Kathmandu Itinerary — 3 Days
A three-day Kathmandu Valley itinerary combining major heritage sites, neighborhood time and a realistic pace.
Three days in Kathmandu is enough for a strong introduction to the valley if you group sights geographically and avoid trying to visit every major monument in one day.
On day one, focus on central Kathmandu and Swayambhunath. Spend time walking rather than treating each site as a quick photo stop, and leave room for food or market time between major landmarks.
Day two works well for Boudhanath and Pashupatinath, two very different but important religious areas. Visit respectfully, follow photography restrictions and allow enough time to experience the surrounding neighborhoods.
Use day three for either Patan or Bhaktapur. Both offer dense historic cores, courtyards and traditional architecture, and each deserves more than a rushed stop on the way somewhere else.
Traffic can make cross-valley travel unpredictable, so avoid scheduling distant sights back-to-back. If you have an early international departure after the three days, keep the final evening relatively light.