Nepal mountains
TRIPBUDDY
Nepal's #1 travel platform
⭐ 4.9 rated
50,000+ travellers

Welcome back!

Login to access your bookings & deals

or continue with email

No account yet?

Welcome back! 👋
You're now logged in to TRIPBUDDY.

Create your account

Join 50,000+ travellers — it's free!

or sign up with email
🎁
Free member perks
Use code TRIP15 for 15% off your first booking · Exclusive deals · Saved trips

By signing up you agree to our Terms & Privacy Policy

Already have an account?

🎉
Welcome aboard!
Use code TRIP15 for 15% off your first booking

Google
Sign in with Google
Choose an account to continue to TripBuddy
Signing in with Google…
🎉 Special offer: Get 15% off on your first booking! Use code TRIP15  ·  Book Now →
TripBuddy
✈️Flights 🚌Buses 🛏️Hotels 🗺️Packages 🏷️Deals 🛂Visa
👥Group Booking 🗺️Trip Planner
Pashupatinath Temple golden spire on Bagmati River at dusk
Home / Explore Nepal / Pashupatinath
🕉 Nepal's Holiest Temple ⏱ Best Half to Full Day ★ 4.9 Rated

Pashupatinath

Nepal's most sacred Hindu shrine — where the Bagmati River meets eternity on its ancient banks

From Thamel
5 km
Founded
400 AD
Best Time
6 AM · 5 PM Aarti
Entry Fee
USD 10
🕉 Book This Tour 🗺 Plan My Itinerary
Scroll
🕉 About 📍 Places 🪔 Activities 🏨 Hotels 🗓 Itinerary 🍜 Food 💡 Tips 🗺 Map Book Tour →
About Pashupatinath

Where Life and Eternity Meet on the Bagmati River

Pashupatinath is not simply a temple — it is a living, sacred city spread across both banks of the holy Bagmati River. The gilded main temple, built in 5th-century pagoda style, rises above 518 shrines and statues. The Arya Ghats below it burn continuously; the smoke from cremation fires mingles with incense and the chanting of priests in a scene unchanged for 1,600 years.

🕉
UNESCO Heritage
World Heritage Site since 1979
🪔
Evening Aarti
Fire ceremony at 6 PM on the river
🧘
Ash-covered Sadhus
Holy men gather from across South Asia
🏛
518 Shrines
Sprawling complex across both riverbanks
400 AD
Temple Founded
518+
Shrines & Temples
4 hr
Ideal visit duration
USD 10
Foreigner entry
Evening aarti lamps on Bagmati River
🪔 Evening Aarti ceremony
Sadhu holy man Pashupatinath
🧘 Sadhus
Bagmati River ghats Pashupatinath
🌊 Bagmati Ghats
Sacred Sites

The Temple Complex

Key sites within the Pashupatinath precinct

Pashupatinath Temple main pagoda
⭐ Must See
Pashupatinath Mandir

Nepal's greatest Shiva temple — gilded roof, 5th-century pagoda. Non-Hindus view from opposite bank.

📍 Main temple · Open 4 AM–9 PM
Arya Ghat cremation ghats on Bagmati River
🔥 Sacred Ghats
Arya Ghat

Open-air cremation ghats — observe with silence and respect from the eastern bank

🌅 Best at dawn · 📍 Bagmati riverbank
Sadhus holy men on terraces Pashupatinath
🧘 Holy Men
Sadhu Terraces

Ash-covered Shaivite sadhus on the eastern terraces — ask permission before photos

📍 East bank · Always present
Bagmati River sunset Kathmandu
🌅 Spiritual
Bagmati Evening Aarti

Lamp-lighting ceremony at 6 PM daily on the river — the most spiritual 45 minutes in Kathmandu

Hindu shrines Pashupatinath complex
🛕 Shrine Walk
518 Shrines

Walk the full complex across both banks — statues, lingams and ancient carvings at every turn

Boudhanath stupa Kathmandu Nepal
🏛 Nearby
Boudhanath Stupa

Just 2 km away — the world's largest stupa makes a perfect half-day combo

Experiences

What to Do at Pashupatinath

From fire ceremonies to spiritual walks

Evening aarti fire ceremony Pashupatinath
⭐ #1 Experience
Evening Aarti
Priests perform fire and incense ceremony at 6 PM on the Bagmati — the most spiritual 45 min in Kathmandu
45 mins · 6 PM Free
Heritage walk temple complex Kathmandu
🚶 Walk
Heritage Temple Walk
Guided walk through 518 shrines and statues on both banks — plan 3 hours minimum
3 hrs NPR 1,500 guide
Sadhu holy man meditation Pashupatinath
🧘 Spiritual
Sadhu Encounters
Meet ash-covered Shaivite sadhus from across India and Nepal — many speak English and welcome conversation
Self-paced
Where to Stay

Best Hotels near Pashupatinath

Handpicked stays in Kathmandu near the temple complex

Hyatt Regency Kathmandu hotel
★ Luxury
Hyatt Regency
★★★★★
Closest 5-star to Pashupatinath — stunning temple views, infinity pool and a free shuttle to the complex each morning. Best option for spiritual tour groups.
from NPR 28,000/night
Book
Dwarika's Hotel heritage Kathmandu
Heritage
Dwarika's Hotel
★★★★★
A living museum built using reclaimed Newari brickwork and carved timbers. Walking distance from Pashupatinath, spiritually aligned architecture, and award-winning Fusion restaurant.
from NPR 22,000/night
Book
Mid-range hotel Kathmandu Thamel
Mid-range
Hotel Tibet Intl
★★★★
Well-run mid-range option 3 km from Pashupatinath in the Lazimpat diplomatic area. Clean rooms, Tibetan restaurant, and easy taxi access to both the temple and Thamel.
from NPR 6,500/night
Book
Thamel guesthouse budget Kathmandu
Budget
Thamel Guesthouses
★★★
Thamel's backpacker strip is 5 km from Pashupatinath but has the best budget options in Kathmandu. NPR 400 taxi each way. Social scene, rooftop cafés, and cheap dhal bhat all night.
from NPR 800/night
Book
Sample Plan

Pashupatinath Day Plan

Two ways to visit — half day or full cultural day

4:00 PM
🛕 Arrive & Explore
Enter from the western gate (pay USD 10). Walk the eastern bank first — you'll find the best views of the main temple across the river without entering the restricted zone. The crowd thins toward the back shrines; explore freely.
5:00 PM
🧘 Sadhu Terraces
Walk up to the terraced area on the eastern bank where ash-covered sadhus sit in meditation. Many are happy to talk — ask before photographing and offer a small donation (NPR 100–200) as thanks.
💡 Tip: The most photogenic sadhu spots are on the upper terrace, not the main ghat level.
5:30 PM
🔥 Arya Ghat
Position yourself on the stone steps overlooking Arya Ghat. Cremation is constant here — observe in respectful silence. It is a privilege to witness, not a spectacle. The smoke, the chanting and the river light create an atmosphere unlike anywhere on earth.
6:00 PM
🪔 Bagmati River Aarti
Priests light oil lamps, incense and conch shells to begin the 45-minute fire ceremony on the river. Hundreds gather. The reflection of flames in the dark Bagmati with the golden temple glowing behind — this is one of Nepal's great sights. Stay until the very end.
Half Day — Estimated Spend
Entry feeUSD 10 (~NPR 1,300)
Taxi from ThamelNPR 400–600
Sadhu donationNPR 100–200
Tea & snacksNPR 200
Total~NPR 2,500
6:00 AM
🌅 Dawn at Pashupatinath
The temple opens at 4 AM but 6 AM is ideal — morning mist on the river, pilgrims bathing, priests beginning rituals. The light is extraordinary and crowds are light. Spend 2 hours walking both banks.
💡 Tip: The morning aarti at 6 AM is smaller and more intimate than the famous evening one.
9:00 AM
🏛 Boudhanath Stupa
2 km by taxi (NPR 200). Walk the kora (circumambulation path) around the world's largest stupa as Tibetan monks spin prayer wheels. Breakfast at a rooftop café overlooking the stupa. Allow 2 hours.
12:00 PM
🍱 Newari Lunch in Bhaktapur
Drive 15 km to Bhaktapur (NPR 600 taxi). Try a traditional Newari lunch — Samay Baji feast with beaten rice, dried fish, spiced meat and local yoghurt in a courtyard restaurant. Then explore Bhaktapur Durbar Square.
6:00 PM
🪔 Evening Aarti (Return)
Return to Pashupatinath for the full evening aarti at 6 PM — even better after a full day's context. Dinner at a restaurant on the temple road then taxi back to Thamel.
Full Day — Estimated Spend
Pashupatinath entry (x2)NPR 2,600
Boudhanath entryNPR 400
Bhaktapur entryNPR 1,500
Taxis + transportNPR 1,500
Meals & teaNPR 1,200
Full day totalNPR 7,200
Local Flavours

Food Near Pashupatinath

Traditional Newari and Nepali dishes in the Kathmandu Valley

Dal Bhat traditional Nepali meal
Dal Bhat
Nepal's national meal — lentil soup with rice, vegetable curry, pickles and unlimited refills. Eaten twice daily by most Nepalis.
NPR 250–400
Nepali momo dumplings
Kathmandu Momo
Steamed or fried dumplings with buffalo or chicken filling — the street food of Kathmandu. Served with spicy tomato-sesame sauce.
NPR 150–250
Samay Baji Newari feast platter Nepal
Samay Baji
Traditional Newari feast platter — beaten rice, dried fish, spiced potatoes, black lentils, local buffalo meat and bara (lentil pancakes).
NPR 400–700
Yomari sweet rice dumpling Nepal festival food
Yomari
Newari sweet dumpling shaped like a fish — rice flour shell filled with chaku (molasses) and sesame. Made seasonally for the Yomari Punhi festival.
NPR 80–150
Practical Info

Visitor Tips

⚠️
Important
Non-Hindus cannot enter main temple
The central Pashupatinath Mandir is for Hindu devotees only. Non-Hindus have full access to all other shrines, ghats and the entire complex from the eastern bank.
🕕
Best Time
Visit at dusk for Aarti
The Bagmati River Aarti starts at 6 PM. Arrive 30 min early to get a spot on the stone viewing steps. The ceremony lasts 45 minutes.
📷
Photography
Respect at the ghats
Cremations are a sacred family ritual. Observe from a respectful distance and never photograph grieving families without explicit consent.
👗
Dress Code
Cover shoulders and knees
Sarongs are available to borrow at the entrance. Remove shoes before entering any shrine. Conservative dress shows respect and is enforced.
🎟
Entry Fee
USD 10 for foreigners
Foreign visitors pay USD 10 (~NPR 1,300). SAARC nationals pay NPR 250. Children under 10 enter free. Open 4 AM–9 PM daily.
🛺
Getting There
5 km from Thamel
Taxi costs NPR 400–600. Uber is available in Kathmandu. Easily combined with Boudhanath Stupa (2 km) in a single spiritual tour.
Kathmandu Valley temples at dusk
Book Kathmandu

Witness Nepal's Most Sacred Ritual

Kathmandu Valley cultural packages include Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Bhaktapur and Patan — from NPR 4,500 per person with an expert local guide.

Book This Tour 📞 Call Us
Location

Pashupatinath, Kathmandu

Pashupatinath Tour
From NPR 4,500
Book Now
Z
Zunkiree AI Trip Planner
Z
Zunkiree AI
by Zunkiree Labs

Hi traveller,

Tell me your plan —
I'll make it real

Share your dream trip with Zunkiree and our team at Zunkiree Labs will craft a personalized itinerary, find the best deals, and be ready to book.

Plan with Zunkiree Labs

Not sure where to start? Try one of these