Looking for a way to get from Kathmandu to Kirtipur?
You have come to the right place!
I have always loved Kirtipur. When we just moved to Nepal, it was one of the very first places I truely fell in love with. I was so enamoured with the little streets, the temples and the calmness of the place. Sure it was a lot of walking uphill and there are a LOT of stairs, but in the end it is worth it to see the amazing views and explore the beautiful temples (more about this in my article on the best places to visit in Kirtipur.)
In this article I will explain from my own experience how to get to Kirtipur. Although I would always recommend hailing a taxi or using an app like Pathao or InDriver, I know some people might want to get a transfer, walk or even take a local bus. That is why I will try and be as detailed as possible in my explanation to help you get from Kirtipur to Kathmandu.
Tip: if you are not very comfortable making your own way from Kathmandu to Kirtipur – that’s fine! There are lots of tours to Kirtipur you can take to explore and discover this amazing historical city. These tours often include transport to Kirtipur!
Kathmandu to Kirtipur by bus
I have never really liked taking the bus in Nepal, but I know people who do.
Busses are overall quite busy and cramped, and don’t forget that bus drivers are often super crazy drivers. I get car sick and thus the constant stopping, haggling, screaming and crazy driving are not my cup of tea.
But if you want to go from Kathmandu to Kirtipur by bus you totally can.
Tip: if you want to use the bus it’s best you speak a little bit of Nepali. I would recommend getting a phrase book like the Lonely Planet phrasebook and dictionary because it will honestly come in clutch!
The local bus network is called Sajha Yatayat. You will recognise these busses immediately as they are bright green. Some of them are even electric! You can find information on their website but I always find it super confusing.
I would recommend heading over to the Ratna Park Bus Station. This incredibly busy bus station migh seem a bit overwhelming (even to me and I have lived here for 4 years) but all you need to do is either look out for the busses that display a sign for Kirtipur
There’s something wonderfully authentic about hopping on a local bus in Kathmandu, bound for the charming town of Kirtipur. It will look like this in Nepali: कीर्तिपुर
If you are not sure, just try and ask someone. If that fails, try screaming your destination with a helpless look in your eyes. Trust me, it seems weird but it does work. There is always a nice local happy to help.
A one way trip will cost you about 20 to 30 NPR and the trip itself usually takes about 30 minutes depending on traffic.
When leaving from Patan you can head to the Lagankhel Bus Station. Although this bus station is a bit better organised, the same applies here: either look for the sign, ask for a local, or look helpless and scream kirtipur.
Note: You do not need to take a Sajha Yatayat. In fact, there probably will be private busses, minibusses or even three wheelers that are able to take you to Kirtipur. The only advice I would have is: make sure the driver knows where you want to go to and that you are sure you are on the correct bus.
Taxi or Ride-hailing Service
Honestly I would recommend taking a taxi. If you are a tourist, it is really not worth it trying to save a few dollars trying to navigate the crazy bus system in Nepal.
You can either choose to barter with a taxi driver outside of your hotel or in the street, or you can use Pathao or InDriver if you picked up a Sim Card in the Airport on your way out of arrivals. (If you want a complete guide to the airport you can read my in-depth guide here). I myself mostly use Pathao.
Leaving from Kathmandu you will most likely pay betwen 500 and 650 NPR for a one way trip and your journey will take about 15 to 20 minutes if the traffic isn’t bad. You will most likely take the ring road and traffic on the ring road is very rarely bad.
Do be careful as taking a taxi back from the top of Kirtipur can be hard. I would always recommend heading to Kirtipur naya bazar gumba or Kirtipur Ring Road (don’t worry, it’s a one lane road with shops, hardly a ring road) to grab a Pathao. I would recommend getting a Pathao or InDriver because taxis are not always available in the area (or you will need to wait a good while).
Since Pathao and InDriver are apps be careful not to drain the battery of your phone. I have been in the situation a few times where I had to get a pathao from a rather remote part of the valley. No taxis available to flag down and a dead phone in my pocket. I now always carry a power bank with me. I love this one from Anker because it charges my phone quite quickly and I can use it at least three times before I need to charge it again. If you find yourself in a situation where your phone has died and there are no cabs you either ask a local for directions and start walking if you are somewhere remote or you ask a local to point you to the nearest hotel andhave them call you a taxi.
Renting a motorcycle or scooty
When we just arrived in Nepal it was actually quite hard finding rental vehicles but it seems this has become a lot easier in recent year.
If you have an international driver’s license that is valid for Nepal (you need to check in your country. I know, for instance, that the UK has a few different international driver’s licenses depending on where you are travelling to – super annoying) you can drive a scooter or motorcycle in Nepal.
Driving in Nepal is… interesting. But if you are very confident on a scooter or motorcycle I can really recommend taking a scooter up to Kirtipur.
My husband and I have a Honda Grazia scooter and we sometimes take it up to Kirtipur when the sky is clear.
I would use Google Maps to guide you. The app used to be super bad in Nepal but is amazing now.
Walking to Kirtipur
If you are into walking you can also head to Kirtpur on food. You will need a good pair of walking shoes (I personally quite like these Merells because they are both light and stirdy, I don’t have the feeling like I’m dragging my feet when I’m tired) because it is far and the road isn’t always great – you are in Nepal after all.
What follows is the route I would personally take just to avoid all the large horrible roads or roads that are horrible and where there is nothing to see.
When leaving from Thamel I would personally recommend walking down to Indra Chowk (have a Lassi on Indra Chowk! It is my absolute favourite Lassi place!!) and then enter Kalo Pul into Google Maps. It will take you via little windy roads rather than the big Kanti Path which is often congested and where there is nowhere to be seen.
Once you have crossed Kalo Pul you will be in Sanepa where I live. From there, enter Pho99 Lalitpur in your google Maps and then take the route that will go via Arun Thapa Chowk (It will be marked on the map by the Arun Thapa Statue). This way you will head through the beating heart of Sanepa, one of the three expat areas in Kathmandu Valley!
Then from Pho99 head to Dhunge Dhara (I love this area) and from there you can enter Afaldol Marg into Google and Afaldol Pul. Once you crossed Afaldol Pul it is straight to Kirtipur!
You can of course get yourself a map of Kathmandu Valley, I have this exact one myself, but I find that the roads here change so often that it isn’t always very accurate.
My top tips for a great journey to Kirtipur
Here are some tips to make your journey as smooth as possible:
- You can check the traffic on Google Maps. Google Maps is finally displaying traffic conditions in Nepal!
- I would not go when it is raining. The traffic will be horrible and most of the things are outside so…
- It is a good idea to crry small change for your bus fare.
- If you’re thinking about walking, remember to carry water.