One Day in Kathmandu?
 

Heading to Nepal on a short work trip (never been before) and I'll have exactly one personal day to spend in Kathmandu.

I'm a woman biz traveler in my early 30s - travel a bunch for work, so pretty street smart, I hope/think?! - and I usually am fine planning my own "free day" so to speak. However I'm thinking I'd like to do a more structured "tour" or similar when I'm in Kathmandu as it's going to be at the very end of a very long work trip all over Asia, I'll be tired by the time I end up in Nepal, and I don't want to have to think too hard about where I'm going, how to get there, safety, etc.

Can anyone recommend any one-day tours/tour operators? Or companies they've used before for something similar in Kathmandu? Would love to hit the "famous" stupas (even if just for a quick stop) and see various parts of "must-see" Kathmandu.

(Yes, there's the "hire a driver and do it yourself" option, but hoping to make this easy on myself...). Searched the forum but didn't see anything.

If staying in town you can easily do it yourself with a full-day taxi. Patan Durbar Square is good - have a tea in the garden restaurant. Also the small town of Kirtipur (10 minutes from town). Lunch or dinner or Caroline's at Babar Mahal. And a look at Bodha also worth it. That gives you a nice overall perspective of the city.

If you want a guided city tour - or a half or full day trek or similar (easy to do depending on weather) you can check with socialtours.com. Highly rated and offers more than cookie-cutter options.

I was there last October and had two personal days. I found Balaram from Thamel Travels and Tours and he and his wife took me around for a few days. Was structured, organized, good communication, and he gave me some great recommendations on things to do after our day ended (similar to what erik123 did above). I also thought he was very reasonably priced and made it a smooth, enjoyable, and memorable trip.

FWIW, my best day in Kathmandu in a March of one year was in renting a bicycle and taking it around the Kathmandu valley. It was surprisingly workable intown and did well for the outer areas (very picturesque). Admittedly I had three full days so it was easier within that, but I might not have thought to do it if the Lonely Planet hadn't recommended it.

Kathmandu is great fun, we were there a few weeks ago.

Welcome to drop me a PM and we can sort a local guide for you. It is inexpensive and worth it, as you say, to avoid the hassle, or a taxi driver who can't tell you much about what you see!

Oh and make sure you have a pizza at Fire and Ice. it is a bit of an institution, and the pizzas are fantastic.