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Day Trip to Bhaktapur and Panauti from Kathmandu: UNESCO-Protected City and Wonders Of Nature
4.9
188 Ratings
Kathmandu
Embark on a 7-hour day excursion to Bhaktapur and Panauti. Bhaktapur, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, displays extraordinary medieval art and craftsmanship. Meanwhile, Panauti provides an opportunity to admire its traditional architecture alongside its natural beauty.
Embark on a 7-hour day excursion to Bhaktapur and Panauti. Bhaktapur, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site, displays extraordinary medieval art and craftsmanship. Meanwhile, Panauti provides an opportunity to admire its traditional architecture alongside its natural beauty.
Duration:
7 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square - Bhaktapur Durbar Square, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a historic Newar city and one of Nepal’s most remarkable architectural ensembles. It boasts palaces, courtyards, pagoda-style temples, and intricate wood, stone, and metal carvings that showcase centuries of skilled craftsmanship. Once serving as the…
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square - Bhaktapur Durbar Square, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a historic Newar city and one of Nepal’s most remarkable architectural ensembles. It boasts palaces, courtyards, pagoda-style temples, and intricate wood, stone, and metal carvings that showcase centuries of skilled craftsmanship. Once serving as the royal palace of the Malla kings (14th–16th centuries), Bhaktapur was a dominant kingdom and cultural hub of the Kathmandu Valley for over 300 years.
The city’s highlights include the 55-Window Palace, the Golden Gate, and Taumadhi Square with the iconic Nyatapola Temple. Despite enduring earthquakes and undergoing restoration, it maintains a strong medieval essence. Narrow brick streets lead into traditional neighborhoods where daily life remains closely connected to ancient customs. Local communities are deeply rooted in agriculture and traditional crafts such as pottery, woodcarving, metalwork, and painting, which continue to thrive as livelihoods. The square is a vibrant cultural space where rituals, festivals, and everyday life blend harmoniously.
- Panauti, Nepal - Panauti, once a significant commercial town in medieval times, now offers a serene and tranquil atmosphere. The well-preserved town is steeped in history, featuring ancient temples and restored Rana-era mansions. It is situated at the confluence of three rivers—Brahmayani, Roshi, and Punyabati—which is believed to be the source of its name. Surrounding the town are picturesque rice terraces that reflect its agriculture-based lifestyle and local culture. Traditional metalwork, festivals, fairs, stupas, stone carvings, and intricately carved wooden temples further enhance its allure.
A major attraction is the Indreshwor Mahadev Temple, dating back to the 12th–13th century. Constructed in pagoda style on a single plinth, it features three tiers, three main entrances, and detailed wooden carvings. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it remains a significant religious site. Key festivals such as the 12-year Makara Mela, Swosthani Purnima, and Shivaratri draw devotees and visitors alike.
What's Included
- English-speaking tour guide
- Transport by air-conditioned vehicle as per group size
- English-speaking tour guide
- Transport by air-conditioned vehicle as per group size
What's Not Included
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
- Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Lunch
- All Fees and Taxes
Additional Information
- Entrance fee is applicable to children 10 years and above
- Please be informed that, entrance fee is not included
- Entrance fee is applicable to children 10 years and above
- Please be informed that, entrance fee is not included
Location
Royal Mountain Travel
Lal Durbar Marg
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.9
(188 Ratings)
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Debbie_h
Mar 13, 2026
A Great Day to explore outside Kathmandu - This is a great one day tour to immerse yourself in the culture of Nepal.
Puspa my guide was lovely and told me the history behind both towns.Shambhu the driver was very good at navigating some of the bumpy roads lol.
Bhaktapur was much bigger than I expected and full of surprises, I got to see woodworkers chiselling large pieces of wood making a chariot for an upcoming festival. Went to a singing bowl shop where the young lady explained and showed me the benefits of using the bowl to help pain and balance your chakras.
The highlight for me was going to a pottery studio and having a go at making something on the pottery wheel which I finally did with help from one of the guys.
In Panuati we went to Sarinas homestay where she cooked the best food I have had on my holiday. This woman is No 1 in Nepal in my eyes and it is worth the trip to Panuati just to eat her food!
You can stay at her home in Panuati she is part of the Community homestay project. Sarina Sainju #myhomestay
I highly recommend this tour its a great way to get out of Kathmandu and see other places.
Review provided by Viator
Debbieharro777
Mar 13, 2026
Wonderful Experience - This is a great one day tour to immerse yourself in the culture of Nepal.
Puspa my guide was lovely and told me the history behind both towns.Shambhu the driver was very good at navigating some of the bumpy roads lol.
Bhaktapur was much bigger than I expected and full of surprises, I got to see woodworkers chiselling large pieces of wood making a chariot for an upcoming festival. Went to a singing bowl shop where the young lady explained and showed me the benefits of using the bowl to help pain and balance your chakras.
The highlight for me was going to a pottery studio and having a go at making something on the pottery wheel which I finally did with help from one of the guys.
In Panuati we went to Sarinas homestay where she cooked the best food I have had on my holiday. This woman is No 1 in Nepal in my eyes and it is worth the trip to Panuati just to eat her food!
You can stay at her home in Panuati she is part of the Community homestay project. Sarina Sainju #myhomestay
I highly recommend this tour its a great way to get out of Kathmandu and see other places.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alie
Dec 7, 2025
Wonderful guided tour - We had an excellent tour of both royal cities. The guide was well aware of all the historical sites but also let us taste some. Our driver was always on the spot to drive us back and forth.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
D750qgerwinb
Nov 21, 2025
Great, extremely recommended!! - Great! Unfortunately, we only met everyone here on our penultimate day otherwise we would have used their support at the beginning of our holiday! The tourguid-in : extremely complete, a lot of knowledge , super gasoline, only recommended. The driver : confident, quiet, air conditioning, car extremely clean.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Philippe_p
Nov 21, 2025
Great experience - We had a very nice day with the visit of the various squares of Bhaktapur and the discovery of the city of Panauti classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Our Anup guide, with his in-depth knowledge, gave us a lot of information about Nepalese culture, religions, and history which allows us to better understand this beautiful country. At lunch we had a traditional meal at home which is a plus for this outing. Our driver drove with great caution what is important in the middle of Nepalese traffic!!! Thank you also to the agency team who showed responsiveness and answered all my questions
Review provided by Viator
Rocco_c
Nov 2, 2025
Highly recommended - I recently went on a day tour and it was an absolutely wonderful experience. From the very beginning, my guide was punctual and well-organized, ensuring that everything ran smoothly throughout the day. She is extremely knowledgeable and shared fascinating information about every place I visited, making the tour both educational and engaging.
I highly recommend this day tour to anyone looking for a memorable and well-guided experience. Hers expertise, punctuality, and genuine care for her guests truly made the day special.
Review provided by Viator
Havroun
Oct 30, 2025
A cultural and spectacular excursion - First of all, thank you very much to the driver and his kindness, his attentive and safe driving despite roads sometimes damaged.
We were unlucky with the weather as it rained big drops all day, the only sun today was the smile of our exceptional attendant.
We feel very fortunate to have had her as a guide, with her good humor, her erudition and all the things she taught us with patience and kindness.
The cities of Bakthapur and Panauti are beautiful, in two different styles and complement each other, the first is spectacular, the second more sober and small. There are many workshops and local craft shops.
Anyway, the day would have been lost if we had not spent it with our guide, thank you again for this moment!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Susan
Oct 19, 2025
A wonderful day trip even if it’s raining! - I had a wonderful time on this tour despite doing it in the pouring rain during a major festival when many things were closed. I requested a female guide which the agency honored. Puspa was wonderful as was the driver Usha; both adeptly navigated the challenges of the day. Due to the festival (Dashain) we were not able to have lunch with a local family so instead we had lunch at a pleasant restaurant overlooking Bhaktapur Durbar square. The beauty of doing the tour in the rain was we practically had the sights to ourselves. I highly recommend this tour and Puspa as a guide!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maditaselina_h
Oct 6, 2025
Very great tour - It was really a great tour, we had the choice of whether to have lunch with a local family. The food was really great and you get an insight into the lives of the people there.
In the cities themselves we had a lot of time to look at everything in peace.
Our Guidin explained a lot about culture, life and the buildings! Really a great experience for small money
Review provided by Viator
Steve_b
Sep 27, 2025
Great day tour, Bhaktupar is the most expensive of the Durbar squares but that’s because it’s a whole UNESCO list town. - Really enjoyed this tour, Bhaktupar is easily the best of the three available. Mainly as it’s a whole town, not just a square and so MUCH less touristy. Panauti was a really interesting addition too, an authentic village.
Highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
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