The 11 Shopping Tours in Nepal That Earn Their Price

1.Kathmandu Secret Food Crawl & Local Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 54 reviews · 2 hours · from $28Our pick

Meet at Chhaya Devi Complex for a two-hour walk through Kathmandu’s food lanes and Ason Bazar. Guide Santosh leads you to local stalls for at least five foods and drinks, from momos and laphing to lassi and pani puri, while explaining Newari customs, religion, markets, and daily life. Expect generous portions, narrow alleys, and a very full finish.

“The food tour was wonderful. we tried lots of food we'd never seen before and our guide did a great job of explaining it and providing context for what we were eating. it was definitely a great experience. Highly recommended!”

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2.Kathmandu Food & Drink and Shopping Rickshaw Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 48 reviews · from $25Top rated

Meet guide Deepak Kushwaha near Kaiser Library for a three-hour food, shopping, and rickshaw tour through Thamel, Asan, Jyatha, and Chhetrapati. Expect several local food stops, tea or coffee, snacks, a larger meal, bottled water, and time to shop for Nepali tea and spices. The tour ends where it begins.

“The rickshaw ride experience was so fun. Then I met other people who joined the group for the walking food tour. We went to 5-6 places and sampled different Nepali foods. Our guide Deepak gave us the name and descriptions of all the fRead more”

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3.Kathmandu Food Crawl & Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $25

Start at Chhaya Devi Complex in Thamel and walk toward Ason Bazar with an English-speaking local guide. You’ll sample at least five foods and drinks, with possible tastes including chatamari, laphing, panipuri, papadi chaat, and lalmohan. Guides such as Santosh and Manoj are known for finding local spots.

“What a fab way to start myNepal visit with a walk through the streets of Kathmandu and enjoy some ‘most delicious’ food. We found places that only a local would know about and tried a wide selection of savory and sweet treats. All were very tasty! Can highly recommend this tour. Information and most delicious!”

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4.Best Nepali Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Trip

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 26 reviews · from $30

Spend about three hours in Kathmandu learning Nepali cooking from local cooks, beginning with a market visit for fresh ingredients. The small class is limited to eight people, includes food and recipes, and offers vegetarian or vegan choices by request. Pickup may be available, but private transport is not included.

“We were four persons this day. Not room for any more in the small kitchen. A nice morning although it was a bit stressful and more like putting ingredients togheter, than a schooling.”

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5.Kathmandu Food Crawl & Market Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 2 hours · from $28

Start at Chhaya Devi Complex and follow Santosh Pandey or another English-speaking guide through Ason Bazar and Kathmandu’s narrow food lanes. You’ll try at least five local foods with drinks, including possible Newari specialties, momos, chatamari, yomari, and laphing, while learning about local customs, markets, and daily life.

“The tour guide and food were both excellent. The places we went and the food we tried were amazing. We did not expect so much in quantity of food, however this was a tasting activity and the food samples were 100% local, authentic and went further beyond what you would get in a local restaurant.”

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6.Oldest Local Market Walking Tour With Living Goddess Kumari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · 2 hours · from $39

Start at Chhaya Devi Complex in Thamel and walk into Ason, Kathmandu’s oldest local market, before exploring Kathmandu Durbar Square and the Kumari Ghar. Your English-speaking guide, including guides such as Santos, explains Hindu and Buddhist traditions. The tour lasts two hours, costs $39, and includes water, taxes, and guidance, but not the NPR 1,000 square entry fee.

“Great tour with Santos.. excellent communicator, extremely knowledgeable and all round great day.. 🙏”

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7.Oldest Local Market Walking Tour with Living Goddess Kumari

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 8 reviews · from $40

Meet at Chhaya Devi Complex and walk with an English-speaking guide through Thamel and Ason Bazaar, Kathmandu’s old market district. Visit Kathmandu Durbar Square and Kumari Chowk, where you may see the living goddess Kumari. The two-hour tour costs $40, with monument entry paid separately.

“Seeing the Kumari is a really special experience, expert guide through the market and Kathmandu Durbar Square, an ideal tour to begin to orientate yourself in the city.”

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8.Food, Drink and Shopping Rickshaw Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 7 reviews · 3 hours · from $28

Spend three hours tasting Nepali street food, sipping masala tea and sugarcane juice, and riding a rickshaw through Kathmandu. Guide Deepak leads a route around Thamel and eight food stops, with optional help shopping for pashmina, masks, Thangka art and other goods. Bring cash, comfortable shoes and a healthy appetite.

“Really great guide, very knowledgeable. with excellent English. We tasted the most unusual delicious food. Merci!!”

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9.Half Day Cooking Class in Thamel with Local Market Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 6 reviews · 3 hours · from $21Best value

Meet your English-speaking instructor in Thamel, walk to a local market when available, then cook four traditional Nepali and Newari dishes in a small group of up to eight. You prepare and eat each course while adjusting chili and spices to taste. Choose from three menus, all including momos, with masala tea and water included.

“Wonderful family of cooks who grow there own spices. Very interactive group. We cooked a full menu. Good instructions. Delicious recipes.”

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10.Local Bazaar Walking Tour in Kathmandu with Professional Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · from $100

Spend about three and a half hours exploring Asan, Indra Chowk, and Kathmandu Durbar Square with a private guide such as Bharat. Walk narrow market lanes lined with spices, brassware, textiles, beads, and temples, then stop for traditional Nepali food. Hotel pickup and return are included, but lunch and entrance fees may cost extra.

“A great way to epxlore the lively action filled streets of Kathamandu. It was helpful to be picked up and dropped back at our hotel. Our guide was knowledgeable very patient with us as we stopped to take photos and do shopping along the way.”

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11.Private Shopping Tour in Kathmandu

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3 reviews

Spend four hours shopping Kathmandu’s old markets with a private guide, including Kabita when available. Walk through Pipal Bot and Asan, then browse Thamel for pashmina, singing bowls, Thangka paintings, Gurkha knives, souvenirs, and more. Transport and bottled water are included, with pickup offered.

“I really enjoyed this tour. Kabita was very nice and helpful m. She made sure we searched everywhere for the items we were looking for and we saw some we weren’t looking for. Most people speak English in Nepal, but it was great having a Read more”

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