Why go
- Capital and largest city in Nepal.
- Served by Simara Airport (SIF).
History
Kathmandu, locally known as Yẽn is the capital and largest city of Nepal, situated in the central part of the country within the Kathmandu Valley. The city is in Kathmandu District. Kathmandu is the main governmental, financial, industrial, and cultural centre of Nepal. As per the 2021 Nepal census, it has a population of 845,767 residing in 105,649 households, with approximately 4 million people in the surrounding metropolitan area. The city stands at an elevation of 1,324 metres (4,344 ft) above sea level. From ancient times until the medieval period, Kathmandu was known as Kantipur and is also referred to as Kasthamandap.
Restaurants & places to go
292 more places in the Ultimate edition. See the Ultimate edition →
Airports
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 27 airlines, 32 direct destinations
- Yeti Airways YT (J41) · 9 routes: Bhairawa, Bharatpur, Biratnagar, Chandragarhi, Dhangarhi, Janakpur, Nepalgunj, Pokhara, Tumling Tar
- Royal Nepal Airlines RA (757) · 4 routes: Bangkok, Doha, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur
- Air India Limited AI (A321, A319, A320) · 3 routes: Delhi, Kolkata, Varanasi
- Air China CA (A319, 330) · 2 routes: Chengdu, Lhasa
- Druk Air KB (A319, ATR) · 2 routes: Delhi, Thimphu
- Fly Dubai FZ (737-800) · 2 routes: Dubai, Dubai
- Jet Airways 9W (737-800, 737-900) · 2 routes: Delhi, Mumbai
- Air Arabia G9 (A320) · 1 route: Sharjah
- AirAsia X D7 (330) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- Biman Bangladesh Airlines BG (313) · 1 route: Dhaka
- Cathay Pacific CX (A330-300) · 1 route: Dhaka
- China Eastern Airlines MU (737) · 1 route: Kunming
- China Southern Airlines CZ (A319) · 1 route: Guangzhou
- Dragonair KA (A330-300) · 1 route: Dhaka
- Etihad Airways EY (A320) · 1 route: Abu Dhabi
- IndiGo Airlines 6E (A320) · 1 route: Delhi
- Korean Air KE (777-200) · 1 route: Seoul
- Malaysia Airlines MH (737-800) · 1 route: Kuala Lumpur
- Oman Air WY (737-800) · 1 route: Muscat
- Pakistan International Airlines PK (310) · 1 route: Karachi
- Qatar Airways QR (A320, A330-300) · 1 route: Doha
- SilkAir MI (A320) · 1 route: Singapore
- Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (A320) · 1 route: Singapore*
- Spicejet SG (737) · 1 route: Delhi
- Thai Airways International TG (777) · 1 route: Bangkok
- Turkish Airlines TK (330, A330-200) · 1 route: Istanbul
- United Airways 4H (ATR 72) · 1 route: Dhaka
Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.
Where things are
Photographs
credit: Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons · See source page
When to go
The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.
Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.
Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.
Getting there & around
Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Simara Airport (SIF); 3 other airports serve the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: KTM has direct flights to 32 destinations on 27 airlines (incl. Delhi, Dhaka, Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Doha…).
Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for Kathmandu, Nepal. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.
Private aviation
On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.