Patan from Kathmandu: The 15 Best Tours Across the River

1.Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square Day Tours

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 122 reviews · from $50Our pick

Visit Bhaktapur’s Dattatraya, Taumadhi, and Durbar squares, then explore Patan Durbar Square and its 12th-century Golden Temple. A private air-conditioned vehicle and English-speaking guide are included. Guide Rajendra Manandhar is praised for patient historical explanations and help with photos. Allow 6 to 8 hours, and budget separately for monument tickets, food, and drinks.

“We have visited tei cities. Patan and bhaktapur. Our guide, Rajendra Manandhar, was kind, patient and very aknowledges. He told us a lot about the history and also took pictures of us. I can truly reccomend. Thank you for this great experience.”

Check availability →Read our full review

2.Private Patan and Bhaktapur Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 64 reviews · from $49

Take a six-hour private tour from your Kathmandu hotel to Patan and Bhaktapur, with an English-speaking guide and private transport. Explore Patan Durbar Square, then see Bhaktapur’s Nyathapole Temple, Golden Gate, and 55 Window Palace. Guides named in guest feedback include Shankar Bhattarai and Dishee, though your guide may differ. Entrance fees and food are extra.

“Very historical and cultural tour. Shankar Bhattarai is a great guide, very friendly and polite. He provided us all the historical information from the different visited sites. He also adapted the tour according to our preferences.”

Check availability →Read our full review

3.Patan and Bhaktapur City Full Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 24 reviews · 6 hours · from $50

Take a private tour from your Kathmandu hotel to Patan and Bhaktapur, with an English- or Spanish-speaking guide and air-conditioned transport. See Patan’s palace courtyards and 12th-century Golden Temple, then Bhaktapur’s Durbar and Taumadhi squares. Guides Siri and Rajendra have led tours here, but confirm who will guide your visit.

“Very good day tour. My guide Siri was knowledgeble about culture and history and we had a lot of time for questions, photo stops and some shopping. I also could decide when I wanted to have lunch. Would highly recommend!”

Check availability →Read our full review

4.City tour of Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Square

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 20 reviews · from $110

Spend about eight hours exploring Patan and Bhaktapur with a private guide and hotel transfers. See the UNESCO-listed Durbar Squares, Krishna Mandir, Nyatapola Temple, and the 55-Window Palace, then view Newari art at Patan Museum. Guides who have led the tour include Kabita and Shanti Karki. Admission fees and meals cost extra.

“I enjoyed this trip very much. Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Square are a "must see". I especially liked Bhaktapur with its ancient little streets and beautiful temples. Taumadhi Square is exceptional as well as the Pottery square (for pottery lovers). Our tour guide was excellent”

Check availability →Read our full review

5.Patan Heritage Tour – Private/Small Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 14 reviews · from $5Best value

Walk from Patan Dhoka through lanes and courtyards to the Golden Temple, Patan Durbar Square, and Patan Museum. An English-speaking guide explains Newar Buddhist traditions, local stories, and the city’s architecture. Groups are capped at five, the tour lasts about three hours, and entry fees are extra.

“It was the first time I used the services of a guide while traveling and Santos set a high bar! Not only is he passionate and knowledgeable about Nepal, he really tailored the trip to our interests. Santos was charming company throughout thRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

6.Kathmandu and Patan Heritage and Living Goddess Experience Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 12 reviews · from $50

In about two and a half hours, a private guide leads you past Shree Gha, through a local market, and into Kathmandu Durbar Square to see temples, a museum, and Kumari’s residence. The tour includes the square’s entrance fee. Guides who have led the operator’s city walks include Badri and Sovit, though your assigned guide is not specified.

“Sovit was pretty cool and knowledgeable. Looking forward to booking another your with him.”

Check availability →Read our full review

7.Patan & Bhaktapur Durbar Square Tour with Lunch – Private/Group

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 11 reviews · from $5

Spend four to five hours touring Patan and Bhaktapur with a private English-speaking guide and air-conditioned hotel transfers. See Patan’s Krishna Mandir and Golden Temple, then Bhaktapur’s 55-Window Palace, Nyatapola Temple and Pottery Square. A lunch box is included; monument entry costs extra. Guides and drivers named on past outings include Sajini, Sajina, Dipendra and Surdash, but assignments can vary.

“Very good half day visit of Bhaktapur Safe drive with on time pickup. Good explanation of the site with the complete visit. I would recommend”

Check availability →Read our full review

8.Nagarkot Sunrise, Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Square Tour in Kathmandu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $130

Leave your Kathmandu hotel at 4:00 am for Nagarkot’s sunrise viewpoint, then visit Bhaktapur and Patan’s palace squares, temples, and courtyards with a professional guide. Private transport and pickup inside the Ring Road are included. Clear skies can reveal Everest; weather, early hours, and about $20 to $22 in entry fees are part of the calculation.

“The sunrise tour was incredible! I don't know how our driver managed that mountain! My guide was so personable and gave me time to view everything. I would love to do it again.”

Check availability →Read our full review

9.Bhaktapur darbar, Patan Darbar square & Changu Narayan in 1 day

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 10 reviews · from $50

Spend about 5 to 8 hours visiting Bhaktapur and Patan Durbar Squares and Changu Narayan Temple with a private English-speaking guide and driver. Hotel pickup and drop-off are included. Guide Prakash has been praised for connecting local history with daily life, though you should confirm who will lead your tour.

“Exception guide, Prakash, he was so informative it created a wonderful way of exploring and learning the history and daily life of Bhaktapur and Patan for us. Chanygu Narayan temple was beautiful to visit and not many people so it was peaceful.”

Check availability →Read our full review

10.Kathmandu Bhaktapur Patan Authentic Local Tour +7 UNESCO WH Sites

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 7 reviews · from $385

Explore Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan over three days with a private vehicle and a local guide, including Newar food, pottery, carving, temples, and old markets. Guides named Nirajan, also written as Niranjan, and Kamal have led tours. Meals and accommodation are not included, and one of the advertised seven UNESCO sites is not named in the route, so confirm the full itinerary before booking.

“We really enjoyed being at the heart and rare corners of those ancient towns. Bhaktapur and Patan won our heart as the locals tried to keep these places intact despite huge modernization pressure in the region. Our local expert Mr. Nirajan toRead more”

Check availability →Read our full review

11.Private Patan and Bhaktapur Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 6 reviews · 6 hours · from $39

This six-hour private tour pairs Patan’s palace square, museum, Krishna Temple, and Golden Temple with Bhaktapur’s palace, temple squares, and pottery quarter. An English-speaking guide and private vehicle are included, but entrance fees and meals are extra. You’ll see Newari woodcarving and metalwork, with time to walk and shop along the way.

“Tour meraviglioso! Patan e Bhaktapur sono città affascinanti, ricche di storia e cultura. La guida è stata eccezionale, molto preparata e attenta ai dettagli. Organizzazione perfetta e atmosfera autentica. Un’esperienza che consiglierei a chiunque visiti Kathmandu!”

Check availability →Read our full review

12.Private Day Tour: Patan and Bhaktapur from Kathmandu

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · from $105

Spend about seven hours exploring Patan and Bhaktapur with a licensed private guide and vehicle. Walk through palace courtyards, see Krishna Mandir and Bhaktapur’s Golden Gate and 55-Window Palace, watch carpet weaving at a Tibetan handicraft center, and make time for lunch in Bhaktapur. Hotel pickup, drop-off, entry fees, bottled water, and WiFi are included.

“Great private tour which covered all the highlights of the two cities with a very informative tour guide.”

Check availability →Read our full review

13.Private Bhaktapur and Patan Sightseeing Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · 6 hours · from $45

A private, six-hour tour from Kathmandu pairs Patan’s stone Krishna Mandir and royal square with Bhaktapur’s Golden Gate, carved palace windows, five-tier Nyatapola Temple, and pottery workshops. An English-speaking guide and air-conditioned vehicle are included. Guides Nilakantha and Sharmila have led the tour, though your guide may differ. Bring cash for monument fees.

“Our tour guide Nilakantha was absolutely fantastic. We learned so much about Nepalese and Hinduism history and culture. The tour gave us a great insight of the country in general and his English is absolutely perfect. His enthusiasm inspired us and we definitely want to know more about Nepal and Hinduism. We can highly recommend Nilakantha - one of the best tour guides we experienced!”

Check availability →Read our full review

14.Folklore and Everyday Life in Ancient Patan

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 5 reviews · from $65

Walk from Patan Dhoka to Swotha Square with a local guide, exploring Pimbahal, Nyakhachowk, and Nagbahal. Hear how Newar Buddhist and Tantric Hindu traditions shape daily life, and look for details in Patan’s courtyards, shrines, and architecture. Guides Sandip and Pinhua are named with the tour, though you should confirm who will lead your date. Patan Durbar Square is not included.

“Sandip is a great guide, who brings you to the nice, hidden gems in Patan. It is absolutely wonderful how much he can tell you about all the aspects of local culture, Hinduism & Buddhism.”

Check availability →Read our full review

15.Patan Tour – Half Day Sightseeing in Kathmandu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $65

Spend two to four hours exploring Patan’s royal square, Patan Museum, Golden Temple, Krishna Mandir, and Bhimsen Temple with an English-speaking guide. A private vehicle collects you within Kathmandu’s Ring Road, including Boudha. Guides Shanti and Som have been praised for clear explanations; ask if you can request either.

“We had an excellent tour of Patan with a very knowledgeable and professional tour guide, Som. We would never have known how to walk through all of the various buildings/temples without his expert guidance. We also learned a lot of the Read more”

Check availability →Read our full review