Swayambhunath and Boudhanath: how to visit Kathmandu's great stupas with a guide
4 min read
The short answer
The two big stupas are two different outings. Swayambhunath sits on a hill above the city and is reached by a long staircase; Boudhanath is a flat, round plaza where people walk around the dome. For most visitors the 2 Stupas and Kopan Monastery Spiritual Tour is the easiest booking: it is a private tour by car with a licensed guide, hotel pickup and drop-off are listed, and its last stop is Boudhanath before the drive back. Swayambhunath is not part of it, so add the walking tour below or see it as part of the seven UNESCO sites in one day.
UNESCO lists both as part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage property, and says the Swayambhu ensemble includes the oldest Buddhist monument in the valley while the Bauddhanath ensemble includes the largest stupa in Nepal (UNESCO World Heritage Centre).
The three tours compared
| Tour | Duration | What it covers | Group type | From price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Stupas and Kopan Monastery Spiritual Tour + lunch | 4–5 hours | Jamchen Vijaya Stupa, Kopan Monastery, Boudhanath | Private | €3.08 per person | 4.8 / 5 from 141 reviews |
| Thamel and Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple) Walking Tour | 3 hours | Thamel streets, the climb to Swayambhunath | Private or small groups, maximum 5 | €10.82 per person | 4.9 / 5 from 32 reviews |
| Sacred Pashupatinath: Aarati, Cremation Rites & Boudha Stupa | 2–5 hours | Boudhanath and Pashupatinath | Private or small groups | €9.56 per person | 5.0 / 5 from 25 reviews |
Swayambhunath on foot
The walking tour starts at the Pumpernickel Bakery in Thamel, not at your hotel, and returns there. The page describes about 20 minutes of walking through Thamel, then the approach past the Bijeshwari temple area and a climb of 365 stone steps with monkeys on the way. The page puts roughly 40 minutes at the Swayambhunath temple itself. The entrance fee to Swayambhunath is listed as included, and meals and drinks as not included. The page lists it as not suitable for children under 10, people with a low level of fitness, babies under 1 year and people over 95. If the steps are a problem, this is the wrong tour.
Boudhanath, with or without Kopan
On the Kopan tour the page lists a car ride of about 25 minutes to Jamchen Vijaya Stupa, an hour there, 30 minutes to Kopan Monastery, an hour there, another 30 minutes to Boudhanath and an hour at the stupa, then 30 minutes back. Lunch is described as something you can buy along the way, so it is not part of the price. The description says the tour is about quiet, observation and meditation rather than sightseeing at speed. Before booking, ask the provider whether entrance fees are covered; the Pashupatinath tour below names NRs 400 for Boudhanath.
On the Pashupatinath tour the page lists hotel pickup and drop-off and a guided visit at Boudhanath “on selected options only”. The page names the entry fees for both sites, NRs 1000 at Pashupati and NRs 400 at Boudha, and the itinerary marks both stops “Extra fee”, so budget for them on top of the price. Another passage says the guide meets you at the Pashupatinath ticket counter and that you arrange your own transport, which conflicts with the pickup line: read the option description before paying. For the evening ceremony and the cremation ghats, see our Pashupatinath guide.
Who should skip these
The Kopan tour lists people with mobility impairments and wheelchair users as unsuitable, and the page also asks for ID or a passport copy and bans large bags. The Pashupatinath tour lists children under 12 and people with respiratory issues as not suitable, and the page says drones, alcohol and drugs are not allowed.
Our recommendation
Book the Kopan and Boudhanath tour for a calm half day, and the Swayambhunath walking tour on another day if you are fit enough for the steps. Prefer the Pashupatinath and Boudhanath day only if the cremation ghats are what you came for. More options sit in the UNESCO sites and city tours category.
