Kathmandu is where most journeys into Nepal begin and end. Sitting at around 1,400 metres in a valley ringed by the Himalayas to the north and the Terai lowlands to the south, it’s less a single city than a cluster of ancient kingdoms, Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur, that have grown into each other over centuries. Temple bells compete with car horns, prayer flags flutter over internet cafés, and a five-minute walk can take you from a Unesco World Heritage square to a rooftop serving flat whites. This four-day, three-night itinerary is built for travellers using Kathmandu as their base, whether that’s a standalone city trip or the bookend…
