Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square Day Tour

From US$651 DayUpdated Oct 6, 2026

At a glance: cost

The Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square Day Tour with The Everest Holiday costs $65 (Budget), $110 (Standard), or $150 (Luxury) per person for the 1-day trip.

Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square Day Tour price by tier
TierPrice (per person)
Budget$65
Standard$110
Luxury$150

Book with a 10% deposit; balance payable in Kathmandu. Full inclusions and group-discount tiers are below.

Quick Overview
Duration1 Day
Trip GradeEasy
CountryNepal
Maximum AltitudeAbout 1,400 m / 4,590 ft
Group Size1-20
StartsKathmandu
EndsKathmandu
ActivitiesCultural sightseeing at Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square
Best TimeSep to Nov and Feb to May

Swayambhunath sits on a hill above the city, and Kathmandu Durbar Square is the old royal heart of it. Together they make the classic first day in Kathmandu, with a licensed heritage guide who explains who built what and why it matters to the people who still use it.

It is a short day, about five hours with lunch. There are 365 stone steps up to the stupa on the main approach (a road also reaches the top), and cobbled lanes in the old city.

Why book with The Everest Holiday

Three Generations of Family Guides

Family-run since 2016 with three generations of guiding heritage. Not an agency — the family that runs the company leads your trek personally.

Private Group — No Strangers

Every trek we run is private. Your group only. We never combine bookings or add strangers to your party. If you book solo, you walk with a guide; if you book as four friends, your group stays four.

Nagarjun Learning Center Giveback

A fixed share of every booking funds the Nagarjun Learning Center — 70 children, 7 community centres, 3 full-time teachers, 600+ medical interventions, 275+ women supported. You can visit the centre before or after your trip; we arrange the visit separately.

Government Registered, TAAN Member

Govt Regd. No. 147653/072/073. Trekking Agency Licence 2090/072, Travel Agency Licence 2838/072. TAAN Member #1586. Over 300 reviews on TripAdvisor, Google and Trustpilot. We are a real, audited Nepal company — not a booking-platform middleman.

Itinerary

Day 01: Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square
Max Altitude: About 1,400 m / 4,590 ft
Expand All
Couldn't find what you're after?Reach out to our travel experts.
Customise Trip

Pricing & What's Included

  • Most Popular
Book your own private small group trip
No. of travellers
Price per person
1 pax
US$130
2 - 4 pax
US$65
5 - 8 pax
US$65
9 - 12 pax
US$60
13 - 20 pax
US$55

Discounts are determined exclusively by the size of your group. We do not add additional members to your group.

Book Now
hbl logo
Secure Payment by Himalayan Bank.
Cost Includes

Guide and transport

  • English-speaking licensed guide
  • Local shared vehicle with driver, from and back to your hotel

Entrance fees and taxes

  • Entrance fees for Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square
  • Government taxes and our service charge

Complimentary

  • First aid kit with pulse oximeter
  • Bottled water in the vehicle
Cost Excludes

Not included

  • Meals and drinks
  • Tips for the guide and driver
  • Personal expenses and shopping
  • Travel insurance (buy at home)
  • Hotel accommodation

Dates & Booking

Your trek, your choice, your price

Choose the style that suits you. Book a private departure on any date with just your party, or join a fixed group departure and trek with fellow adventurers from around the world. Same routes, same guides, same quality — 3 comfort tiers on both options. Per-person price follows our group-discount tiers based on YOUR party size (a couple pays less per pax than a solo trekker, 5+ pays less again) — the same tiers apply on both booking types.

Private Departure

  • Any date you choose
  • Just your party + dedicated guide
  • 3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
  • Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size

Fixed Group Departure

  • Scheduled dates (see below)
  • Join other trekkers from around the world
  • 3 comfort tiers (Budget, Standard, Luxury)
  • Per-pax price tier set by YOUR party size (same tier as Private)
Book Private DepartureView Group Departures ↓

Prefer email? Send a question and we will reply within a few hours.

Peak season (Sep–Nov) — our guides book up fast. Get in touch 6–8 weeks ahead to secure your preferred dates.

Other dates

Need a different date? Other dates are available on request. Contact us or message Shreejan on WhatsApp.

Fixed departures are dates we have already committed to run. Your party still treks as its own private group with its own guide; we never merge bookings or add strangers, and solo trekkers are welcome on any date. Private departures on any other date you choose are also available. On both, the per-person price is set by the size of your own party.

Questions about this trip?

Chat directly with Shreejan — our founder replies personally within minutes

WhatsApp Shreejan

Essential Information

Before you go

  • What to wear: comfortable shoes for cobbles and steps, and clothes that cover your shoulders and knees at temples.
  • Temples: shoes come off at some entrances. Leather items are not allowed inside a few Hindu temples.
  • Best months: September to November and February to May. Summer is hot and wet, winter mornings are cool and often hazy.
  • Documents: bring your passport.

Read before you go: Kathmandu Temples in One Day · Kathmandu Valley Day Tours Compared · How the Swayambhunath and Durbar Square Day Tour Runs

FAQs

Swayambhunath and Kathmandu Durbar Square. Both are UNESCO World Heritage monument zones of the Kathmandu Valley.
Yes. The fees for both sites are in your price. The official entrance fees for foreign visitors are set by the Nepal Tourism Board and are paid for you.
Yes, many. They are used to visitors but will take food and loose items, so keep snacks and sunglasses in a bag.
That day visits seven sites and is long. This one visits two and takes about five hours, so you have time at each.
Yes. Your guide is for your party only, so the sightseeing itself is private, and we never merge separate private bookings. Transport follows your tier: a local shared vehicle on Budget, a shared tourist vehicle on Standard and a private luxury vehicle on Luxury.
The sightseeing is the same on all three. Budget gives you a local shared vehicle, an English-speaking heritage guide and the entrance fees, with no meals. Standard adds a shared tourist vehicle, lunch with tea or coffee and a guide who speaks your language where we have one. Luxury gives you a private luxury vehicle, a senior heritage guide and lunch with all non-alcoholic drinks.
No. A child pays the same as an adult, because permits, hotels, a seat in the vehicle and taxes cost us the same for a child. Tell us the age of each child when you book so we can plan the days around them.
If we cannot run your trip, we refund what you have paid, less taxes, bank or card charges and any money already spent on your behalf, or move you to another date. If your plans change, you can reschedule free to any date within one year with at least 72 hours' notice. The deposit itself is not refunded if you cancel.
Yes. Buy travel insurance at home, before you travel, and check that it covers medical care and the dates of your trip. We do not recommend insurance bought in Nepal.
You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance before the trip. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card. We cover the card fee on the deposit. Paying the balance by card carries a 3.5% bank charge, and cash in Kathmandu has no fee.

It is USD 65 per person for 2 to 4 people on Budget, USD 110 on Standard and USD 150 on Luxury. On your own it is USD 130, 165 or 235, because the guide and transport are not shared. Larger groups pay less per person, and every price is on this page.

September to November and February to May give the clearest, driest days. The tour runs all year; in the summer monsoon expect some rain, mostly in the afternoons.