Kirtipur

Kirtipur is a town in the Kathmandu Valley of Nepal, 5 km southwest of Kathmandu on a rocky hill between 1,300-1,500 m in elevation. It is one of the oldest settlements in the valley, and was an ancient capital of Nepal.

Get in

• Bus - leave from the Ratna Park bus station in Kathmandu. The trip will take about 30 minutes and should cost less than ₨. 50.
• Taxi - cost should be negotiable between ₨. 500-1,000.
• Mountain Bike - a trip of about 1 hr, turning off the Ring Road at Balkhu, following the paved road (Dakchhinkali Road)south towards Chobar, turning west onto the Kirtipur Ring Road.
• Walk - Kirtipur is just west of the Bagmati river from Patan and can be reached on foot in about 2 hr.

Get around

Once you are in the town everything can be reached on foot.

See

• 1 Uma Maheshwar Temple (west of the main square just past the Ganesh shrine). A Hindu Temple that was built in 1673; it lost the original fourth roof in the 1934 earthquake. 
• 2 Town Square. A Narayan Temple is at the centre with lions and griffons. 
• 3 Bagh Bhairab Temple (just north of the main square). Hindu temple; large collection of spears and shields dating from a massive defeat by Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1768. 

Do

• 1 Chandragiri Hills Cable Car, Chandragiri, ☏ +977 1-4312515. Daily 7AM-9PM. Ascent aboard gondolas to the top of Chandragiri Hills for majestic views of Kathmandu and Himalayas (on a clear day at least) and a Hindu temple. 
• 2 Tribhuwan Park, Thankot, Kathmandu (from old bus park, 1 or 2 hour by local vehicles). One of the big parks in the western part of the Kathmandu. (updated Mar 2015)

Buy

Kirtipur has little commerce directed at tourists, but visitors will enjoy walking through the local markets. Most market activity takes place at the foot of the Kirtipur hill with the temples and other cultural sites on the top of the hill.

Eat and drink

• 1 SASA Newari Restaurant, Ring Road, Kirtipur, ☏ +977 1 433 6770. 10:00-21:30. Cash only; Wi-Fi available. 
• 2 Kirtipur View Point Restaurant (Across the street from the Ganesh Temple). Offers Newari and international dishes. Dishes from ₨. 100. 
• 3 Newa Lahana (southwest of the village square). Newari food served in Newari style with waiters in Newari dress. 

Sleep

Although Kirtipur is close to Kathmandu, it's far enough away to have cleaner air and so might make a nice location for a night's stay.

• 1 Kirtipur Hillside Hotel, ☏ +977 1 433 4010, info@kirtipurhillside.com.np. large rooms, some with views toward the mountains; restaurant. Rooms with bathroom starting at US$20; without bathroom starting at US$15. 

Connect

Wi-Fi will be available at most hotels and lodges as well as restaurants and cafes.

Mobile phone coverage is good within the valley.

Go next

Kirtipur is just across the Bagmati river from Patan and its Durbar Square, one of UNESCO's World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley.

Explore some of the many villages in the Kathmandu Valley.

Visit Kathmandu, perhaps as a day trip from the relative quiet of Kirtipur. The capital city has three World Heritage sites within its boundaries and two more in neighbouring cities.