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Voykit pocket guide · Nepal
Budhanilkantha
Spend a half‑day in Budhanilkantha to see the reclining Vishnu statue; add a night at a resort if you want a quiet stay.
Budhanilkantha is a suburb north of Kathmandu, known for the massive reclining Vishnu statue and several Tibetan monasteries. It is reachable in 20‑30 min by taxi from the city centre, making it a convenient half‑day stop or a quiet one‑night retreat.
- Country
- Nepal
- Best months
- Oct–Mar
- Avoid
- Jun–Sep (monsoon)
- Stay
- 0–1 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- NPR
- Money
- NPR in small notes (100s and 500s) for taxis, tea shops and entry tickets.
- Daily spend
- Budget NPR 1,500–2,500 excl. bed · Mid NPR 2,500–4,000 excl. bed · High NPR 4,000+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Nepal Telecom (NTC) and Ncell sell tourist SIMs at Kathmandu airport and in town with passport and a photo.
- Emergency
- Police 100 · Ambulance 102 · Tourist police 1144
- Plugs
- Types C, D, M · 230 V · 50 Hz · Round-pin sockets; a universal adapter covers them. Treks charge for device charging.
- Tipping
- Trekking guide: About 10–15% of the guide's total fee, at the end.; Porter: US$5–10 a day, at the end, in person.; Restaurant: Round up if 10% service is added; 5–10% if not.; Driver day: Rs 500–1,000.; Hotel staff: Rs 100–200.
- Water
- Not drinkable from the tap. Use filtered refill stations (Rs 50–100 a litre) or purification tablets; buying plastic bottles on treks leaves rubbish in the mountains.
- Toilets
- Western toilets in hotels; squat toilets with a water jug elsewhere. Carry tissue; on treks toilets are outside and freeze in winter.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee at a café | NPR 120–200 |
| Dal bhat (meal) | NPR 150–300 |
| Taxi (city‑to‑suburb, 20 km (12 mi))Taxi (city‑to‑suburb, 12 mi (20 km)) | NPR 800–1200 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- KTM · Tribhuvan International Airport
- Taxi to Budhanilkantha about 30 min
Typical fares
- Kathmandu → Budhanilkantha taxi
- about NPR 1,200 one‑way (check)
Show 7 more sections and the pocket cardHideGet around, See and do, Sleep, Phrase card, Etiquette, safety and scams, One and two days, Sources, Pocket card
Get around
Taxi or ride‑hailing from Kathmandu (20‑30 min). Walk about 40 min from Boudhanath Stupa to Kopan Monastery.
See and do
Known for
- Budhanilkantha Temple (reclining Vishnu)
- Kopan Monastery
- Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Boudhanath Stupa | Taxi from Budhanilkantha, about 15–20 min | About 30 min |
| Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park | Walk from Budhanilkantha centre, about 10 min to the entrance | About 15 min |
| Kathmandu Durbar Square | Taxi from Budhanilkantha, about 30 min | About 45 min |
| Nagarkot | Taxi from Budhanilkantha, about 1 h | About 1.5 h |
Sleep
- Park Village Resort
- Garden resort near Shivapuri entrance; good for one night.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Excuse me / Sorry | माफ गर्नुहोस्maaf garnuhos |
| Thank you | धन्यवादdhanyabaad |
| How much is it? | कति पर्छ?kati parchha? |
| Where is the toilet? | शौचालय कहाँ छ?shauchalaya kaha cha? |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Namaste with palms together; a handshake between men in business; avoid: Hugging or kissing in public
- Temples and stupas: Walk clockwise, spin prayer wheels clockwise, shoes off at shrines; avoid: Touching offerings; entering Hindu-only areas
- Food: Right hand, accept refills gracefully; avoid: Sharing food you have bitten; stepping over food
- Feet and heads: Keep feet flat and away from people and altars; avoid: Touching anyone's head
- Photos: Ask first; offer to show the picture; avoid: Photographing cremations or rituals without permission
- On the trail: Pass mani walls and chortens on the left (keeping them on your right); give way to yaks on the mountain side; avoid: Standing on the drop side when animals pass
Scams and watch-outs
- Temple entry is free but can be crowded on weekends; arrive early.
- Roads may be slippery during monsoon; check conditions.
Generally safe for tourists; keep an eye on belongings in crowded areas and follow local guidance at monasteries.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Budhanilkantha yet. Suggested stay: 0–1 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Budhanilkantha Temple (reclining Vishnu)
- Kopan Monastery
- Khachoe Ghakyil Ling Nunnery
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Wikivoyage: Budhanilkantha, revision 5255186 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5255186
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
Printed from Voykit (/budhanilkantha). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.