The serene Tibetan-Buddhist quarter in the east, gathered around the giant Boudhanath stupa — monasteries, prayer wheels, momo cafés and rooftop restaurants overlooking the dome, with maroon-robed monks and pilgrims circling it. Calmer, cleaner and more spiritual than the centre, a taxi from Thamel; a lovely, meditative base for those wanting peace and Buddhist culture.
A look around
What you’ll be living next to. Swipe through.
€40–95
typical per night in Nepal
The sensible middle
Typical prices for Kathmandu — neither steal nor splurge.
Where it sits
The circle is Boudhanath and roughly a 10-minute walk around it.
How far is everything?
From the middle of this area to the city's headline sights — pick your own on the city page and these become your list.
- An Everest mountain flight8 min taxi2.8 km
- Garden of Dreams14 min taxi4.6 km
- Thamel15 min taxi4.9 km
- Newari food & momos15 min taxi4.9 km
- Asan & the old bazaars16 min taxi5.2 km
- Kathmandu Durbar Square17 min taxi5.7 km
- Patan Durbar Square20 min taxi6.5 km
- Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)21 min taxi7.1 km
On your doorstep
What you’re living next to if you stay here.
- 3.Boudhanath Stupa — One of the largest stupas in the world and the centre of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal — a vast white dome topped by the Buddha's watchful eyes, ringed by monasteries and circled endlessly by maroon-robed monks and pilgrims spinning prayer wheels. Deeply serene and atmospheric; join the kora (clockwise circuit), then watch it all from a rooftop café at dusk as butter lamps flicker. Unforgettable.
- 4.Pashupatinath Temple — Nepal's holiest Hindu temple, a sprawling complex on the sacred Bagmati river where open-air cremations take place on the ghats — a profound, unflinching encounter with life, death and devotion, amid sadhus (holy men), monkeys and temples. Non-Hindus can't enter the main shrine but watch respectfully from across the river. Intense and moving; one of the most powerful places in the country.
- 11.The Boudhanath kora & Tibetan quarter — Join the pilgrims on the kora — the meditative clockwise circuit around the great Boudhanath stupa — spinning the prayer wheels as monks chant and butter lamps glow, then explore the surrounding Tibetan monasteries and refugee quarter. A deeply peaceful, immersive experience of living Buddhism; end on a rooftop café watching the crowds circle the dome at dusk. The soul of Buddhist Kathmandu.
- 12.Kopan Monastery — A serene Tibetan Buddhist monastery on a hill above Boudhanath, home to hundreds of monks and famous for its meditation and Buddhism courses — but also simply a beautiful, peaceful place to visit, with gardens, a gilded temple and a wonderful view over the valley. Watch the young monks debate, soak up the calm, and get a gentle taste of monastic life. A tranquil escape above the city.
When are you staying?
Booking.com & Airbnb open searched to Boudhanath; flights via Google Flights.