Ultimate Guide to Kathmandu for Backpackers

Kathmandu, Nepal will steal anyone’s heart who is looking for an authentic backpacking experience. The city is extremely budget friendly and has many cultural attractions, as well as great restaurants, bars, and clubs for nights out. There are countless places to visit while backpacking in Kathmandu, as well as in the surrounding Kathmandu valley. Kathmandu is also the hub where trekkers from around the world fly into before starting iconic treks in the Himalayas!
Before embarking on the Annapurna Circuit, the Three Passes Trek, or Everest Base Camp Trek, check out this guide to backpacking Kathmandu, Nepal!
Flying to Kathmandu’s Tribhuvan International Airport is the most common entryway for backpackers in Nepal. It’s small with very few facilities, but has the basic necessities: bathrooms, ATMs, and taxis waiting outside.
Upon arrival at the airport, there are three separate lines that you need to wait in (sometimes for hours):
There are three different visas on arrival that backpackers can purchase in Kathmandu:
After you enter your passport information and have your picture taken at the electronic machines in the airport, go to the payment window to pay for whichever visa you want. You can pay for the visa in US Dollars, Canadian Dollars, Australian Dollars, Euros, Japanese Yen, and British Pounds. It’s best to bring exact change!
SAARC country passport holders can receive a 30-day visa on arrival for free.
It’s also possible to get a visa for Nepal at a Nepali embassy in your home country, to save time and a big hassle at the Kathmandu airport.
Thamel, Kathmandu is the most popular place to stay for backpackers, and is known as Kathmandu’s backpacker area. Thamel is filled with great restaurants, souvenir shops, and trekking goods stores to stock up on items before heading to the Himalayas.
A prepaid taxi from the airport to hostels in Thamel, Kathmandu costs 750 Nepali Rupees ($7.50 USD). At night, drivers may charge 100-200 rupees extra.
Its possible to ask the driver to stop at an ATM on the way to Thamel if you didn’t get a chance to withdraw Nepali Rupees at the airport. Most drivers can speak conversational English.
Many backpacker hostels in Thamel and Kathmandu will offer an airport pickup for a similar price. This may be a good option if arriving at night, because drivers unfamiliar with your accommodation’s location may have a hard time navigating Thamel’s alleyways in the dark.
I recommend backpackers stay in Thamel or just outside of Thamel in Kathmandu. You’ll be close to all the amenities you’ll need there, and it’s a beautiful place to stay with prayer flags adorning shop entryways and draped across the alleyways!
Thamel has countless hostels where backpackers can meet other travelers. These are my top choices:
Kathmandu is filled to the brim with amazing restaurants, serving both local and international cuisine!
Stick to the streets just outside of Thamel. If you’re staying at Zostel, Shantipur, or WanderThirst backpacker hostels, you’re close to Paknajol Marg street which is lined with tiny mom-and-pop Nepali restaurants.
Kathmandu has several cultural attractions that remain an integral part of the lives of the locals. Nepali people come to these temples to pray, to be blessed, and leave offerings for the Buddha and other gods. If you have time, take a full-day tour of Kathmandu to see all of the best places to visit in Kathmandu.
Most tourist agencies have tours going out to both of these towns. The most popular time to go to both Nagarkot and Bhaktapur is for sunrise.
For an extra adventure, take local transportation to either of these places!
A great Facebook group to join is Nepal Backpacker’s Club. People post on here for a variety of reasons and you can too: