Budget Hostel · Kathmandu
Zostel Kathmandu
The Indian hostel chain's Kathmandu property, down a quiet alley off Paknajol Marg a few minutes' walk from Thamel. Dorms with four to eight beds, a female dorm, private rooms and a rooftop terrace. A safe, sociable base for students and solo travellers.
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · CommonsZostel's Kathmandu hostel was the chain's first property outside India. It sits on a side lane off Paknajol Marg, at the quieter northern edge of Thamel, so you are close to trekking agencies, gear shops and the tourist bus stop at Sorhakhutte but away from the late-night noise of the main Thamel streets. Look for the building-sized mural on the lane.
Rooms range from mixed dorms of four to eight beds, some with en-suite bathrooms, to a female-only dorm and private doubles. Beds have individual lights and sockets. Common spaces include a cafe, a kitchenette, a games area and a rooftop terrace with views across the city, and staff help with bus tickets and luggage storage while you trek.
Why we use it
- Indian-run chain familiar to students and young travellers
- Female-only dorm and lockers
- Walking distance to Thamel and the Pokhara tourist buses
Best for
The photo shows Kathmandu, not the property itself.
Trips that stay here
Sleep here on a trip
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Kathmandu valley heritage on a saver budget
Local buses, microbuses and shared taxis
Photo: Gerd Eichmann · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Saver
Pokhara, Poon Hill and Ghandruk on a budget
Tourist bus and shared jeep; three days on foot
Around the stay
Kathmandu
Kathmandu is Nepal's capital and the start of most trips, at about 1,400 m in the Kathmandu valley. Give it two or three nights: Durbar Square and the Kumari, the stupas of Swayambhunath and Boudhanath, and Pashupatinath on the Bagmati. Stay in Thamel for budget and trek logistics, or Battisputali for Dwarika's.
Photo: Nabin K. Sapkota · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Dawn kora at Swayambhunath
Climb the eastern stairway to Swayambhunath at first light and walk the circuit with the morning pilgrims. You see Newa…
Photo: Sumitbhatt222 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Butter lamps and kora at Boudhanath
Walk the evening circuit of Boudhanath with the Tibetan community, light butter lamps and climb to a rooftop for the st…
Photo: Artha at English Wikipedia · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Durbar Square and the Kumari Ghar
A morning in Kathmandu's royal square with a licensed guide: the Hanuman Dhoka palace, Kasthamandap, the Kumari's house…
Questions
About Zostel Kathmandu
Is Zostel Kathmandu in Thamel?
It is on a side lane off Paknajol Marg, on the northern edge of Thamel, a few minutes' walk from the main Thamel streets.
Does Zostel Kathmandu have a female-only dorm?
Yes, it has a female-only dorm as well as mixed dorms and private rooms. Book early in October and November.
Can I store luggage at Zostel while trekking?
Hostels in Kathmandu commonly store bags for guests going on treks. Confirm with the hostel when booking and keep valuables with you.
More in Nepal
Other places to stay
Photo: Bijaya2043 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Commons
Budget
Ghandruk Gurung homestays
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Photo: Super Trekkers · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
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Namche Bazaar teahouse lodges
Namche's family-run teahouse lodges are the standard bed on the Everest trail: twin rooms, a stove-heated dining r…
Photo: Christopher J. Fynn · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Commons
Mid
Kathmandu Guest House (KGH Thamel)
Thamel's original guesthouse, open since 1968 in a former Rana-era building, with a garden courtyard in the middle…