Kathmandu Valley
Bhaktapur
The best-preserved medieval city in the valley: brick squares, potters and the five-tiered Nyatapola.
- Region
- Kathmandu Valley
- Best time to visit
- October to April; the squares are hot in May and June and wet in the monsoon.
- How long to stay
- 1–2 days
- Experiences
- 3 nearby
Overview
Bhaktapur, 13 km east of Kathmandu, was the capital of the Malla kingdom from the 12th to the 15th century and still looks the part. Cars are kept out of the old town, so its three main squares, Durbar, Taumadhi and Dattatreya, are explored on foot between temples, courtyards and brick lanes.
The 2015 earthquake damaged many monuments; restoration has been continuous since and most of the major temples are back. Stay a night if you can: the squares empty of day-trippers after four o’clock and the town is at its best in the early morning.
Plan your visit
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Ask Recent Visits AI →Why visit Bhaktapur
- Nyatapola, the tallest pagoda temple in Nepal, and the 55-Window Palace
- A living craft town: pottery drying in the squares, woodcarving and thangka workshops
- Juju dhau, the “king curd”, sold in clay bowls everywhere in town
What to see
Bhaktapur Durbar Square
The royal square with the 55-Window Palace, the Golden Gate and the Vatsala and Pashupatinath temples. Part of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Nyatapola Temple
A five-storey pagoda built in 1702 that survived both the 1934 and 2015 earthquakes. The stairway is guarded by pairs of wrestlers, elephants, lions, griffins and goddesses, each said to be ten times stronger than the pair below.
Dattatreya Square
The oldest part of town, with the Dattatreya temple (1427) and the Peacock Window, the finest woodcarving in the valley, on the Pujari Math.
Pottery Square
Potters still throw and sun-dry pots here; visit in the morning to watch the wheels turn.
Changu Narayan
A hilltop Vishnu temple 6 km north, the oldest in the valley, with inscriptions from the 5th century. A pleasant two-hour walk up from Bhaktapur or down from Nagarkot.
Taumadhi Square
Good to know
- Foreign visitors pay an entry ticket at the town gates; keep it, as it is valid for re-entry on later days if you have it stamped.
- Local buses and taxis run from Kathmandu in about 45 minutes outside rush hour; a taxi is the simplest way back after dark.
- Try the juju dhau from a shop near Taumadhi Square and the bara (lentil pancakes) at the small Newari eateries.
Frequently asked questions
Photo gallery
Bhaktapur in pictures
Things to do
Experiences in Bhaktapur
Easy
Cultural Tours
Heritage squares, living temples, monasteries and craft traditions.
- Typical duration
- Half day to several days
Easy
Food Tours
Momos, Newari feasts and dal bhat with the people who cook it.
- Typical duration
- 3–4 hours
Easy
Day Hiking
Short walks to viewpoints, villages and monasteries, no permits or porters needed.
- Typical duration
- 2–6 hours
Plan
Suggested itineraries with Bhaktapur
Day-by-day trips by our team. Ask local agencies for a quote on any of them.
Suggested itinerary
2 days: Bhaktapur, Nagarkot sunrise and Changu Narayan
A short escape from Kathmandu: Bhaktapur’s medieval squares, a night on the Nagarkot ridge for the Himalayan sunrise, and the walk down to the valley’s oldest temple.
- Places
- Bhaktapur · Nagarkot
- Trekking
- Easy
Suggested itinerary
3 days: Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur
The three royal cities of the Kathmandu Valley at an unhurried pace, one per day, ending with a night in car-free Bhaktapur. Ideal for a short stopover or before a trek.
- Places
- Kathmandu · Patan · Bhaktapur
- Trekking
- No trekking
Suggested itinerary
5 days in the Kathmandu Valley
Temples, palaces and a mountain sunrise without long journeys: Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur and a night in Nagarkot.
- Places
- Kathmandu · Patan · Bhaktapur · Nagarkot
- Trekking
- No trekking
From travellers
Stories from travellers who went to Bhaktapur
First-hand accounts from people who visited recently. Read one, then plan a trip like it.
Recent visitDemo storyTraveller story · Yuki Tanaka · 16 Dec 2025
Boudhanath at dawn, and two more mornings in the Kathmandu Valley
Skipping the museum queue for early light: walking the kora round the Boudhanath stupa before the crowds, then Patan and Bhaktapur on foot over three slow mornings.
- Visited
- November 2025
- Places
- Kathmandu · Patan · Bhaktapur
Nearby
Often combined with
Kathmandu Valley
Kathmandu
Temples, bazaars and seven UNESCO heritage sites in one valley.
Kathmandu Valley
Patan
Lalitpur, the city of fine arts: the valley’s best museum and its metalworkers’ lanes.
Kathmandu Valley rim
Nagarkot
A ridge-top village at 2,195 m with a Himalayan sunrise panorama an hour from Kathmandu.