Visiting Places
Kathmandu Valley
Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple)
An ancient hilltop stupa with painted Buddha eyes and a sweeping valley panorama.
Kathmandu ValleyBagmati Province
Swayambhunath crowns a hill west of the city, reached by a steep stairway watched over by its famous troop of monkeys. The painted eyes of the Buddha gaze out in four directions from the gilded stupa. It is one of the oldest religious sites in the valley and offers a sweeping panorama of Kathmandu.
Known for
- Hilltop stupa with valley views and resident monkeys
At a glance
- Region
- Kathmandu Valley
- Province
- Bagmati
- Getting there
- About 3 km west of Thamel; a short taxi ride plus the stairway, or a gentler road to the top.
- Best time
- Early morning for soft light and fewer crowds; clear winter days for the valley view.
Things to see & do
- Climbing the 365-step eastern stairway past the resident monkeys
- The gilded stupa with its all-seeing eyes facing the four directions
- Panoramic views across the whole Kathmandu Valley from the summit