The 15 Best Durbar Square Tours in the Kathmandu Valley

1.Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square Day Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 122 reviews · from $50Our pick

Spend 6 to 8 hours exploring Bhaktapur’s Dattatraya, Taumadhi, and Durbar squares, then visit Patan Durbar Square and the 12th-century Golden Temple. A private air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking guide are included, with Rajendra Manandhar among the guides who may lead your day.

“We have visited tei cities. Patan and bhaktapur. Our guide, Rajendra Manandhar, was kind, patient and very aknowledges. He told us a lot about the history and also took pictures of us. I can truly reccomend. Thank you for this great experience.”

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2.Kathmandu Sunset Tour by Rickshaw Including Durbar Square Visit

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 73 reviews · from $50

Start in Thamel at 6 pm for a small-group rickshaw ride through Asan’s spice market and narrow lanes. Walk Kathmandu Durbar Square with a local guide, see ancient temples and Gaddhi Baithak, then ride back. Entrance fees and rickshaw hire are included.

“we were in luck as there was a festival happening that evening...people everywhere, locals and tourists.... drums and chanting, people dancing. I enjoyed myself.”

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3.Old Kathmandu Walking Tour, Historic World Heritage Durbar Square

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 22 reviews · from $28

Spend 4 to 5 hours with a local guide such as Mahesh Shreshtha or Modo, walking from Thamel through old Kathmandu’s markets, Buddhist courtyards, Hindu temples, and Durbar Square. Private transport, hotel pickup in Thamel, and tea or coffee are included. Entry fees are extra.

“This was an excellent tour. I was able to learn and experience so much, including meeting a Hindu priest at a small beautiful temple and interacting with him and getting to see the living child goddess. Modo was a great guide.”

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4.City tour of Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Square

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · from $110

Spend about eight hours with a private guide and vehicle visiting Patan and Bhaktapur, two UNESCO-listed royal cities near Kathmandu. See Krishna Mandir, the 55-Window Palace, Nyatapola and Dattatreya temples, plus Newari art at Patan Museum. Hotel pickup covers locations inside the ring road, including Boudha.

“Wonderful day with Shanti, who was a knowledgeable, interesting, charming guide. Took me through the entire area, allowing me to start and stop as I chose. She was terrific and the two sites are stunning.”

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5.Bhaktapur Old City and Durbar Square Half-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 15 reviews · from $65

Visit Bhaktapur with a private guide and hotel pickup, then walk through Durbar Square, Pottery Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square, and Siddha Pokhari. Guide Rabina has earned praise for clear cultural explanations and thoughtful help for solo visitors. Entry costs about $15 extra.

“A fascinating city. The only damper was the rain. With so many damaged buildings due to the 2015 earthquake, I hope the people of Bhaktapur can rebuild sooner rather than later. Our guide was so welcoming and knowledgable. The ride out of Kathmandu also gave us a view of everyday Nepalese life.”

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6.Kathmandu Durbar Square – Private/Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 13 reviews · from $15

Walk from Thamel to Kathmandu Durbar Square with a guide such as Santosh or Sandip. Visit Wasya Dyaa, Seto Machindranath Temple, Hanuman Dhoka, and Kumari Ghar while learning about Newar customs, local beliefs, and Kathmandu’s royal past.

“Santosh from Amazing Kathmandu was a very punctual guide, with lots of local knowledge on religion, local customs and local stories. We had an amazing tour for 3 days. Even though I have been to Kathmandu several times, Santosh shoRead more”

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7.Nagarkot Sunrise & Bhaktapur Durbar Square UNESCO Heritage Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $55

Leave Kathmandu before dawn for Nagarkot View Tower, then tour Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Nyatapola Temple, Pottery Square, and a Thanka painting school. Private transport, water, and an English-speaking guide are included. Prakash or Ramesh may lead the day.

“Amazing once in a lifetime experience.guided with care and in-depth knowledge of this unique country.Every day was a complete joy. I highly recommend Prakash Aryal and his company to anyone travelling to Nepal”

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8.Patan & Bhaktapur Durbar Square Tour with Lunch – Private/Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $5

Travel from Kathmandu to Patan and Bhaktapur with a private vehicle and English-speaking guide. Sajini has guided guests through the temples and local traditions, while drivers such as Dipendra and Surdash provide the transfers. Expect about 4 to 5 hours, monument fees extra, and a simple lunch box included.

“Very good half day visit of Bhaktapur Safe drive with on time pickup. Good explanation of the site with the complete visit. I would recommend”

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9.Private Half-Day Tour of Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath Temple

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 11 reviews · from $47

Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square and Swayambhunath with a private English-speaking guide, hotel or airport pickup, and transport. Guides such as Bishnu bring local insight to Newar architecture, royal history, Buddhist and Hindu traditions, and the city’s best hilltop views.

“What an amazing city Kathmandu is. Frontier town still resonates with me, especially with the ravages of the 2014 earthquake, but the beauty still shines through. The highlight has to be a fleeting blessing from the Kumari goddess.”

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10.Nagarkot Sunrise, Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Square Tour in Kathmandu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $130

Start at 4 a.m. for Nagarkot’s Himalayan sunrise, then explore Bhaktapur and Patan with a private vehicle and guide. You’ll see Nyatapola Temple, the 55 Window Palace, Krishna Mandir, the Golden Temple, and Patan Museum. Pickup is included inside Kathmandu’s Ring Road.

“The sunrise tour was incredible! I don't know how our driver managed that mountain! My guide was so personable and gave me time to view everything. I would love to do it again.”

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11.Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Boudhanath Stupa

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · 5 hours · from $60

Spend five hours with a private English-speaking guide exploring Bhaktapur’s carved temples, artisan workshops, and Durbar Square, then walk around Boudhanath Stupa with its Tibetan monasteries and prayer wheels. Guides such as Bijay and Prakriti add useful local detail.

“Spent a wonderful day in Kathmandu visiting Bhaktapur Durbar Square and Boudhanath Stupa with Enticing Himalayas. Everything was well-organized, and our guide Prakriti made the experience memorable with his kindness and deep knowledge of the sites. Truly grateful for his care and insights. Highly recommend this tour with Prakriti!”

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12.Nagarkot sunrise with trip to Changu Narayan Temple and Bhaktapur Durbar Square

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $142

Leave Kathmandu at 4:30 am with a private guide and drive to Nagarkot for Himalayan sunrise views. Visit Changu Narayan, Nepal’s oldest temple, then explore Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Hotel pickup, transport, guide fees, and entrance tickets are included. Meals are not.

“Our guide, Rajat Khatiwada, was wonderful and very nice. He explained so many aspects of the history, daily life and religious aspects of how everything comes together. So interesting and amazing!”

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13.3 Major Durbar Square Guided Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 5 hours · from $86

Spend five hours with a private English-speaking guide touring Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur Durbar Squares. See Hanuman Dhoka and the Kumari residence, Krishna Mandir, and Bhaktapur’s Nyatapola Temple. Pranav and Aneel are among the praised guides associated with this experience.

“Had a wonderful tour of Durbar Square! Our guide, Pranav, was truly exceptional—fluent, friendly, and incredibly knowledgeable about the history, culture, and architecture of the place. He explained everything so clearly and made the whole experience memorable. Thank you for the excellent guidance! Highly recommended.”

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14.Kathmandu Durbar Square | Holi Festival Celebration 2 March

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 4 reviews · 6 hours · from $35

Spend six hours with an English or Hindi-speaking local guide at Kathmandu Durbar Square on 2 March 2026. Walk from Paknajol, join Holi music and color play, see temples and courtyards, and enjoy a Nepali thali lunch, water, festival color, and a white T-shirt.

“This trip was absolutely amazing!!! As 3 young females traveling alone we were mildly worried about safety while experiencing Holi - however this family ensures that not only did we feel safe safe the entire time, but also that we had THE BEST possible experience. This was a bucket list experience that could not have been executed any more perfectly. This is a family business and it is clear that they put their genuine care for you first and want you to have the best time. Additionally, they also let us schedule a last minute hike with them on Saturday morning which was amazing. These are the best of people…”

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15.Bhaktapur Durbar Square 4-Hour Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews · 4 hours · from $3Best value

Spend four hours exploring Bhaktapur with an English-speaking guide and private vehicle. See the Golden Gate, Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, Nyatapola Temple, Pottery Square, and Dattatraya Square. Guide Nilakantha Acharya and driver Hari have earned particular praise for clear, considerate service.

“Het is n hele mooie rondleiding met veel informatie over de tempels , wat mij persoonlijk meeste aanspreekt is de manier v bouwen en de architectuur van deze tempels , fascinerend om te zien , mijn gids nilakantha van cordial trek en chauffeur hari zijn bijzonder bekwaam in hun werk Dank voor deze mooie middag”

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