Where to Stay in Kathmandu
Three very different basecamps: Thamel's traveller buzz, Boudha's monastic calm, or Patan's artisan courtyards — all within a short taxi of each other.
Last verified 26 August 2026
The legendary traveller quarter: gear shops, live-music bars, rooftop cafés and five decades of trekking lore in a dozen neon lanes.
The artisans' royal city across the river: its own spectacular Durbar Square, metalworkers' lanes and courtyard boutique hotels.
The Tibetan quarter around the great stupa — monastery guesthouses, butter-lamp evenings and the calmest sleep in the city.
Frequently asked questions
Is Thamel still the best base?
For first visits, yes — everything's on foot and the trekking infrastructure is unmatched. Light sleepers and repeat visitors increasingly pick Boudha or Patan and taxi in.
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