Bustling alleyways teem with street vendors, rickshaws and Buddhist monks as they wend their way around the magnificent temples, palaces and squares of Kathmandu.

Spend a week getting to know this captivating city or stop off on your way to Mount Everest.

Top things to see and do

• Enjoy the hustle and bustle around the palaces, temples and courtyards of the Durbar Square, the social hub of the city and a UNESCO World Heritage site.
• Relax among the fountains and pavilions in the Garden of Dreams, an Edwardian-inspired park in the heart of Kathmandu.
• Shop for fair trade paper, clothing and jewellery, handmade by local craftspeople at Mahaguthi.
• Sample Nepal’s national dish, daal bhaat (boiled rice with lentil sauce), along with a pot of sweet, milky Nepalese tea.
• Marvel at the architecture, historical treasures and hunting trophies in the Narayanhiti Palace Museum, formerly the home of Nepal’s royal family.

Tips for travellers

Follow in the footsteps of Sir Edmund Hillary on a trek to the Everest base camp. It’s only 40 minutes away by plane and there are plenty of tours operating out of Kathmandu.