Things to do · Kathmandu
Unusual & Quirky Things to Do in Kathmandu
Offbeat Kathmandu — the living goddess, hidden bahals, Pharping's caves and the temples most visitors miss.
Once you have ticked off the big stupas, Kathmandu rewards the curious with a layer of quirky, half-hidden experiences — living goddesses, secret courtyards, thousand-Buddha temples and cliffside meditation caves. Here are the offbeat corners worth seeking out.
The short answer
Try to glimpse the Kumari living goddess at her Durbar Square house, slip into the hidden bahal courtyards off the old-city lanes, find the soaring five-storey Kumbheshwar Temple and the intricately carved Mahabouddha "temple of a thousand Buddhas" in Patan, and ride out to Pharping's meditation caves. These are the experiences that turn a sightseeing trip into something stranger and more memorable.
Offbeat experiences
- Meet the living goddess. On Kathmandu Durbar Square stands the Kumari Ghar, home to the Kumari living goddess — a young girl revered as a deity who occasionally appears at an upper window. The courtyard is free to enter; the tradition is one of Nepal's most extraordinary.
- The white god's chariot temple. The temple of Seto Machhendranath at Jana Bahal is a hidden gem tucked off Asan, with a busy chariot festival and a courtyard crammed with shrines and pigeons.
- A five-storey Patan temple. The towering Kumbheshwar Temple in Patan is one of only a couple of five-tiered temples in the valley, with a sacred pond fed, legend says, from Gosaikunda.
- A thousand Buddhas in terracotta. The Mahabouddha Temple, a shikhara-style tower covered in terracotta Buddha images, hides down a Patan side lane and is easy to miss entirely.
- Pharping's caves. On the southern valley rim, the Pharping monasteries and Asura Cave offer meditation caves, self-arisen rock images and a string of gompas — a quietly mystical day out.
How to find the quirky side
- Wander off the main lanes. The bahals reveal themselves only to those who turn down quiet doorways; build in time to get gently lost in the old city.
- Go early or late. Courtyard rituals and butter-lamp moments happen at the edges of the day.
- Pair with photography. Many of these spots are also the most Instagrammable corners of Kathmandu.
For more ways to tailor your visit, see the full things to do by mood collection, the country-wide things to do in Kathmandu overview, and the Kathmandu hub for where to base yourself.
Frequently asked questions
What are some unusual things to do in Kathmandu?+
Beyond the headline sights, you can try to glimpse the Kumari living goddess at her Durbar Square house, explore hidden bahal courtyards tucked behind the old-city streets, visit the five-storey Kumbheshwar Temple in Patan, see the Mahabouddha 'temple of a thousand Buddhas', and ride out to Pharping's meditation caves and monasteries. These are the quieter, quirkier corners that most short visits skip.
Can you see the living goddess in Kathmandu?+
Yes, with luck. The Kumari, a young girl revered as a living goddess, lives in the Kumari Ghar on Kathmandu Durbar Square. She occasionally appears at an upper window of the courtyard; photography of the goddess herself is not permitted, but you can visit the courtyard freely.
What are the hidden courtyards in Kathmandu?+
The old city is honeycombed with 'bahals' — quiet residential and monastic courtyards hidden behind unassuming doorways off the main lanes. Many contain shrines, stupas and carved struts, and stepping into one is like finding a secret pocket of old Kathmandu.
Is Pharping worth visiting?+
Yes, for travellers seeking something offbeat and spiritual. Pharping, on the valley's southern rim, has Buddhist meditation caves, the self-arisen Asura Cave and a cluster of monasteries, making it a peaceful half-day escape from the city centre.
