Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square — Self-Launched Day Tour
1 days · Kathmandu Valley (Patan & Bhaktapur), Nepal
Outshine Adventure charges £43
No-markup version: ~£26 per person
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
A DIY version of Outshine Adventure's full-day Patan + Bhaktapur sightseeing run. Instead of a private car and guide, you take local buses/tempos across the valley, buy your own combined monument tickets, and walk both UNESCO Durbar Squares plus the Golden Temple at your own pace. Total outlay is roughly a third of the operator's US$55 (≈£43) per-person price — and you control the pace, skip the shopping stops, and can linger longer in Patan.
Day-by-day
Patan Durbar Square, Golden Temple & Bhaktapur on local transport
Kathmandu → Patan → Bhaktapur → Kathmandu
Start early (07:30–08:00) to beat the crowds. From your Thamel guesthouse walk 15–20 min or hop a local tempo to Patan (Mangal Bazaar) — a ride is about NPR 30–50 (under £0.50). Pay the Patan Durbar Square entry ticket (NPR 1,000, ~£6) at the north gate and spend 2 hours exploring the palace complex, Krishna Mandir, and the Newari courtyards — you can go longer than the operator's 1.5–2 hours since there's no group schedule. Walk 5 min to Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple) — free-ish donation entry (NPR 100–200, ~£1). Around 11:00, catch a local bus or shared tempo from Patan to Bhaktapur (Kausaltar/Bhaktapur bus stand), roughly 45–60 min, NPR 50–80 (~£0.50). Lunch at a Newari kitchen near Bhaktapur Durbar Square — try bara (lentil pancakes) and juju dhau (king curd), ~NPR 400–600 (~£2.50–3.50). Buy the Bhaktapur entry ticket (NPR 1,800 for foreigners incl. a visitor pass, ~£11) and spend 2.5–3 hours seeing the Palace of 55 Windows, Nyatapola Temple, Pottery Square and Taumadhi Square. Return to Kathmandu by 16:00–17:00 via a Bhaktapur–Ratna Park local bus (NPR 80–100, ~£0.60, 60–75 min) or split a taxi (~NPR 1,500–1,800 ÷ passengers). Finish with momos and a beer in Thamel (~£3). Note the operator's optional Changunarayan Temple stop isn't included and needs a separate bus + NPR 300 ticket (~£2).
🚌Local tempo Thamel → Patan (~NPR 40–50, £0.30); Patan → Bhaktapur local bus (~NPR 50–80, £0.50); Bhaktapur → Ratna Park bus (~NPR 80–100, £0.60). Total local transport budget £2–3. Optional GetYourGuide/Klook small-group day tour if you want a guide, from ~£25–35.
🛏Not included on this day tour — stay at your own Kathmandu base (Thamel guesthouse/hostel, £8–15/night).
- →Patan Durbar Square self-walk (Krishna Mandir, royal palace courtyards)
- →Hiranya Varna Mahavihar (Golden Temple)
- →Lunch stop for Newari food in Patan or Bhaktapur
- →Bhaktapur Durbar Square — Palace of 55 Windows
- →Nyatapola Temple & Taumadhi Square
- →Pottery Square & Taumadhi wander
Self-launched vs. Outshine Adventure
| This itinerary (self-launched) | Outshine Adventure | |
|---|---|---|
| Price per person | ~£26 | £43 |
| Duration | 1 days | 1 days |
| Who books it | You and your group, direct | Tour operator, guided group |
| Savings | £17 per person (40%) | |
Estimate only, not a guaranteed price. Always verify costs independently before booking.
Want to see more Outshine Adventure-style trips? Check them out here.~£26
estimated per person
You never pay Travel Crew for this — you pay hostels, transport, and activity providers directly, the same as if you'd booked it all yourself.
This publishes your dates so other travellers can find and join you — no tour operator needed.
Customise with Tour BusterCreated by
Travel Crew
0 trips
Frequently asked questions
How much does Bhaktapur & Patan Durbar Square — Self-Launched Day Tour cost?+
Doing it yourself with this self-launched itinerary costs an estimated £26 per person for 1 days in Kathmandu Valley (Patan & Bhaktapur), Nepal. This is an AI-generated estimate based on typical budget-traveller prices — actual costs will vary by season and how you book.
Is this cheaper than booking with Outshine Adventure?+
Yes — Outshine Adventure charges around £43 per person for a similar tour. Doing the same route independently, using the same standard of accommodation and activities, costs an estimated £26 — a saving of roughly £17 (40%) per person.
How long is the Kathmandu Valley (Patan & Bhaktapur), Nepal trip?+
This itinerary runs 1 days, covering 1 day-by-day stops through Kathmandu Valley (Patan & Bhaktapur), Nepal.
How do I join this trip?+
You can join an existing open departure using this itinerary if one is scheduled, or launch your own departure with your own dates and invite other travellers to join you — no tour operator required.
Isn't it easier to just use a tour operator?+
Well, yes, a tour operator will book all the individual parts of your travel for you and provide a guide. That's obvious, but doing this has the potential to save the group thousands, which can in turn improve your itinerary substantially or save you huge amounts of money. Also, when you launch a departure, Travel Crew has tools in place to help you book the individual sections of the trip or make it easier for you to do this as a group. Really, you do not need a middle man. If you are more comfortable paying more and using a middle man, then you should certainly do this.
Is it safer to book through a tour operator?+
Arguably, there isn't much difference. A self-launched trip runs on the same principle as a group travel crew: collective responsibility, everyone looking out for each other, the same way it would if a group of friends organised the trip themselves — because that's exactly what's happening. You should always take out travel insurance before you go, self-launched or not; that doesn't change either way. Every open departure is published publicly with real dates and a real trip organiser, so it's never an anonymous arrangement, and our support team is reachable any time you need help, including in an emergency while you're away. Longer-term, we're building direct relationships with ground DMCs in popular destinations, offered as an optional paid add-on for extra on-the-ground support. Ultimately, though, the group is responsible for its own conduct and safety on a self-launched trip, same as on any trip you plan yourself.
What kind of trip is this?+
This is a culture, budget, city-breaks trip through Kathmandu Valley (Patan & Bhaktapur), Nepal, self-launched rather than run by a tour operator — you organise it with a group you find or bring yourself.
Would you like to name the operator, name the trip, or have any suggestions about how to improve this itinerary?
Drop your comment below — if you've done a similar route, tell us what worked, what you'd add, or what you'd skip.
No comments yet — be the first to share your take.
Sign in to leave a comment.