What's a good 3-day itinerary for Kathmandu?

Kathmandu in late June means monsoon. Warm rain hits most afternoons by 2 PM, and mornings already feel thick at 70% humidity. Start Day 1 early. Basantapur Durbar Square at 7:30 AM is nearly empty, the red brick still dark from overnight rain, pigeons outnumbering tourists 50 to 1. Hanuman Dhoka, the old royal palace compound next to the square, opens at 7 AM. Spend 90 minutes here. The carved wooden windows on the Basantapur Tower are the best surviving Newari woodcraft in the valley, and you can climb the tower for a rooftop view across Kathmandu. By 10 AM walk north into Asan Tole, about 800 metres through narrow lanes that smell of turmeric, dried chilies, and incense. Asan still operates as a wholesale spice market. Lunch at Yangling Tibetan Restaurant on Chaksibari Marg in Thamel, a 15-minute walk north. The beef momos (NPR 350, about $2.30) are heavy, greasy, and good. Pork jhol momos in a cumin-laced broth cost NPR 400. Walk Thamel's side streets through the afternoon rain, ducking into shops when it gets heavy. Dinner at Thamel House Restaurant on Jyatha for a Newari set meal at NPR 1,200.

Day 2 heads east. Take a taxi from Thamel to Pashupatinath Temple, about 6 km. The ride costs NPR 400-500 if you negotiate before getting in. Arrive by 7:30 AM. Non-Hindus cannot enter the main pagoda, but the cremation ghats along the Bagmati River are open and worth the NPR 1,000 ($6.60) entry fee. Smoke from the burning ghats drifts across the complex. The smell is unmistakable. Woodsmoke and something sharper. Spend 90 minutes. From Pashupatinath, it is a 20-minute walk or NPR 200 taxi to Boudhanath Stupa, the largest stupa in Nepal at 36 metres tall. The kora path around the base takes 15 minutes at a slow pace. Prayer flags snap overhead, monks in maroon robes shuffle past, and the butter-lamp shops on the north side fill the air with a waxy, sweet haze. Lunch at Double Dorje restaurant on the second floor overlooking the stupa. Dal bhat with lentil soup, rice, vegetable sides, and pickle runs NPR 500-700. After lunch, visit Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery east of the stupa. Head back to Thamel by 3:30 PM before the afternoon rain peaks.

Day 3 splits between Patan and Swayambhunath. Patan, officially called Lalitpur, is 5 km south across the Bagmati River. A taxi from Thamel costs NPR 500-600 and takes 30 minutes in morning traffic. Patan Durbar Square is smaller and less crowded than Kathmandu's version. Entry is NPR 1,000 for foreigners. The Patan Museum inside the old palace is likely the best museum in Nepal, with Newari bronze work spanning 600 years. Spend 2 hours here. Krishna Mandir, a stone temple built in 1637 with carved scenes from the Mahabharata, sits at the square's north end. Lunch at Patan Museum Café inside the palace courtyard. Grilled chicken with Nepali spices and a pot of masala tea costs about NPR 900 total. By 2:30 PM, taxi 8 km across the city to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa 3 km west of Thamel. Climb the 365 stone steps on the eastern staircase. Your calves will burn, but the view from the top, prayer flags strung between whitewashed shrines, is the best panorama in Kathmandu. Entry is NPR 200. The monkeys will grab anything shiny or edible. Keep water bottles inside your bag.

June monsoon keeps tourist numbers low across the Kathmandu Valley. Basantapur Durbar Square in June might have 20 visitors where December brings 200. That said, a packable rain jacket and shoes with grip are non-negotiable. The lanes around Asan Tole flood ankle-deep during heavy bursts. Stick to bottled water, NPR 30-50 per litre at any Thamel shop. Kathmandu taxis have meters but drivers rarely use them. Agree on the fare before you get in, or use the InDrive app. Total walking across the three days runs about 18 km, split roughly 7 km on Day 1, 5 km on Day 2, and 6 km on Day 3. Taxi distances add another 30 km. If you have a fourth day, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is 13 km east and worth the trip, but it needs a full morning.