Pashupatinath Temple, Kathmandu
The largest Shiva temple in Nepal, on the banks of the Bagmati in Kathmandu, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1979. The site is published as open 4 AM to 9 PM, closed in the middle of the day between noon and 5 PM. Before any of that matters, one rule decides the visit: only practising Hindus of the South Asian diaspora and Buddhists of the Nepali and Tibetan diaspora are allowed into the temple courtyard. Everyone else views the complex from outside it.
Also searched for as Pashupatinath, Pashupati Temple, Pashupatinath Mandir.
Sources checked 1 September 2026
The temple in facts
Background rather than schedule. None of it changes week to week, which is why it sits here while the hours sit on their own page with the date they were read.
| Fact | What is published |
|---|---|
| DeityWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | Shiva, as Pashupati |
| WhereWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | On the banks of the Bagmati river, Kathmandu, Nepal |
| UNESCOWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | Inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1979, one of seven monument groups in the Kathmandu Valley designation |
| SizeWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | The complex occupies 246 hectares |
| ShrinesWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | 518 mini-temples alongside the principal pagoda-style temple |
| Main festivalWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | Maha Shivaratri |
Pashupatinath timings, in outline
Two windows separated by a five hour closure, with a recommendation from the source itself about which end of the day to choose.
Who may enter, and with what
The access rule at Pashupatinath is the reason most visits go differently than expected, and it is not something a ticket resolves.
| Rule | What is published |
|---|---|
| Courtyard accessWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | Only practising Hindus of the South Asian diaspora and Buddhists of the Nepali and Tibetan diaspora are allowed into the temple courtyard. |
| Everyone elseWikipedia, Pashupatinath Temple | Western Hindus and non-Buddhists cannot enter the courtyard. The complex is viewed from outside it. |
| Entrance feepashupatinathtemple.org, visiting information | A foreigner needs to pay an entrance fee of 1,000 Nepalese rupees, about ten US dollars, to enter the site. |
| Suggested visit lengthpashupatinathtemple.org, visiting information | About 90 to 120 minutes. |
What this page does not know
Listed rather than quietly omitted, so you can see the shape of the gap before you plan around it. Every one of these is something another page would happily fill in with a plausible answer.
- The aarti and ritual schedule. No timetable is published on the source this page reads.
- Whether the entrance fee applies to visitors who cannot enter the courtyard, and what it covers.
- How courtyard eligibility is checked at the gate, and what is asked for.
- Whether the published hours change on Maha Shivaratri, when attendance is very high.
- Dress code, footwear rules and whether cameras are permitted.
- Whether prasad is distributed, where, and to whom.
If you have stood at this gate recently and can fill one of these in, especially with a photograph of a notice board or a link to an official announcement, send it. It is checked against the temple and published with a new date.
Questions about visiting
Answered from what the temple publishes, with the gaps left as gaps.
Can non-Hindus enter Pashupatinath Temple?
Not the main courtyard. Only practising Hindus of the South Asian diaspora and Buddhists of the Nepali and Tibetan diaspora are allowed into it. Everyone else, including Western Hindus, views the complex from outside.
What are the Pashupatinath timings?
The site is published as open every day from 4 AM to 9 PM, closed in the middle of the day between noon and 5 PM. That five hour closure is longer than at most large temples.
Is there an entrance fee?
A foreigner needs to pay an entrance fee of 1,000 Nepalese rupees, about ten US dollars, to enter the site. Whether that fee applies to visitors who cannot enter the courtyard has not been verified here.
When is the best time to visit?
The published recommendation is early in the morning or late in the evening, which also avoids the midday closure entirely. About ninety minutes to two hours is the suggested length for a visit.
What can I see if I cannot enter the courtyard?
The complex from the opposite bank of the Bagmati, along with the wider site, which occupies 246 hectares and holds 518 mini-temples besides the principal pagoda. It is a different visit rather than a lesser one.
What are the aarti times?
Not published on the source this page reads, so none are listed. Pages elsewhere that show an aarti schedule are using a source this site has not been able to verify.
Is there a dress code?
Not published on the source this page reads. Dress modestly as you would at any temple in the region, and expect footwear rules at the very least.
How large is the complex?
246 hectares, holding 518 mini-temples alongside the principal pagoda-style temple. It is a site to walk around rather than a single building to visit.
What is its UNESCO status?
It was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1979 and is one of seven monument groups within the Kathmandu Valley designation.
What is the main festival?
Maha Shivaratri, which draws a very large crowd. Whether the published hours change on that date has not been verified here.
How do I check before travelling?
Settle the courtyard question first, because no timing matters if you cannot go in. Then confirm the hours and the fee close to your date, since neither is published with a revision date.
Can I take photographs?
Not verified. No photography rule is published on the source this page reads. Cremations take place at the ghats here, so discretion matters regardless of what any rule permits.
Need the timings in full?
The timings page carries the whole published schedule, block by block, and what to check before you travel.