The best guidebook to the Kathmandu Valley (updated 2024)

Kathmandu Valley Guidebook cover

Kathmandu Valley Guidebook cover 2018

The latest Kathmandu Valley Guidebook (updated February 2024)

The latest edition of my Kathmandu Valley Guidebook in my Nepal guidebook collection has been published and updated in 2024.  It’s a detailed guidebook for the entire Kathmandu Valley that includes post-pandemic updates. If you are just visiting Kathmandu city then use my guidebook to Kathmandu city.

Kathmandu Valley is an amazing place which is jammed packed with things to do. The earlier you start planning the better. In April, May it’s green and lush while in September, October, November and December you’ll get the best weather and the prime season. This guidebook will help you plan ahead!

Guidebook featuring Kathmandu Durbar Square

There is no other place like the Kathmandu Valley on earth. As such it deserves a dedicated guidebook that is the best in the world. This is a big claim and one that is fully backed up in this book!

The latest print travel guides are not great. I’ve read them. Some contain poorly written post-earthquake information while others are already outdated and simply don’t cover the Kathmandu Valley very well. This guidebook covers earthquake affected temples and areas with photographs of every temple!

My guidebook is fully up to date for 2024, printable and best of all it works beautifully on your tablet or mobile device without WiFi.

Keep this in mind:

I don’t and have never accepted sponsored treks, hotel stays, meals or tours. I pay for everything myself so you the reader can get the most honest reviews.

What is so special about the Kathmandu Valley?

The Kathmandu Valley contains the majority of Nepal’s extraordinary, diverse and unique heritage. It is a place of royal kingdoms whose ancient cities and architecture are still standing today as they did hundreds of years ago. I’ve included them all here for you.

page from Kathmandu Valley Guidebook
Never miss out on a temple or building again!

Kathmandu city: From Kathmandu’s grand royal palaces and fascinating backstreets to the first mystical building ever created that still overlooks the whole valley which was once a lake. This capital city also contains the most important Buddhist stupa outside of Tibet.

What many people don’t realize is that there’s more to the Kathmandu Valley than just the capital and crowded tourist hotspots … and it’s all very easy to see – once you know how.

Patan city: Only 30 minutes away from the capital sits the former royal capital and city of artists known as Patan. It’s one of the most unexplored royal cities in the valley outside of the main square. The amazing Golden Temple in the north of the city is unlike any other temple courtyard in Asia. Couple this with a beautiful Durbar Square, a temple of 1001 Buddhas, a Living Goddess and a host of centuries old monasteries and you have just touched the surface of this great city.

The main Patan durbar square is currently still the midst of reconstruction after the 2015 earthquake, it’s also raised its entry fee – this guidebook covers all this plus gives you new historic areas to explore with exclusive heritage walks!

Kathmandu Valley map
What many people overlook when visiting Nepal is just how close everything is in the Kathmandu Valley – it’s literally just 45 mins from Kathmandu city to Bhaktapur in a local bus – now with all maps you can zoom right in!

Bhaktapur city:  Perhaps Nepal’s most beautiful city. Bhaktapur is my favorite place in the Kathmandu Valley. This former royal capital city has none of the congestion or traffic that Kathmandu has. It makes for a wonderful place to stay. Filled with majestic royal squares, the crowning jewel is Bhaktapur Durbar Square. However it’s Taumadhi Tole and Dattatreya Square in the east of Bhaktapur that really shows off this city’s uniqueness. Bhaktapur is like a living museum with some of the friendliest people in Nepal. It remains virtually untouched by the earthquakes.

Not sure about how updated everything is? Read my post on which of Nepal’s Durbar Squares is best. Literally last week there were updates put in this book … yes, it’s that up to date. Did you know that Bhaktapur has forgone international and national aid and has instead invested tourist entry fees into reconstructing temples! It’s the only place in Nepal which has taken the traditional route to restoration!

Nagarkot or Dhulikhel? Let me go on the record here and say that I whole heartedly recommend Dhulikhel over Nagarkot at the moment in terms of green belts in the valley, day hikes and mountain views. Read my comparison on Nagarkot and Dhulikhel.  Nagarkot has always been pushed heavily by big tour operators and other hotels. The truth of the matter is that many hotels are over charging tourists and the place is filled with party going Nepali youth at weekends. Yes, there are plenty available and the roads are fine. But Dhulikhel was virtually untouched by the earthquake, has temples, day hikes and is much better value. In either case both locations are fully updated in my latest guidebook.

Panauti: Never heard of this place? It’s the shining gem of Kathmandu Valley. Also virtually untouched by the earthquake it’s a pristine Newari town that, while smaller, outdoes Bhaktapur in terms of the real old Kathmandu authenticity. It’s a great day trip or overnight stay easily accessible from Kathmandu city. If you look at other guidebooks they barely give it a mention. I’ve dedicated an entire chapter to it because it won’t let you down if you are looking for the last vibes of cultural heritage in the Kathmandu Valley!

And these are just the highlights of the Kathmandu Valley … I’ve also included Thimi, Kritipur plus all your old time favorites like Swayambhu, Boudhanth, Changu Narayan and so much more.

Why is this guidebook to the Kathmandu Valley the best?

mobile phone and shiva statue Nepal
Kathmandu Valley guidebook on your mobile!

As you’ve just read, there’s more to the Kathmandu Valley than just the capital city’s collection of some of the most exquisite buildings, squares and palaces in the world. Though I do detail them all for you including exclusive 100% original Heritage Walks!

These prized buildings are interwoven with fascinating but congested and confusing streets. I’ll show you how to navigate them with ease and find every temple as they’ve all been photographed to show you where they are (over 500 photos!)

From Patan’s prized Durbar square sunsets to the magnificent golden temple to the hidden treasures of the southern city and the blessings of a Living Goddess. No other guidebook shows you so much. Mine does.

Reap the rewards of a visit or stay in Bhaktapur with photographs of every temple at your fingertips.  Know exactly what you are looking at 100% of the time.

Easily discover the hidden gems of the Kathmandu Valley many people never get to see like Thimi (the middle kingdom) or the pristine and beautiful Panauti.

Stop off at the world’s tallest statue of Shiva or go for a hike in Dhulikhel – save time and money by following my exclusive and dedicated itinerary to the Kathmandu Valley.

And there’s so much more …

  • Every temple photographed and linked to its location on a map (49 maps)
  • Earthquake information including destroyed temples
  • Interactive digital maps (click a photo or location & it will zoom to show you)
  • Cross compatibility from being printable to digital (laptop, PC, tablet, or mobile – no internet needed)
  • Earthquake affected temples listed on maps and written about
  • Interactive elements (no more endless swiping on mobile or tablet)
  • The digital version works completely offline
  • Easy to follow Heritage Walks

 

 

 

Kathmandu Valley Table of Contents 1

Kathmandu Valley Table of Contents 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kathmandu Valley Table of Contents 3

Kathmandu Valley Table of Contents 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Table of contents: + 243 pages, 49 color maps over 500 color photos

 

 

What else is inside this guidebook for you:

  • All areas of Kathmandu city from Thamel, Paknajol, the old southern city, eastern city, Freak street and the markets, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath (monkey temple)
  • Patan Durbar Square, the northern, western and southern parts of old city
  • Inside and outside Bhaktapur Durbar square and west to east and back again
  • Visit Kailashnath Mahadev the world’s tallest Shiva statue
  • Panauti’s exquisite temples and stunningly well preserved old streets
  • Thimi, one of the most overlooked cities in Kathmandu, with it’s amazingly unique heritage
  • Kritipur built right over Kathmandu on a huge rocky outcrop and only a 25 minute bus trip away
  • Trek in Nagarkot to see the Himalayan mountain range
  • Discover the real Dhulikhel with temples and green belt day hikes
  • Exclusive courtyard diagrams showing you were everything is
  • Personally visited and reviewed accommodation for all budgets (high-end, mid and budget)
  • Personally visited and reviewed restaurants for all budgets
  • How, what and where to shop for souvenirs, jewelry and more in Kathmandu
  • Lists & contact details of recommended courier companies
  • Transportation details (how to get around)
  • Up to date visa information and applications
  • Trekking preparation
  • Lists & contact details of recommended trekking agencies
  • How to travel to Tibet overland (includes a list of tour operators)
  • Volunteer in the Kathmandu Valley
  • Cultures of the Kathmandu Valley
  • Religion & faith in the Kathmandu Valley
  • Understand the caste system in Nepal
  • Basic Nepalese language
  • New compressed file takes up less space
  • 49 zoom-in color maps and over 243 pages of fresh original content
  • Easy to follow content that shows and gets you where you need to go

Yes, this guidebook contains all of my Kathmandu city guidebook plus the Bhaktapur guidebook, Patan guidebook, plus Thimi, Kritpur, Panauti and a whole lot more including 2015 earthquake updates, recent price changes on entrance tickets, hotel / restaurant reviews … the list goes on!

This guidebook is the complete package to the Kathmandu Valley!

Kathmandu Valley digital guidebook

great on an iPad, iPhone, big screen, Android tablet, phone and in print!

 

 

An original well researched guidebook to the Kathmandu Valley

Kathmandu city guide maps

Sometimes when you buy a guidebook online, you end up getting some scraped together word document containing complete pages from Google/WikiTravel/Voyage. This is not the case here. I’ve written, mapped, photographed and created every page in this book myself.

It is 100% genuine and original premium content.

In Kathmandu city alone, I personally visited and reviewed over 220 hotels, guesthouses and everything in-between. I did the same in Patan, Bhaktapur. Panauti, Dhulikhel, Nagargot and many more.

It was an intensely physical and mentally exhausting task.

Why did I visit so many types of accommodation instead of just copying them from a hotel booking site or another guidebook? The answer is simple.

I wanted to see the accommodation for myself and bring you the best

Out of all those hotels I narrowed them down to visitors looking for high-end stays (USD $100+), boutique accommodation seekers ($60), mid-level accommodation ($30) and budget backpacker accommodation ($4+). I took out the worst, the long since gone and the uninhabitable. Leaving you with my recommended places to stay. This includes contact details, prices and even easy booking options!

I’ve also placed every hotel correctly on a large scale-able map for you – something even the booking sites keep getting wrong!

Several hotels were destroyed in the Kathmandu Valley after the 2015 earthquake, many more are rebuilt or renovated with higher prices or lower standard. I’ve reviewed them all personally including the newer better ones!

On top of that everything reviewed in this book was paid for by me. Not a single guest house, hotel, restaurant, ticket office or travel agent knew they were being reviewed. This guidebook brings you 100% genuine reviews and facts without exception so you will know exactly what to expect.

Includes the latest post earthquake, pandemic, and reconstruction information

I’ve detailed every temple and monuments reconstruction efforts or lack of them! Feel confident in reading this book and knowing what to expect and what you can expect to see!

Each temple is listed on the map and you will clearly see what was destroyed with information about what was once there and on all the temples that have survived.

This remains the first guidebook to Kathmandu updated since the earthquakes, and pandemic which has remained updated ever since!

The pandemic has a major affect on tourism in Nepal. The true affects won’t be felt for another couple of years as people battle loans, fewer tourists and less income. Businesses have closed, been taken over, or simply disappeared. I’ve don’t my best to keep everything updated and in continuing to support local businesses.

A guidebook written by someone who wanted to know about these places too

Map of Pashupatinath

As you know I have a passion for Nepal. I struggled for years with outdated guidebooks and dubious online reviews.

I never understood why they kept writing things like “you’ll only find upscale accommodation in expensive Bhaktapur.” It’s simply not true!

The fact is for USD$10 I stayed in a large hotel with a private bathroom and a balcony window overlooking the beautiful city of Panauti.

I wanted to know things about the interior courtyards in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square – but couldn’t find it anywhere! So I researched, visited, photographed, mapped and wrote it all out here myself – including newly opened never before seen sections.

It’s the digital age and with that independent publishers can now bring you what’s been lacking in guidebooks for so long. My online guides to Nepal speak for themselves. Now you can take that trust and get a book that you can own and take with you to the Kathmandu Valley!

This is Kathmandu Valley’s best guidebook

This guidebook has been written by a traveler, tested by other travelers LIVE on the streets and cities of the Kathmandu Valley in February 2024 and is now available to everyone worldwide.

If you are going to be in the Kathmandu Valley then this is the best guidebook you can have.

 

Kathmandu Valley Guidebook cover
(Buy it now!)
There’s a personal 100% free update guarantee with every copy.  If you buy the book and are not traveling for the next 6 months or even a year from purchase then just drop me an email before you fly out and I’ll send you a free updated copy.

More details on the guidebook.

If you are interested in heritage walks or discovering more about Kathmandu then I highly recommend the book Kathmandu Valley Heritage Walks.

Liked this post?

Never miss a post!
  
* indicates required

26 Replies to “The best guidebook to the Kathmandu Valley (updated 2024)”

  1. Congratulations! Looks fabulous. Is that map included in the guidebook?

  2. Dave, it looks great. I love your approach to guidebooks. It speaks volumes about how you travel and how it can help others.

    1. Thanks Anna. I really feel that the current crop of guidebooks still live in a world from 20 years ago. There’s nothing wrong with that, but people deserve better when they go on holiday!

  3. I don’t trek so even though I have been to Kathmandu many times I will buy this as you seem to have a great approach. Good to see a guidebook with a hands on feel!

  4. Great to see this. Long term reader here and I think it’s great you are publishing guidebooks like this. Looks great and I’m about to buy a copy to see how it does against the big boys!

    1. Thanks for your support Stuart. Yes, publishing like this was not around 10 years ago. It’s something that we can do today that wasn’t possible before and I hope people can all see this!

  5. There’s something to be said for independent publishers like yourself. I was browsing some other guides last week and was frustrated they didn’t even show the table of contents. Glad you did ;)

  6. I hold a copy of another guidebook in my hands. Will buying your guidebook make much of a difference?

    1. Yes most certainly! There’s no other guidebook out there that will show you exactly what you see in the map. No more little black dots on a map and being unsure what’s what. This is something the other guidebooks don’t grasp about a place like the Kathmandu Valley. There’s so much centered in small places that it’s easy to walk by not knowing a certain temple or place, let along its relevance. I will guarantee your money back if you don’t find my guidebook more helpful when you are on the streets of Kathmandu Valley.

  7. I’ve met people who’ve no idea about places like Bhaktapur or Patan. Nice to see a book like this that will hopefully show tourists there’s so much more to the Kathmandu Valley than just the capital.

  8. Just bought a copy! I am very impressed Dave. It’s top quality. From the layout to how you’ve approached the maps. I can see your love of Nepal showing through in the effort you made here.

  9. For planning our trip we’ve been using your guides. We’ll be buying your guidebook to the Kathmandu Valley too.

    I read from your page here that it’s possible to take a trek and see the Himalayan mountains from Kathmandu Valley. How easy or difficult is this trek?

    1. It’ more of a hike than a trek. To see the Himalaya mountains from the Kathmandu Valley your best bet is Nagarkot. Though you might catch a glimpse elsewhere this is where a short morning hike can be done too.

  10. I’m going to buy this as we have been using your site to plan our trip to Nepal. I’ve a Samsung Note. Will it work on that?

  11. From a late night of reading I wanted to say this guidebook is really worth every cent. Totally eclipses anything else I’ve read. The layout alone makes it a pleasure to read.

  12. Traveling to Nepal can I buy your books there?
    Live in Boone nc are they here?
    Love your information!!

Comments are closed.