UNESCO-listed · Kathmandu Valley
Boudhanath Stupa
The great white dome of Boudha, where the circle of prayer wheels never stops turning....
See this place →Old city market
Ason Bazaar
The trading square of old Kathmandu — spice pyramids, brass, baskets and the noisiest, best hour of the day.
CountryNepal
RegionKathmandu
Height1,400 m
Best timeYear-round, before noon
Typical visit1–2 hours
What it is
Ason is the old market heart of the city: a square of narrow gallis where vegetable sellers, spice merchants, goldsmiths and hardware shops have worked for generations. It is a working market, not a tourist lane — which is exactly why we bring guests here.
How we visit it
On foot, from Durbar Square through the Indraprastha gate, usually on a morning walk so the produce is out and the light comes down the lanes. We can pair it with a Newar food stop, or with Patan on the same half day.
Before you go
Good to know
- Go in the morning; much of the square packs up by afternoon
- Keep bags in front and phones away in the narrow lanes
- Photograph wide rather than close u2014 people are working
Nepal Highlights
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