Kathmandu Spiritual Sites Tour: Boudhanath & Pashupatinath
Prayer wheels turn by hand, and the evening light ritual at Pashupatinath draws crowds of worshippers and visitors together.
A guided tour of Kathmandu's two major spiritual sites (Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple) both UNESCO World Heritage Sites. You start at Boudhanath to rotate prayer wheels and visit the monastery alongside local Buddhists, then move to Pashupatinath to witness sadhus, the evening Aarati offering of lights, and cremations along the Bagmati River. A local English-speaking guide leads the roughly 2 km walk across both temples, and the tour includes entrance fees to both sites. Groups stay under 12 people. Palm reader fees and alms to sadhus are optional and paid separately.
Options for this experience
2 optionsStep-by-step itinerary
Visit Boudhanath and Pashupatinath
- Meet at Thamel, Hotel Moonlight
- Drive to Boudhanath Stupa
- Rotate prayer wheels at Boudhanath
- Visit Boudhanath monastery
- Explore Pashupatinath Temple
- See sadhus and palm reader
- Witness cremations by Bagmati River
- Attend Aarati ritual at Pashupatinath
- Boudhanath Entry included 1h 25m
- Thamel 15m
- Pashupatinath Entry included 2h 20m
What’s included
- A local English-speaking guide leading both temples.
- entrance fees to Boudhanath Stupa and Pashupatinath Temple (both UNESCO World Heritage Sites).
- transportation from the Thamel meeting point to Boudhanath and from Pashupatinath back to your endpoint.
- participation in the evening Aarati ritual at Pashupatinath.
- a visit to a local palm reader (fees paid separately).
- tips on what else to see, do and eat during your stay in Kathmandu.
Times
- Every day 15:00
Before you book
Operated by Intrepid Urban Adventures - India
Prices and times updated today
Traveler reviews
The experience
The tour begins at Thamel, where you board a vehicle to Boudhanath Stupa, one of the largest stupas in the world and the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. Once there, you rotate the prayer wheels alongside local Buddhists, visit the monastery, and move through the site at the pace of the people who come here to practice. Your guide explains what you are seeing as you walk: the meaning of the stupa, the ritual of the kora (circumambulation), and how the site functions as both a pilgrimage destination and a living monastery.
From Boudhanath, you travel to Pashupatinath Temple, one of Hinduism's holiest shrines and another UNESCO World Heritage Site. The temple sits along the Bagmati River, and the day unfolds differently here. You watch sadhus, Hindu holy men, move through the grounds, and you can choose to have your future read by a local palm reader (fees paid directly to the reader). The cremation ceremony happens along the riverbank, a ritual central to Hindu practice that most visitors encounter for the first time here. Your guide provides context for what you are witnessing, helping you understand the significance rather than simply observe from a distance.
The tour centers on the evening Aarati: the offering of lights to the Lord at Pashupatinath Temple. This ritual draws both devotees and visitors, and you participate in the ceremony itself rather than watch it from behind a barrier. The guide handles logistics and timing so the day holds together without gaps. Transportation between sites is included, and entrance fees to both temples are built into the price. If you want to leave offerings of butter lamps at Boudhanath or give alms to sadhus, those costs are separate and optional, arranged with your guide's help in negotiating fair amounts.
Is this one for you?Choose the private tour if you want the flexibility to linger at either temple or ask your guide deeper questions without keeping a group on schedule. The small group option works better if you prefer shared conversation and want to split the guide cost. Either way, the fixed route and timed Aarati ritual mean the day holds together without you arranging transport between sites or worrying about missing the evening ceremony.
Compare the 12 alternatives
Top questions
Can children come?
Yes. Ticket types: Child (6 to 11 years); Infant (under 6).
What exactly is the Aarati ritual I'll see at Pashupatinath?
The Aarati is an evening offering of lights to the deity at Pashupatinath Temple, a ceremony where worshippers and visitors gather to participate in the ritual together. You are not standing apart from it, but part of the gathering.
Can I actually touch and rotate the prayer wheels at Boudhanath?
Yes. Rotating the prayer wheels is part of the tour, and you do it alongside local Buddhists who come to the stupa to practice. It is a hands-on part of the visit, not a viewing-only stop.
How much walking is involved across both temples?
The approximate walking distance across both Boudhanath and Pashupatinath is roughly 2 km, spread across the 4-hour tour, and the tour is suitable for all physical fitness levels.
Can I book this as a private tour, or does it run as a group?
You can choose between a private tour or a small group tour at checkout. Groups are capped at 12 people maximum, and both options include the same sites, guide and inclusions.
Are the palm reader and sadhu interactions included in the price?
Your guide will take you to meet a local palm reader and sadhus during the tour. Palm reader fees (roughly $7.50–$9 per person) and any alms to sadhus (around $7.50) are paid directly and optional, and your guide helps negotiate fair amounts.
Kathmandu Spiritual Sites Tour: Boudhanath & Pashupatinath
4h · EN
from US$ 60.56 per person
Next, you choose your date and number of travelers and see the final price.