Boudhanath is one of the few places in the world where Tibetan culture can be lived openly. It lies about seven kilometres east of Thamel, reachable on foot, by local bus or by taxi.
Set on the old trade route to Tibet, Boudha has long had a Buddhist community. After 1959 many Tibetans settled here, and today some fifty monasteries surround the great stupa, the largest in Nepal.
The best time to visit is late afternoon, when the tour groups have gone and the square returns to its everyday rhythm. The faithful walk clockwise around the stupa, spinning prayer wheels. Non-Buddhist visitors are welcome to join them, and to climb onto the stupa's terraces.
