One perfect day from Sanothimi

This plan assumes you are staying in or near Sanothimi and want to see the best of Thimi and Bhaktapur in a single, unhurried day. It involves a fair amount of walking — wear comfortable shoes.

6:30 — Morning worship in Thimi

Walk up from Sanothimi into old Thimi while the town is waking. At the Balkumari temple, residents come with plates of flowers and rice; bells ring and incense drifts across the courtyard. Stand quietly at the edge and watch. Buy a cup of milk tea from a small shop and sit on a pati.

7:30 — Potters and mask makers

Wander the lanes of Thimi looking for rows of drying pots and small mask workshops. Most families are happy to let you watch if you ask. This is a good time to buy a mask or small pot directly from the maker.

9:00 — Breakfast and bus to Bhaktapur

Have bara or a plate of beaten rice with curry at a local eatery, then catch a microbus or bus heading east on the Araniko Highway. Get off near Siddha Pokhari (about 15 minutes).

9:30 — Siddha Pokhari and the walk in

Walk around the pond, then buy your ticket if required and walk up the main street into the old city, past shops selling pottery, thangkas and fabrics.

10:00 — Durbar Square

Spend an hour in Durbar Square: the Palace of Fifty-Five Windows, the Golden Gate, Vatsala Durga and the Taleju Bell. If you like art, visit the National Art Gallery.

11:30 — Pottery Square

Walk a few minutes south to Pottery Square to watch potters at their wheels and see pots drying in the sun.

12:30 — Lunch at Taumadhi

Climb to a rooftop café overlooking Nyatapola and Bhairavnath. Order samay baji or chatamari — and, of course, a bowl of juju dhau.

14:00 — Nyatapola and Bhairavnath

Climb Nyatapola's stairway, greeting each pair of guardians on the way. Look for Bhairav's chariot wheels nearby.

15:00 — Tachupal and Dattatreya Square

Walk east through quieter lanes to Dattatreya Square. See the temple, the Peacock Window, and the Woodcarving and Brass and Bronze museums.

17:00 — Golden hour

Walk back towards Taumadhi or Durbar Square as the light turns gold. Locals gather on temple steps; children play; musicians sometimes practise. This is often the loveliest hour in Bhaktapur.

18:30 — Back to Sanothimi

Buses run towards Kathmandu until the evening; taxis and ride-share cars are also available. Have dinner at a Newar eatery near Sanothimi, and plan tomorrow's trip to Changu Narayan or Nagarkot.

Variations

If a festival is on, build your day around it. If you have more time, spend a second day on Changu Narayan in the morning and the hike to Nagarkot in the afternoon, staying overnight for sunrise. In the monsoon, carry an umbrella and expect afternoon showers.