Basketball Courts in Kathmandu: Indoor and Outdoor

Basketball in Kathmandu has two scenes. There is the outdoor pickup scene — public-ish courts where you show up, run threes, win-stays-on. And there is the bookable scene — indoor halls and rented outdoor courts where you organize a 5v5 with your group. Both are growing. Neither is fully mapped online.

This post fixes that. Outdoor courts, indoor halls, prices, who actually plays where.

Two scenes, two budgets

• Outdoor pickup — free to Rs. 200/head. Run-up-and-play, but court quality and crowd vary a lot.
• Bookable indoor courts — Rs. 1,500-3,500/hr for a full court. Cleaner floors, better hoops, light control.
• Bookable outdoor full courts — Rs. 800-2,000/hr. Cheaper than indoor; weather is the wildcard.

For a planned 5v5 with 10 friends, bookable indoor is the move. For a Saturday morning shoot-around, outdoor pickup is faster.

Outdoor courts worth knowing

Tundikhel area

The most well-known open courts in the valley. Pickup runs most evenings, mixed skill levels, very crowded. Show up by 5:30pm to get a run before peak congestion. Free, with the standard caveats — uneven surfaces in spots, no lights after dark, no facilities.

Lainchaur and Sifal

A handful of community courts and school courts. Some open to the public, others gated to club members. Quality is hit-or-miss; visit before bringing 10 people.

Maharajgunj

Embassy-adjacent courts and a few school courts run weekend pickup. Better surfaces than Tundikhel, more polite crowd, but access depends on who you know.

Bhrikutimandap area

Open court near central Kathmandu, popular with younger players. Lights are inconsistent. Best for daytime shoot-arounds.

Boudha and Chabahil

A couple of community courts here see steady weekend traffic. Outdoor concrete; bring your own ball.

Bookable indoor halls

Multi-sport complexes

Most indoor basketball in Kathmandu lives inside multi-sport halls that also host badminton, futsal, or volleyball. Surfaces are usually wooden or high-grade synthetic. Cleaner than outdoor, with lights, water, washrooms, and proper hoops. Expect Rs. 2,000-3,500/hr for a full court.

Clusters worth checking:

• Maharajgunj and Lazimpat — premium halls used by clubs and embassies. Cleanest, priciest.
• Tinkune and Koteshwor — newer halls, mid-tier pricing, easier parking.
• Chabahil and Mitrapark — mid-range synthetic halls; good for after-work runs.
• New Baneshwor and Min Bhawan — handful of indoor courts, convenient for office workers.

School and college halls

A few private schools and colleges rent their gyms on weekends and holidays. Rs. 1,500-2,500/hr. Availability is limited and not always listed online — Maidaan helps surface these.

Bookable outdoor full courts

A growing number of venues offer bookable outdoor courts under lights — basically a private pickup setup. Found mostly in:

• Pepsicola and Koteshwor (east)
• Balaju and Tahachal (north-west)
• Bhaisepati and Satdobato side (south)

Rs. 800-1,500/hr is typical. Cheaper than indoor, but you lose the slot if the sky opens up.

What a fair price looks like in 2026

Format	Off-peak (weekday 9am-4pm)	Peak (6-10pm, weekends)
Indoor full court, 1 hr	Rs. 1,500-2,500	Rs. 2,500-3,500
Outdoor full court, 1 hr	Rs. 600-1,200	Rs. 1,000-2,000
Half court, 1 hr	Rs. 800-1,500	Rs. 1,400-2,500

10 friends splitting a Rs. 2,800 peak indoor hour = Rs. 280 per head. Cheaper than most futsal slots for the same group size.

Trade-offs to know

Outdoor pickup is the best basketball in Kathmandu, full stop. The level at Tundikhel and Maharajgunj on a good evening is higher than most rented runs. But it is also crowded, gendered (mostly boys), and uneven. If you are a beginner, start indoor and rotate into pickup once your confidence is up.

Air quality is the biggest reason to go indoor November-February. Outdoor 5v5 in winter Kathmandu = inhaling PM2.5 for an hour. Indoor halls with decent ventilation are the safer pick during inversion season.

Lights are inconsistent at outdoor venues. Confirm light availability before booking a 6:30pm slot in November.

Shoes matter on wooden floors. Clean indoor shoes only. Halls will turn you away if your soles are dusty.

Mixed-gender pickup is rare outdoor, common indoor. If your group includes women or girls, book an indoor slot or find a venue with a "mixed open" night.

How Maidaan helps

Maidaan lists indoor and outdoor basketball courts across Kathmandu and Lalitpur with surface type, light availability, and live pricing. You can filter by venue type and slot length, then pay with eSewa or Khalti.

Browse basketball venues in Kathmandu or check the Lalitpur basketball list if you live south.

Pick a court this week

If you want a planned 5v5 with 10 friends and clean wood, head to a Maharajgunj or Tinkune indoor hall. If you want a Saturday morning shoot-around, Tundikhel or Maharajgunj outdoor. Browse basketball in Kathmandu on Maidaan and pick a slot.

Prices are as of 2026 and shift with venue and season. Confirm with the venue at booking.