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Major city · Nepal

Patanललितपुर

Base in Kathmandu and give Patan one full day: Durbar Square, the museum and the Golden Temple on foot, then back before dark.

Weather
see forecast
Currency
NPR
Best months
Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr
avoid Jun–Sep (monsoon), late Dec–Jan (cold mornings)
Airport
KTM
Nights
0–1
Not field-verifiedbasic guide
Print / PDF guide
3 pages, for the metro and roaming-off days
Map
Google Maps Apple Maps Street View
Rules in force · 6
  • South Asia ↗Trekking regions, border districts and several Indian states need separate permits on top of the visa; check the permit before you book transport into them.
  • South Asia ↗Remove shoes (and in many Jain and Hindu temples, leather) before entering; cover shoulders and legs; ask before photographing people or rituals.
  • Nepal ↗Get visa information only from the Department of Immigration; visa-service lookalike sites charge extra, and the rules differ by nationality.
  • Nepal ↗At stupas walk clockwise; at temples and homes remove shoes where there is a rack or a raised floor; cover shoulders and knees.
  • Nepal ↗Carry Nepalese rupees in small notes: many stalls, taxis and tea shops are cash-only, and shops rarely take foreign notes.
  • Nepal ↗Strikes (bandh) and protests can close roads without notice: check the news and your hotel the night before any airport or highway day.

Patan (also Lalitpur) sits just across the Bagmati from Kathmandu, about 4 km from Thamel. Its Durbar Square holds the densest run of Newar temples in the valley, and the Patan Museum inside the old palace is the best-presented museum in Nepal. Most visitors come as a day trip; a night here buys quieter mornings and craft workshops before the tour groups arrive.

Essentials

Quick answers and what things cost

Quick answers

The questions people ask first about Patan, one line each. Tap a card for the full answer.

Cost cheat-sheet

2026 desk estimate · check

Typical prices for the everyday things, as ranges. Your currency is shown next to the local price.

  • CoffeeMilk tea or coffeeRs 60–200
  • Taxi, about 5 kmTaxi across PatanAgree the fare before boarding.Rs 300–600
  • SIM or eSIM, a weekeSIM or data SIM, about a weekRs 1,000–2,000
  • Museum or sight ticketDurbar Square entry ticketcheckRs 1,000
  • Budget bedHostel dorm bed, a night, per personNPR 700
  • Mid-range bedGuesthouse room in an old Newar house, a night, per roomNPR 3,500
  • High-end bedGuesthouse room in an old Newar house, a night, per roomNPR 7,000

A day, not counting the bed: Budget NPR 3,000 · Mid NPR 6,000 · High NPR 12,000

Local prices, with USD next to them (rates 2026-09 (approximate); change it in the header). Ranges are desk estimates: check locally. Every price and the budget calculator →

Decide

What it is known for, and when the weather works

At a glance

What the city is known for, how you fly in, and where to find the phrases.

Patan Durbar SquarePatan MuseumKrishna MandirNewar metalwork and craft workshopsGolden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar)
Airports
KTM Tribhuvan International (About 8 km; taxi to Patan 30–50 min depending on traffic (check))

Weather and climate

Forecast from Open-Meteo · averages rounded

Patan: next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Air quality

Loading…

Model estimate (CAMS via Open-Meteo), not a street-level station; readings near busy roads run higher.

Jan

19°C

2°C

2 rd

Feb

21°C

4°C

3 rd

Mar

25°C

8°C

4 rd

Apr

28°C

11°C

6 rd

May

29°C

15°C

12 rd

Jun

28°C

18°C

17 rd

Jul

28°C

19°C

21 rd

Aug

28°C

19°C

20 rd

Sep

27°C

17°C

15 rd

Oct

26°C

13°C

5 rd

Nov

23°C

8°C

2 rd

Dec

20°C

3°C

2 rd

High / low °C · rd = rain days

Arrive & move

Airports are listed under At a glance; this is how to move once you are in

Getting around

The old town is a walking grid: Durbar Square to the Golden Temple is about 10 minutes, to Mahaboudha 10–15 minutes. Taxis and tuk-tuks cover the wider city; agree the fare before you get in. Microbuses from Ratnapark in Kathmandu and Ring Road buses are the cheap option.

See & do

Day-trips, door to door

Day-trips

Door-to-door, not ride time
Kathmandu (Thamel, Durbar Square)go

Door to door: 20–40 min by taxi

Taxi over the Bagmati, or microbuses from Ratnapark in the other direction

Patan and Kathmandu are one urban area; combine them rather than treating them as separate stops.

Bhaktapur

go

Door to door: 45–75 min

Taxi, or bus via Ring Road and change

Best-preserved Newar town; go early and stay for the evening if you can.

Kirtipur

go

Door to door: 30–45 min

Taxi or local bus south-west

Hilltop Newar town with a quieter square and valley views.

Nagarkot

overnight

Door to door: 1.5–2 h

Taxi, or bus with a change

Sunrise Himalaya views need a night up there; a return day trip is mostly road.

Pharping

caution

Door to door: 45–60 min

Taxi south-west

Monasteries and pilgrimage sites; combine with Dakshinkali, not a standalone day.

Chobhar

caution

Door to door: 30–45 min

Taxi south-west

Hilltop temple and gorge views; a half-day at most.

Budhanilkantha

caution

Door to door: 45–60 min

Taxi north across the valley

The sleeping Vishnu statue is the draw; pair it with Shivapuri if you want a walk.

Eat & sleep

Which area to sleep in

Where to sleep

Areas, not hotels: pick the one that fits your arrival time and plans.

Durbar Square and Mangal Bazaar

Walk to every sight; guesthouses in old Newar houses, some with temple views.

Jhamsikhel and Jawalakhel

Restaurant strip used by residents and aid workers; 20–30 min walk or a short taxi to the square.

Pulchowk

On the main road from Kathmandu; handy for buses, less atmospheric at night.

Practical

What a day costs, what to watch out for, and the pocket card

Cost per day

2026 estimate, excluding the bed unless stated
Budget
Rs 2,500–4,500 excl. bed
Mid
Rs 4,500–9,000 excl. bed
High
Rs 9,000+ excl. bed

Trip budget

2026 estimate · converts to your currency
Guesthouse room in an old Newar house1 × 1 night × NPR 3,500NPR 3,500
Food, local transport, entries2 × 1 day × NPR 6,000NPR 12,000
Durbar Square entry ticket, one person2 × NPR 1,000 · checkNPR 2,000
Golden Temple admission, one person2 × NPR 50 · checkNPR 100
Taxi Kathmandu (Thamel) to Patan, one way1 × NPR 500 · checkNPR 500
eSIM, about a week of data2 × NPR 1,500NPR 3,000
Buffer 10%Price creep, a taxi you did not plan, one splurgeNPR 2,110
Trip total≈ NPR 11,610 per person per day, bed includedNPR 23,210

2026 estimate in rupees; flights and trek costs excluded. Your choices stay in this browser.

Prices of common things

Milk tea or coffeeRs 60–200
Newari plate (bara, choila, samay baji)Rs 250–500
Restaurant main in JhamsikhelRs 400–900
Taxi across PatanAgree the fare before boarding.Rs 300–600
Durbar Square entry ticketcheckRs 1,000
eSIM or data SIM, about a weekRs 1,000–2,000

2026 estimate; check locally.

Watch out

Safety

Patan is a low-crime city and safe to walk in daylight. The real risks are traffic and uneven ground, plus winter air quality; keep to lit streets after dark and agree taxi fares first.
  • Durbar Square has a single entry ticket for tourists; keep it visible or staff will ask again.
  • Some temples and courtyards close to non-Hindus or charge separately — read the sign at the gate.
  • Sidewalk gaps, open drains and motorbikes on narrow lanes: watch your step.
  • Air quality in the valley is poor in winter; a mask helps on bad days.

Emergency numbers

Police
100
Ambulance
102
Tourist police
1144

Pocket card

One page · print or save as PDF

Fill in, then print or save as PDF

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Patanललितपुर

Pocket card · Voykit

My bed tonight

—

—

—

यो ठेगानामा लानुहोस्To this address, please

Emergency

  • Police100
  • Ambulance102
  • Tourist police1144

Embassy

Most embassies are in Kathmandu; check your country's listing for the current address.

My embassy: —

Fare anchors (2026 estimate)

  • Taxi Thamel → Patan Durbar Square: Rs 400–700, 20–40 min (check)
  • Microbus Ratnapark → Patan: about Rs 15–20 (check)
  • Durbar Square entry ticket: Rs 1,000, includes the Patan Museum (check)

Say or show

  • नमस्ते — Hello / Greetings (namaste)
  • धन्यवाद — Thank you (dhanyabad)
  • कति पर्छ? — How much is it? (kati parcha)
  • दरबार स्क्वायर लानुहोस् — Please take me to Durbar Square (durbar square lanuhos)
  • शौचालय कहाँ छ? — Where is the toilet? (shauchalaya kaha chha)
  • पर्दैन, धन्यवाद — No, thank you (pardaina, dhanyabad)

Entry tickets and fares change; confirm at the booth.

Deep dive

What this guide covers so far, and its sources

Not a trip line yet

This is a basic guide: no airport-to-bed contract, walking clusters or day plans are published for Patan. Airport, fare and schedule details are unverified; check the operators before you fly.

What we know, and what is coming

On this page

  1. Best months: Oct–Nov, Mar–Apr · avoid Jun–Sep (monsoon), late Dec–Jan (cold mornings) · month by month →
  2. 1 airport and 3 areas to sleep in
  3. Weather: a 7-day forecast and monthly averages
  4. Cost per day in 3 bands
  5. 7 day-trips, door to door
  6. 4 things to watch out for, with emergency numbers

Coming as the guide grows

  1. Airport-to-bed contract for KTM: taxi fare bands, late-arrival plan, guesthouse check-in cutoffs.
  2. Four walking clusters with rescue anchors: Durbar Square, Mangal Bazaar and the Golden Temple, Mahaboudha and Uku Bahal, Jhamsikhel and Jawalakhel.
  3. Place pages with verified ticket and closing rules (Durbar Square, Patan Museum, Golden Temple) and eat pages with last orders.
  4. Festival fixtures (Machchhendranath chariot, Kumbheshwar Mela) so gate days can go green.

Meanwhile

Back to Nepal

Sources