# Cultural Tours in Nepal ## Cultural tours in Nepal Nepal's living culture is as remarkable as its mountains. Our **cultural tours** explore the UNESCO-listed temples and royal cities of the **Kathmandu Valley**, the Buddhist heritage of **Boudhanath**, **Namo Buddha** and **Lumbini**, the history of **Gorkha** and the Newar hill town of **Bandipur**, the tea gardens of **Ilam**, and the food and festivals of the Newar community. Our guides are local historians and storytellers who bring each place to life, and every tour can be tailored. - **Heritage:** Kathmandu, Patan, Bhaktapur, Gorkha - **Spiritual:** Buddhist and Hindu pilgrimage sites - **Living culture:** food, festivals, homestays ## Trips - [Nepal Tour: Kathmandu, Pokhara & Chitwan](https://himalayanhiking.com/nepal-tour-kathmandu-pokhara-chitwan.md): 8 days, Easy, max 2,175 m / 7,136 ft (Nagarkot), from US$890. This Nepal tour package is an 8-day private journey through the country's highlights: the UNESCO World Heritage temples and royal squares of the Kathmandu Valle... - [Kathmandu Valley Heritage Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/kathmandu-valley-heritage-tour.md): 3 days, Easy, max 2,175 m / 7,136 ft (Nagarkot), from US$290. The Kathmandu Valley heritage tour is a 3-day private tour of all seven monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site: Swayambhunath, Kathma... - [Lumbini Tour: Birthplace of Buddha](https://himalayanhiking.com/lumbini-buddhist-pilgrimage-tour.md): 4 days, Easy, max 1,400 m / 4,593 ft (Kathmandu), from US$490. The Lumbini tour takes you to the birthplace of Lord Buddha, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the Terai plains of southern Nepal. Visit the Maya Devi Temple with... - [Panauti and Namo Buddha Cultural Hike](https://himalayanhiking.com/panauti-namo-buddha-hike.md): 2 days, Easy, max About 1,750 m / 5,741 ft (Namo Buddha), from US$140. The Panauti and Namo Buddha hike is an easy 2-day cultural trip from Kathmandu. Explore the medieval Newar town of Panauti, with its temples and quiet brick lan... - [Kathmandu Sightseeing Day Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/kathmandu-sightseeing-day-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,593 ft, from US$75. The Kathmandu sightseeing day tour covers four of the Kathmandu Valley's UNESCO World Heritage monuments in one full day with a licensed guide and private vehic... - [Gorkha and Bandipur Cultural Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/gorkha-bandipur-cultural-tour.md): 3 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,593 ft, from US$290. The Gorkha and Bandipur cultural tour turns the journey from Kathmandu to Pokhara into a three-day adventure through Nepal's history. Ride the Manakamana cable... - [Nepal Highlights Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/nepal-highlights-tour.md): 12 days, Easy, max About 2,175 m / 7,136 ft (Nagarkot), from US$1,390. The Nepal highlights tour is a 12-day journey through the best of Nepal without a long trek. Explore Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, watch sunrise over the Hima... - [Ilam Tea Garden and Kanchenjunga Sunrise Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/ilam-tea-garden-tour.md): 4 days, Easy, max About 2,300 m / 7,546 ft (Antu Danda), from US$590. The Ilam tea garden tour takes you to the green hills of eastern Nepal, next to Darjeeling, for four days of tea, mountains and quiet villages. Fly to Bhadrapur... - [Kathmandu Food Tour and Cooking Class](https://himalayanhiking.com/kathmandu-food-tour-cooking-class.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,593 ft, from US$65. The Kathmandu food tour and cooking class is a delicious way to spend a day in the city. In the morning, walk through the old bazaars of Asan and Indra Chowk wi... - [Buddhist Heritage Tour of Nepal](https://himalayanhiking.com/buddhist-heritage-tour-nepal.md): 7 days, Easy, max About 1,750 m / 5,741 ft (Namo Buddha), from US$790. The Buddhist heritage tour of Nepal is a 7-day journey to the most important Buddhist sites in the country. Visit the great stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhana... - [Bhaktapur and Patan Day Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/bhaktapur-patan-day-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,593 ft, from US$80. The Bhaktapur and Patan day tour visits two of the three old royal cities of the Kathmandu Valley in one full day with a licensed guide. In the morning, explore... - [Pashupatinath Evening Aarati and Boudhanath Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/pashupatinath-evening-aarati-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,593 ft, from US$45. The Pashupatinath evening aarati and Boudhanath tour shows Kathmandu at its most atmospheric. Walk the evening kora around Boudhanath stupa as the butter lamps... - [Kirtipur, Bungamati and Khokana Village Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/kirtipur-bungamati-khokana-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,593 ft, from US$60. The Kirtipur, Bungamati and Khokana village tour explores the traditional Newar world just beyond Kathmandu. Visit the hilltop town of Kirtipur, the Chobhar Gor... - [Bandipur Overnight Trip](https://himalayanhiking.com/bandipur-overnight-trip.md): 2 days, Easy, max About 1,030 m / 3,380 ft, from US$150. The Bandipur overnight trip takes you to one of Nepal's most charming towns, a car-free Newar bazaar on a ridge above the Prithvi Highway. Wander the old lanes,... - [Lumbini Day Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/lumbini-day-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 150 m / 490 ft, from US$70. The Lumbini day tour explores the birthplace of the Buddha with an expert guide: the Maya Devi Temple with its marker stone, the Ashoka Pillar, the sacred pool,... - [Patan Heritage Walk](https://himalayanhiking.com/patan-heritage-walk.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,350 m / 4,430 ft, from US$40. The Patan heritage walk explores Patan, the city of fine arts, on foot with a local guide: Patan Durbar Square, the Patan Museum, the Golden Temple, hidden Budd... - [Swayambhunath Sunrise Walk](https://himalayanhiking.com/swayambhunath-sunrise-walk.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,420 m / 4,660 ft, from US$25. The Swayambhunath sunrise walk takes you to Kathmandu's oldest Buddhist stupa at the most beautiful time of day. Climb the steep eastern stairway past stone Bud... - [Bhaktapur Half-Day Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/bhaktapur-half-day-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,400 m / 4,590 ft, from US$40. The Bhaktapur half-day tour explores the best-preserved of the Kathmandu Valley's three royal cities. Walk through Bhaktapur Durbar Square with its 55-Window Pa... - [Kathmandu Old-Town Walking Tour](https://himalayanhiking.com/kathmandu-old-town-walking-tour.md): 1 days, Easy, max About 1,350 m / 4,430 ft, from US$30. The Kathmandu old-town walking tour follows the ancient trade route from Thamel to Kathmandu Durbar Square through the busiest, most atmospheric bazaars in the... ## Cultural tours in Nepal: the complete guide Nepal is one of the most culturally rich countries in Asia. Hinduism and Buddhism have lived side by side here for more than two thousand years, and dozens of ethnic communities, from the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley to the Sherpas of the Khumbu and the Tharus of the plains, keep their own languages, festivals, food and crafts. A **cultural tour of Nepal** takes you into this living heritage: medieval royal cities, great stupas, pilgrimage sites, hill towns and villages. This guide covers the main cultural destinations, festivals, etiquette and how to plan a cultural trip. ## The Kathmandu Valley The valley's three old royal cities, **Kathmandu**, [Patan](/places/patan) and [Bhaktapur](/places/bhaktapur), were once rival kingdoms ruled by the Malla kings, whose Newar craftsmen built palaces, pagoda temples and courtyards of extraordinary beauty. Together with [Swayambhunath](/places/swayambhunath), [Boudhanath](/places/boudhanath-stupa), [Pashupatinath](/places/pashupatinath-temple) and [Changunarayan](/places/changunarayan-temple), they form seven monument zones on the UNESCO World Heritage List. Our [Kathmandu Valley heritage tour](/kathmandu-valley-heritage-tour) covers all of them in three days. If you prefer to explore on foot, see our [heritage walks](/category/heritage-walks-in-nepal). ## Buddhist Nepal Nepal is the birthplace of the Buddha. In [Lumbini](/places/lumbini), a pillar erected by the emperor Ashoka marks the spot where Siddhartha Gautama was born, surrounded by a garden of monasteries built by Buddhist countries from around the world. In the Kathmandu Valley, the stupas of Boudhanath and Swayambhunath are among the holiest Buddhist sites outside Tibet, and the monasteries of Kopan and Namo Buddha welcome visitors. See our [Buddhist heritage tour](/buddhist-heritage-tour-nepal). ## Hill towns and old trading posts Between Kathmandu and Pokhara, old Newar trading towns perch on ridges with Himalayan views. [Bandipur](/places/bandipur) is car-free and beautifully preserved; [Gorkha](/places/gorkha-durbar) was the home of King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified Nepal in the 18th century; [Tansen](/places/tansen-palpa) is famous for dhaka cloth; and [Panauti](/places/panauti) has some of the oldest temples in the country. See our [Gorkha and Bandipur cultural tour](/gorkha-bandipur-cultural-tour). ## Living cultures of the hills and mountains In the hills, you can visit **Gurung** villages such as [Ghandruk](/places/ghandruk), follow the [Tamang Heritage Trail](/tamang-heritage-trail-trek) near the Tibetan border, or meet **Sherpa** families in the Khumbu. In Upper Mustang, the walled city of [Lo Manthang](/places/lo-manthang-upper-mustang) preserves one of the purest Tibetan Buddhist cultures anywhere. See our [village tours and homestays](/category/village-and-homestay-tours). ## Festivals Timing your trip with a festival is one of the best ways to experience Nepali culture. - **Dashain** (September/October): Nepal's biggest Hindu festival, with family gatherings, kites and swings. See our [Dashain guide](/blog/dashain-festival-guide). - **Tihar** (October/November): the festival of lights, honouring crows, dogs, cows and siblings. See our [Tihar guide](/blog/tihar-festival-guide). - **Bisket Jatra** (April): chariot pulling in Bhaktapur at the Nepali New Year. - **Indra Jatra** (September): masked dances and the Kumari's chariot procession in Kathmandu. - **Tiji** (May): masked dances in Lo Manthang. - **Buddha Jayanti** (April/May): the Buddha's birthday, celebrated at the stupas and in Lumbini. Read more in our [festivals of Nepal guide](/blog/festivals-of-nepal). ## Food as culture Food is central to every Nepali festival and family gathering. Try **dal bhat**, the national meal, Tibetan-style **momos**, Newari feasts of bara, chatamari and choila, Thakali set meals in the Kali Gandaki, and Bhaktapur's **juju dhau**. Our [food tour and cooking class](/kathmandu-food-tour-cooking-class) is a delicious introduction. See our [Nepali food guide](/blog/nepali-food-guide). ## Crafts Watch potters on **Pottery Square** in Bhaktapur, bronze casters in Patan, woodcarvers in Bungamati and thangka painters in Boudhanath. See [traditional crafts of Nepal](/category/traditional-crafts-of-nepal) and our [shopping guide](/blog/shopping-in-nepal-souvenir-guide). ## Etiquette - Dress modestly, covering shoulders and knees, especially at temples. - Remove shoes before entering temples and homes, and leather items where requested. - Walk clockwise around stupas, chortens and mani walls. - Some Hindu temples, including the main temple at Pashupatinath, are open only to Hindus. - Ask before photographing people, rituals and cremations. - Use your right hand to give and receive things. ## Best time for a cultural tour Cultural tours run all year. Autumn (October–November) has clear skies and the big festivals; spring (March–April) is warm with flowers; winter is cool and quiet; and in the monsoon, the Kathmandu Valley is green, with fewer visitors. ## Book a cultural tour with Himalayan Hiking Our guides are local experts who love sharing their culture. Choose a tour from this page, or [contact us](/contact-us) to plan a trip around a festival, a region or your interests. ## Frequently asked questions ### What is the best cultural tour in Nepal? The **Kathmandu Valley** heritage sites are essential; add **Lumbini**, **Bandipur** or a **homestay** for more depth. ### Can I see festivals on a tour? Yes, plan around **Dashain**, **Tihar**, **Holi** or **Indra Jatra**. ### Are cultural tours suitable for families? Yes, most are easy and varied. ### Can I combine a cultural tour with a trek? Yes, many guests add a short trek. ### What should I wear? Modest clothing for temples and comfortable shoes. Web page: https://himalayanhiking.com/category/cultural-tours-in-nepal