Place · Boudhanath
Pashupatinath Temple and the ghats
The great Shiva temple complex on the Bagmati, with cremation ghats and sadhus: go in the late afternoon for 90 minutes, and treat it as a place of worship and funerals.
- Shiva temple
- Cremation ghats
- Evening arati
- Go late afternoon
- Shoes off inside
- Hard in a wheelchair
Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.
Rules in force · 9Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with …
- 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.
- Kathmandu Valley ↗In the dry season (Nov–Apr) the valley fills with haze and dust: viewpoints often show nothing after 09:00, so go at dawn or skip.
- Kathmandu ↗Thamel's inner lanes are crowded, uneven and shared with motorbikes: taxis stop at the edge, so large suitcases go from the car to the door, never on a walk.
- Kathmandu ↗Dust and smoke haze is worst around Feb–Apr and can linger in winter: carry a mask rated for fine particles on walking days and move long walks to the clearest morning.
More
Map & directions
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Plan
Open now, best time to go, opening hours
Go now?
hours and prices: check on the day- Open
- Hours unknown
- Crowds
Quietest around 06:00–08:00 · go late afternoon
MonTueWedThuFriSatSunQuietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sat, Sun · desk estimate
- Tickets
- Adult: About NPR 1,000 (2026 estimate)
- Time to spend
- 60–90 min · up to 150 min if you linger
Best time to go
Busy on Mondays, festival days and Shivaratri; late afternoon has evening arati crowds.
By weekday: quietest Mon–Fri, busiest Sat, Sun.
Opening hours
- Note
- Opening days and hours not printed until verified.
- Hours note
- Desk estimate: daylight and evening arati; confirm.
Which month is quietest
- Janbusy
- Febbusy
- Marbusy
- Aprbusy
- Maybusy
- Junlight
- Jullight
- Auglight
- Sepbusy
- Octpacked
- Novpacked
- Decheavy
Quietest Jun–Aug · busiest Oct–Nov.
Estimate: desk reasoning from season and weekend patterns; not counted. Holidays and events move these weeks.
Weather here, next 7 days
Loading forecast…
Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
On the ground
Getting in, access, sensory load, what to bring, and where to go if it does not work
Getting in
- Stop
- Taxi to the main entrance on the east side of the river
- Ticket
- on site · official site
- Stairs
- Not recorded
- Shoes
- Shoes off as signed; leather items may be refused.
Accessibility
- PartialStep-free entrance
- NoLifts
- Check firstAccessible toilet
- NoWheelchair
- NoStroller · poor
Sensory load
- Sensory load3/5 Medium
- Peak crowd4/5 High
Exposure: medium
What to bring and the rules
- Clothing that meets the dress rule · Modest; shoulders and knees covered.
- Footwear that suits the rule · Shoes off as signed; leather items may be refused.
- A small bag · Bags are checked at the gate.
- Modest; shoulders and knees covered.
- Bags are checked at the gate.
- Lockers or cloakroom (no) None.
- Allowed in public areas; ask before photographing people; no photos of cremations.
Rules and prices change: check the official site before you go.
Bailouts
- crowd: The east-bank terraces for an overview
- heat: Shade under the trees by the river
Nearest rescue anchor: A — north-west of the cluster: café or restaurant with seating (field-verify)
Problem
Red lines
- The main temple is closed to non-Hindus; view it from the far bank.
- Do not photograph cremations without permission and never near mourners.
- Keep food out of sight; monkeys will grab it.
Not checked in the last 12 months (no check date on file).
Map and nearby
Where it is, how to get there from your hotel or from where you stand, and what is around it
Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors
Add your hotel to get directions from it. · stays in this browser; shared with the pocket card.
Nearby places
Eat nearby
More detail
Everything else we know about this place
Tickets, prices and entry
Know before you go
- The main temple is closed to non-Hindus; the ghats and the terraces are open.
- Go in the late afternoon for the evening arati and softer light.
- Cremation is a sacred rite; keep your distance and stay quiet.
- Guides may approach you; agree a fee before you accept.
Best time of day
Go late afternoon. Plan 60–90 min inside.
quietlightbusyheavypacked· desk estimate for an ordinary weekday; add one level on weekends and public holidays
Tickets & entry
- Where to buy
- Buy at the entrance on the day.
- Buy from the official site or the ticket desk; resellers add a fee for the same ticket.
- A foreigner entry ticket (about NPR 1,000, check) is sold at the gate.
- Dress code
- Modest; shoulders and knees covered.
- Bags & lockers
- Bags are checked at the gate.
- Lockers or cloakroom (no) None.
- Photos
- Allowed in public areas; ask before photographing people; no photos of cremations.
- What's closed
- Festival dayscheckMaha Shivaratri draws huge crowds and road closures.
- Prayer timescheckSome areas are closed to visitors during ceremonies.
“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.
| Ticket | Price | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Foreigner entry | About NPR 1,000 (2026 estimate) | Check at the ticket counter. |
| Registered guide | NPR 1,000–2,500 (2026 estimate) | Agree the price first. |
Time on site, inside and your plan
Time on site
Minimum
40min
Worthwhile
60min
Typical
90min
p95
150min
How much time do you have?
Enough for a typical visit (90 min).
Nothing else in our notes is a short enough walk from here for the time that is left.
Visit times are typical figures, not promises; queues and closing times can change them.
Inside, in order
Gate and ticket
10 minBuy the foreigner ticket and check bags.
East-bank terraces
30 minOverview of the temple and the ghats.
Ghats and side temples
30 minCremation platforms and small shrines; keep back.
Evening arati
20 minLamps and chants at dusk.
Step-free check, who it suits, facilities
Step-free check
- Step-free entrance: partly · partly
- Lifts: no · no
- Accessible toilet: check · check
- Wheelchair: no · no
- Stroller: no · nopoor
Slopes and stairs at the ghats; the main paths are paved.
Step-free route
- 1Not easily accessible: steps and slopes at the ghats.
- 2The east-bank terrace gives a view with fewer steps.
Facilities on site
| What | Status | Where / note |
|---|---|---|
| Toilets | yes | Near the gate (small fee). |
| Lockers or cloakroom | no | None. |
| Café or food | limited | Stalls near the gate. |
| Seating | limited | Steps and walls. |
Who it suits
| Traveler | Fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Culture travellers | good | A living centre of Hindu worship. |
| Photographers | ok | Dramatic light; strict rules on cremations. |
| Families | caution | Consider carefully. |
Skip it if
- You dislike public funerals.
- It is Maha Shivaratri and you dislike crowds.
With kids
- with kids
- Cremations and crowds may upset children; consider before you go.
- child price
- check
Combine with
Combine with
- 30 minBoudhanath
- 45 minDinner in Thamel · eat
Walk the Boudhanath area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes
Best photo time
Best photo time today
Sun times for today load in your browser.
| Spot | When | Rule on the spot |
|---|---|---|
| The temple from the east bank | Late afternoon | Do not photograph cremations. |
| Lamps at the arati | Dusk | Keep back and do not use flash. |
Deep dive
Questions, photos, and where our facts come from
Questions and answers
Questions and answers
Can I enter the main temple?
No; only Hindus may enter the inner temple.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
Is it suitable for children?
Cremations take place in public; think about it before bringing children.
Checked 2026-09-29 · Voykit desk
How long do I need?
About 90 minutes.
When is it busiest?
Maha Shivaratri and Mondays.
Photos
Deep dive
Sources
- secondaryWikivoyage
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Source: Price
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
Prices are 2026 estimates. The official site has the current price.
Source: Opening hours
Source: Best hour
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
The quietest window written into this guide. Crowd levels are desk estimates, not counts.
Source: Bag rating
Draft
Written from desk research. Not yet compared with the official source.
No official source is recorded for this figure.
Rated for the whole walking cluster, from desk research, not for this entrance.