24 Hours in Kathmandu
Our top tips for how best to spend 24 hours in Kathmandu
Now that you’ve booked your mountain bike tour in Nepal with us you need to begin planning your travel to Kathmandu, and the start point of your Himalayan adventure.
We always recommend that you arrive at least one day before your adventure begins to allow for any travel or luggage delays. It’s also good to acclimatise to local time and recover from your journey before you start turning the pedals.
To help you make the most of your extra time in Nepal, we’ve pooled our collective local knowledge to create this handy city guide for how best to spend 24 hours in Kathmandu before you set off on your fantastic mountain bike tour in Nepal.
Morning
To kick off your 24 hours in Kathmandu and get a real feel for the city, take a walk to the Monkey Temple (Swayambhunath). If you’re staying at one of our recommended hotels it will take around 45 minutes to get there, so make sure you’ve had a good breakfast!
The complex is one of the most important and sacred Buddhist pilgrimage sites and consists of a stupa and a variety of shrines and temples. To get to the top, there are 365 steps – great acclimatisation training.
Afternoon
After a morning spent in the hustle and bustle of the old town, you should take a taxi over to the Garden of Dreams, one of the most beautiful and serene corners in Kathmandu. The beautifully restored Swapna Bagaicha, or Garden of Dreams is only two minutes’ walk and one million miles from central Thamel.
Here you can also enjoy lunch (such as a local Thali, like Nepalese tapas) in the Kaiser Café, located inside the gardens.
Evening
A quick stop back at your hotel and then it’s out on the town for food and some local nightlife.
Start your evening at OR2K Restaurant in Thamel for some great food, and if you have the energy, check out the music at the Purple Haze Rock Bar.
5 Local Phrases
‘Namaste’ ; Hello, goodbye; literally means ‘my soul salutes your soul’
‘K cha?’; What’s up?
‘Dhanyabad’; Thank you
‘Ramro cha’; It’s good
‘Jam jam’ ; Let’s go
Accommodation Options
Kathmandu is a large and bustling city with a great mix of hotels dotted around the city centre.
Here are a few of our favourites;
Kathmandu Transport Links
You will be collected by one of our team when you arrive in Kathmandu, and transferred to your pre-trip hotel.
For getting around Kathmandu you can take one of the many taxis or tuk-tuks that ply their trade in the city, and you can barter a little for the price of your taxi. Although this may end up being for only $1 or $2, so worth bearing in mind.