Plan my trek
Plan my trek
Gaushala, Kathmandu
NPR 1,000 (about £5)
1.5 to 3 hours
Daily, c. 4am to 9pm
Late afternoon, aarti
Listed 1979
Pashupatinath Temple is the most sacred Hindu temple in Nepal and one of the most important Shiva shrines anywhere. It stands on the west bank of the Bagmati river in Gaushala, about 5 km east of Thamel and close to Kathmandu’s international airport. Its name means “Lord of Animals” (Pashupati), one of Shiva’s oldest titles, and Hindus across Nepal and India travel here to worship, to bathe, and at the end of life to be cremated on its riverbank.
For visitors, Pashupatinath is not a single building but a whole sacred landscape. The two-tiered, gilded pagoda of the main temple sits at its heart, surrounded by hundreds of smaller shrines, lingas, ashrams, rest houses and an old people’s home, spread across both banks of the river and the wooded hill of Mrigasthali behind. The precinct covers roughly 246 hectares and is protected as the Pashupati Monument Zone, one of seven zones that make up the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site (inscribed in 1979).
Only Hindus may enter the main temple courtyard. Non-Hindus buy a ticket for the wider complex and can walk the riverbank, visit the terraces of shrines on the east bank, look into the courtyard from outside, and watch the evening aarti. This is a living place of worship and mourning rather than a museum, and most people find the visit moving rather than restrictive.
Expect smoke from cremation pyres, bells and chanting, families in white mourning dress, monkeys on every wall and ash-smeared sadhus (holy men) in the shade. Death is handled openly here, which can feel confronting at first; treat it as you would a funeral at home. It is one of the essential sights of Kathmandu, alongside Boudhanath and Swayambhunath, and an easy outing for trekkers on a spare day. It may not suit young children or anyone who would find open-air cremation distressing.
The Bagmati flows north to south through the complex. The main temple is on the west bank, with the cremation ghats just below it by the river. Cross the footbridge to the east bank for the terraces of white Shiva shrines and the steps up into the Mrigasthali forest. Guhyeshwari Temple lies about 1 km north-east along the river, and Boudhanath Stupa is a 30 to 40 minute walk beyond.
Allow at least 1.5 to 2 hours to see the complex properly, or 3 hours if you want to walk up through Mrigasthali or stay for the evening aarti. Your ticket is checked at the entrances, so keep it with you until you leave.
The main pagoda is a two-tiered Newari temple with gilded copper roofs, a golden pinnacle and four silver-plated doors, standing about 23 m high on a square plinth. Facing the western door is a huge gilded statue of Nandi, Shiva’s bull, which non-Hindus can glimpse through the gateway. Inside the sanctum is the sacred linga (see the history section below).
For non-Hindus: you cannot pass the main gate, and guards check. The best view of the temple roofs is from the terraces on the east bank of the river, directly opposite. Time needed: 15 to 20 minutes. Tip: do not linger in the gateway for photos; it is the busiest point of the whole complex for worshippers.
The ghats are stone platforms at the water’s edge where Hindu families cremate their dead on open wood pyres, usually within a day of death. Arya Ghat, just below the main temple, was historically reserved for royalty and high-status families; Bhasmeshwar Ghat, south of the main footbridge, is the busy public ghat. An electric crematorium, opened by the Pashupati Area Development Trust in 2016, operates near Arya Ghat. Cremations take place throughout the day.
Where to watch: from the east bank, sitting on the steps below the shrines, which is where non-Hindu visitors are expected to be. Time needed: 20 to 40 minutes. Tip: keep your voice low, do not approach the platforms, and never photograph grieving families close up (see photography etiquette in Practical tips).
Across the footbridge, a row of 15 near-identical white stone shrines (Pandra Shivalaya), each sheltering a linga, lines the terrace above the river. They give the best overall view of the main temple and the ghats.
Time needed: 20 to 30 minutes. Best time: early morning, when the light is soft and families come to the river, or late afternoon before the aarti.
Every evening, young priests perform the Bagmati aarti on the west bank: a ritual of fire and light in which multi-tiered brass lamps are swung in circles to the sound of bells, conch shells, drums and devotional singing. The aarti became a daily tradition from 2006 and typically starts around dusk, from about 6pm, lasting roughly an hour. It is busiest on Mondays (Shiva’s day), Saturdays and festival evenings.
Where to watch: the east bank steps facing the main temple, which fill up well before the start. Cost: covered by your entry ticket; donations are welcome. Tip: arrive 30 to 45 minutes early for a seat. Timings shift with the season, so ask at the ticket counter.
Sadhus are Hindu ascetics who have renounced worldly life, many of them devotees of Shiva, often with ash-covered bodies, matted hair and painted faces. A few sit in prominent spots and pose for photographs in return for a donation.
Etiquette: always ask before taking a photo and agree any donation first; NPR 100 to 200 (about 50p to £1) is a reasonable amount. Many genuine renunciates simply want to be left alone. Best time: during Maha Shivaratri, when thousands of sadhus, many from India, gather here.
Behind the east bank, steps climb into Mrigasthali, a wooded hill sacred as the place where, in legend, Shiva roamed in the form of a deer. It is a peaceful contrast to the riverbank, with old shrines, a small deer enclosure and many monkeys, topped by the Gorakhnath temple of the Nath yogic tradition.
Time needed: 30 to 45 minutes for a loop. Tip: keep food out of sight and bags zipped; the monkeys grab snacks and sunglasses. The paths continue to Guhyeshwari.
About 1 km north-east of the main temple along the Bagmati, Guhyeshwari is dedicated to the goddess Shakti (as Guhyakali) and is regarded as one of the Shakti Peetha, places where parts of the goddess Sati’s body fell to earth. Many Hindus visit it alongside Pashupatinath.
For non-Hindus: entry to the inner courtyard is generally restricted, but the gilded roof and its distinctive frame of four serpents can be seen from outside. Time needed: 20 minutes.
Pashupatinath makes far more sense with someone to explain the rituals at the ghats, the stories behind individual shrines and the roles of the priests. Licensed guides wait near the ticket counter; agree the price and length (usually 1 to 2 hours) first and ask to see a licence. A guide also helps you stay discreet at the ghats. If you travel with us, our partner guides can include Pashupatinath on a Kathmandu sightseeing day.
Pashupatinath’s exact origins are unknown. What follows draws on chronicles and widely told legends; where they differ, we say so.
Several origin stories are told at Pashupatinath. In one, Shiva and his consort Parvati came to the forested bank of the Bagmati and, enchanted, took the form of deer to roam unrecognised. When the other gods seized him by a horn, it broke and became the linga later worshipped here. This is why the wooded hill opposite the temple is called Mrigasthali, “the place of the deer”, and why Shiva here is Pashupati, Lord of Animals.
A second popular story tells of a cow that went every day to one spot and let its milk flow onto the ground. When a cowherd dug there, he found the shining linga, buried and forgotten. A third tradition, shared with the temple of Kedarnath in India, says that Shiva hid from the Pandava brothers in the form of a bull and sank into the earth; his hump appeared at Kedarnath and his head at Pashupatinath.
Today the complex is managed by the Pashupati Area Development Trust (PADT), a government body that runs the temple, the ghats, the electric crematorium, festivals and the ticketing for foreign visitors.
Inside the sanctum is a stone mukhalinga, a linga carved with faces, about one metre high, set on a silver base and bound with a silver serpent. The linga is Shiva’s most important symbol, representing his infinite, formless energy rather than a literal image. The Pashupatinath linga is traditionally described as having four faces looking in the four directions, each a different aspect of Shiva, with a fifth, formless aspect (Ishana) facing upwards.
Only a small number of designated priests may touch the linga. By long tradition the chief priests (bhattas) have come from South India, while 108 Nepali caretaker families known as Rajbhandari assist them and look after the temple. In 2009 a government attempt to appoint Nepali priests in their place led to protests and a Supreme Court challenge.
The main temple is a classic Newari pagoda: square plan, two gold-covered copper roofs, carved wooden roof struts, four silver-sheathed doors and a gilded pinnacle. Around it stand hundreds of smaller shrines (some counts give over 500), lingas and rest houses spanning more than a thousand years, plus a Vaishnava Ram temple and the Pashupati old people’s home on the west bank.
Hindus believe that being cremated on the banks of the sacred Bagmati, which flows on to join the Ganges, helps the soul towards liberation from rebirth, and some elderly people come to spend their last weeks near the temple. The body is washed in the river, placed on a pyre and lit, traditionally by the eldest son, who shaves his head in mourning. The ashes are then swept into the river, and rituals continue for 13 days.
The main temple survived the April 2015 earthquake without serious damage. The wider complex was less fortunate: around 90 heritage structures in the Pashupati area were damaged, including the 1860s Bishwarup temple, which collapsed. In the days after the quake, the ghats worked around the clock as hundreds of victims were cremated. By mid-2023, PADT reported that 71 damaged structures had been restored, with others still under reconstruction.
For more on how Hinduism and Buddhism intertwine across the country, see our guide to culture in Nepal.
You do not need to stay next to the temple; it is easy to reach from anywhere in the city. Prices below are indicative nightly rates for a double room and vary by season.
Most visitors stay in Thamel, the travellers’ quarter in central Kathmandu, and visit Pashupatinath as a half-day trip. It has the widest choice of rooms, restaurants and trekking shops. Suits: first-timers and trekkers. Typical prices: simple guesthouses around NPR 2,000 to 5,000 (about £10 to £25) a night; comfortable mid-range hotels around NPR 6,000 to 15,000 (about £30 to £75). Drawback: 15 to 30 minutes by taxi each way, more at rush hour.
The area around Boudhanath Stupa is a calmer, more atmospheric base about 2.5 km north-east of Pashupatinath, with guesthouses run by Tibetan and Sherpa families, monasteries, and rooftop cafés overlooking the stupa. You can walk to Pashupatinath in around 30 to 40 minutes. Suits: travellers who want quieter evenings and an early start at both sites. Typical prices: guesthouses around NPR 3,000 to 8,000 (about £15 to £40); the long-established Hyatt Regency Kathmandu sits just east of the stupa at the luxury end.
The neighbourhoods between Pashupatinath and the airport put you within a few minutes of the temple and ideal for an early morning visit or a late arrival flight. Options include mid-range hotels and the long-established Dwarika’s Hotel in Battisputali, known for its restored Newari woodwork. Suits: short stopovers, early flights, and those who want to see the aarti without a late drive. Typical prices: mid-range from around NPR 6,000 (about £30); luxury considerably more.
Planning your nights in Kathmandu around a trek? See our Nepal itinerary ideas for how to fit it in.
Pashupatinath is in Gaushala, about 5 km east of Thamel and roughly 2 km from Tribhuvan International Airport. The main tourist entrance and ticket counter are on the west side of the complex, off the road from Gaushala; tell your driver “Pashupati, Gaushala” or ask for the main gate.
| From | Option | Approx. time | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thamel | Taxi (agree fare first) | 15 to 30 min | NPR 400 to 600 (£2 to £3) |
| Thamel | Ride-hailing app car (Pathao, inDrive) | 15 to 30 min | Often NPR 250 to 450 (£1.25 to £2.25) |
| Thamel | Ride-hailing motorbike | 15 to 20 min | Often NPR 150 to 250 (under £1.25) |
| Ratna Park / city centre | Local bus or microbus to Gaushala | 30 to 45 min | Around NPR 25 to 35 (under 20p) |
| Airport | Taxi | 10 to 15 min | NPR 300 to 500 (£1.50 to £2.50) |
| Boudhanath | Walk via Chabahil or the riverside path | 30 to 40 min | Free |
| Boudhanath | Taxi | 10 to 15 min | NPR 300 to 400 (£1.50 to £2) |
Fares are indicative and rise at night, during festivals and when traffic is heavy. Ride-hailing apps need a local SIM card; drivers sometimes prefer cash.
Kathmandu taxis rarely use meters, so agree the fare before you get in; a few hours with waiting time and a stop at Boudhanath costs roughly NPR 1,200 to 2,000 (about £6 to £10). Evening rush hour can stretch the drive to 45 minutes. Local buses from Ratna Park are very cheap but crowded; get off at Gaushala and walk five minutes east. Walking the 5 km from Thamel takes over an hour on busy, polluted roads, so we do not recommend it.
From the east bank, follow the paths up through Mrigasthali and along the river towards Guhyeshwari, then cross the river and continue north through the lanes to Boudhanath; alternatively, exit by the main gate and head north-east through Chabahil. Either way it is roughly 2.5 km and 30 to 40 minutes. Use an offline map. See our Boudhanath Stupa guide for what to see when you arrive.
Arriving in Nepal for the first time? Check our Nepal visa guide before you fly; the temple is a sensible first outing on arrival day because it is so close to the airport.
Pashupatinath is open every day of the year, and there is no bad season to visit. What matters more is the time of day and whether you want to see, or avoid, a major festival.
| Time | What you will see | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|
| Early morning (6am to 9am) | Morning worship, bathing and offerings at the river; soft light; fewer tour groups | Cooler in winter; cremations may be fewer |
| Midday (10am to 3pm) | Cremations at their busiest; tour groups | Harsh light, heat in summer, more touts |
| Late afternoon to evening (4pm to 7pm) | Golden light, families at the ghats, then the Bagmati aarti from around 6pm | Busiest time; seats for the aarti fill early; evening traffic back to Thamel |
Our pick: arrive at around 4pm, walk the complex, then take a seat on the east bank for the aarti.
October to November and March to April bring the most comfortable weather and the most visitors. Winter is quieter but smoggy, and the June to September monsoon brings heavy afternoon rain and a swollen Bagmati. More in our guide to the best season to travel in Nepal.
Festival dates move each year because Nepal follows a lunar calendar; always confirm them before booking a trip around one.
Pashupatinath and Boudhanath sit close together in the east of the city, so it makes sense to see them on the same outing. Bhaktapur and Nagarkot lie further east along the same side of the valley. These plans assume you are staying in Thamel.
Prefer the aarti? Reverse the order: Boudhanath from 2pm, then walk or taxi to Pashupatinath for 5pm and stay for the aarti.
Best for photographers and anyone who would rather avoid tour groups.
A private car with driver makes this easy. Alternatively, stay overnight in Nagarkot for a Himalayan sunrise.
Kathmandu Durbar Square at 8am, Swayambhunath mid-morning, lunch, then across the city to Boudhanath (40 to 60 minutes) and a walk to Pashupatinath for the aarti. It is a long day; split it over two and add Patan if you can.
Here are the practical details to check before you go, with an honest note where sources disagree.
At the time of writing, foreign visitors pay NPR 1,000 (about £5) per person, per entry, according to published Nepal Tourism Board and PADT-based information in 2026. This also applies to Chinese visitors and nationals of SAARC countries other than India; Nepali and Indian citizens enter free. Some operators still quote the fee as US$10, but tickets are sold in rupees, so carry cash. Children under 10 have traditionally entered free; check at the counter.
The ticket is valid for a single entry on the day of purchase and is checked at several points, so keep it with you. Fees in Kathmandu change from time to time; the price board at the counter is the final word.
The complex is open daily from about 4am to 9pm. For Hindu worshippers, the inner temple opens early in the morning, closes in the early afternoon and reopens in the evening; published times vary between sources and change during festivals, when the gates may open as early as 3am. The tourist ticket counter generally operates through the day and into the evening for the aarti. If a specific time matters to you, check locally on the day.
The main temple courtyard is restricted to Hindus. In practice, the guards make the call at the gate, and South Asian visitors of Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh or Jain background are usually admitted while visitors of other appearances may be asked about their faith. Please do not try to talk your way in or take photographs through the doorway. Everything else in the complex, including the ghats, east bank, Mrigasthali and aarti, is open to all ticket holders.
Dress as you would for a funeral or place of worship: shoulders and knees covered for both men and women, nothing revealing. A light scarf or shawl is useful. Shoes must come off before entering any shrine. Leather items such as belts, bags and shoes are considered impure and are not allowed in the main temple. Wear comfortable shoes for the steep, uneven steps on the east bank.
Photography is allowed in the outdoor areas of the complex, including from the east bank, but it is prohibited inside the main temple and during private rites. At the ghats:
When in doubt, simply watch. Many visitors find the experience more meaningful without a lens.
Speak quietly near the ghats, do not touch offerings or lingas, and walk clockwise around shrines. Give way to funeral processions, which move quickly towards the river. Avoid pointing your feet at shrines or people, and keep public affection for elsewhere.
Pashupatinath is generally safe, but it is crowded. Watch for pickpockets around the main gate and during festivals. Unlicensed “guides” may attach themselves to you and then demand a large fee; politely decline or ask for a licence, and agree any price in advance. You may also be asked for “donations” for cremation wood for the poor; give only to official PADT donation boxes if you wish to help. Keep bags zipped because of the monkeys.
On the wider picture: following the deadly protests in Kathmandu in September 2025 and a general election in March 2026, daily life and tourism have resumed, but the UK FCDO still advises that demonstrations and strikes can happen at short notice. Avoid protests and check the FCDO travel advice for Nepal before you travel. More advice in our things to know before travelling to Nepal.
West bank paths are mostly flat, but the east bank and Mrigasthali have steep, uneven steps without handrails; visitors with limited mobility can view the ghats from the riverside path near the footbridge. Toilets are basic. Pyre smoke can irritate eyes and lungs, so people with asthma may want a mask. Avoid touching the heavily polluted river water.
Pashupatinath fits into almost any Nepal trip, usually on a sightseeing day in Kathmandu before or after a trek.
Most travellers visit Pashupatinath on a rest day in Kathmandu either side of a trek. Our Everest Base Camp Trek (16 days, from £1,295) and Annapurna Base Camp Trek (15 days, from £795) both start and finish in Kathmandu, with time to see the city’s highlights.
Want Kathmandu sightseeing, a trek and perhaps a festival like Maha Shivaratri in one trip? Tell us your dates and interests and we will build a tailor-made itinerary with our licensed ground partners in Nepal. Start planning your trip.
No. The main temple courtyard is open only to Hindus. Non-Hindus can buy a ticket and explore the rest of the complex, including the cremation ghats, the east bank shrines, Mrigasthali forest and the evening aarti, and can view the temple from outside and from across the river.
At the time of writing it is NPR 1,000 (about £5) per person per entry for foreigners, including Chinese visitors and non-Indian SAARC nationals. Nepali and Indian citizens enter free. Pay in cash at the counter, and check the price board as fees can change.
The complex is open daily from about 4am to 9pm. The inner temple for Hindu worshippers closes for part of the afternoon and reopens in the evening, and times change during festivals, so check locally if you need a specific time.
The Bagmati aarti takes place every evening around dusk, usually starting from about 6pm and lasting about an hour. Timings shift with the season, so confirm on the day and arrive 30 to 45 minutes early to get a seat on the east bank.
Yes, visitors are allowed to watch respectfully from the east bank of the Bagmati. Keep your distance from the platforms, stay quiet, and do not photograph grieving families or bodies close up.
Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the main areas, or about 3 hours if you want to walk through Mrigasthali to Gorakhnath and Guhyeshwari or stay for the evening aarti.
About 5 km, or 15 to 30 minutes by taxi depending on traffic. A taxi costs roughly NPR 400 to 600 (about £2 to £3); ride-hailing apps are usually a little cheaper.
Yes. It is about 2.5 km, or 30 to 40 minutes on foot, either via Guhyeshwari and the riverside lanes or through Chabahil. Use an offline map, as the lanes can be confusing.
The linga in the sanctum is a stone mukhalinga about one metre high, carved with four faces of Shiva looking in the four directions, with a fifth formless aspect facing upward. It stands on a silver base and only a few designated priests may touch it.
A shrine is recorded on the site by around 400 CE, and legends place its origins much earlier. The present temple dates largely from 1692. Since 1979 it has been part of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site.
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