, woodcarving windows and cranes over the rooftops.
See this place →
Gateway valleyPokhara & Phewa Lake
The lake town under the Annapurnas — boating at dawn, paragliders in the afternoon, mountains when the clouds lift.
See this place →
UNESCO-listed · WildlifeChitwan National Park
Sal forest, oxbow lakes and grassland on the Terai — one-horned rhino, crocodiles and, if you are lucky, a leopard.
See this place →
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