Tours & Sightseeing

Inside the Kathmandu valley

Kathmandu the small mountain sheltered valley; the arrival and visit point for the visitors is the historical and architectural centerpoint of Nepal which was crowned with the title of "Capital City" after the great unification of Nepal in 1768 AD. Nevertheless its small size it has got a bountiful treasure of spots listed in the World Heritage Sites. The three Durbar Squares of Kathmandu, Patan and Bhaktapur ( 3 districts of the Valley ) are renowned to the arena of tourism for being a masterpiece in art and architecture. The old carved houses , narrow lanes, frequently encountering ancient temples and moreover adorned by the rare and attracting cultures and festivals enlists Kathmandu as "a focal destination" for sightseeing. The valley forwards itself to the panoramic views of the captivating Himalayas, sequestered jungles and also to the exotic hiking corners

Kathmandu Durbar Square

This one of the most popular tourist destination is enlisted in World Heritage Sites. Clustered around the central Durbar Square are the old Royal Palace (Hanuman Dhoka), numerous interesting temples, the Kumari Chowk or Kumari Bahal (House of the Living Goddess) and the Kasthamandap (House of Wood) from which Kathmandu derived its present name. An inquisitive exploration in the Durbar Square reveals the ancient art and architecture of Nepal which has proved to be a masterpiece to everyone accepting its genuineness.

Pashupatinath (World Heritage Site):

Pashupatinath is one of the holiest Hindu shrines in the world. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva and is built in the familiar Pagoda style. Chronicles indicate the temple’s existence prior to 400 A.D. This holy place is picturesque collection of temples and shrines. All the dying persons are brought to Pashupatinath for cremation. Only the Hindus are allowed to go inside.

Swayambhunath/Monkey temple (World Heritage Site):

The Swayambhu Stupa crowns a hillock to the west of Kathmandu .A massive white dome surrounded by a 13 stage spire, the stupa is one of the most sacred Buddhist sites in Nepal. It is said to be 2000 years old. Its origin is linked to the founding of the Kathmandu valley, draining the water out of the lake by Bodhisattva Manjushree.

Boudhanath (World Heritage Site):

It is the world’s biggest stupa located about 8 kilometers from the city center. This colossal Stupa is known by the name of Boudhanath, the god of wisdom. It is difficult to assign a period to it, as some believe that it was built during the reign of either Shiva Dev or Anshu Verma in the 7th century A.D. Boudhanath attracts the Buddhist pilgrims from all over the world.

Changunarayan (World Heritage Site):

The temple of Changunarayan is richly decorated with sculptures and carvings and is said to be the oldest pagoda style temple in the valley. The temple, built around the third century, is decorated by some of the best samples of stone, wood and metal craft. The courtyard has many other temples such as that of Kiloswar, Shiva, Chhinnamasta Devi and other figures like Garuda and different images of Vishnu.

Budhanilkantha:

About 8 km north of Kathmandu, at the base of Shivapuri hill is a remarkable colossal statue of Lord Vishnu, reclining on the bed of snakes. This is one of the masterpieces of stone statue in the middle of small pond and seems to float in water.

Patan Durbar Square (World Heritage Site):

It is an enchanting mélange of Palace buildings, artistic courtyards and graceful pagoda temples. This square was the former Royal Palace complex which was the center of Patan’s religious and social life, and houses a museum containing an array of bronze status and religious monuments.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square(World Heritage Site):

It is one of the third important historic cities in the Kathmandu valley. It lies 14 km. to the east of Kathmandu and covers an area of 4 sq miles. Its Durbar Square is a symphony of art and architecture belonging to medieval period. The center piece is the 55- window palace overlooking the Square which is paved over with bricks. Among other monuments around the Durbar Square are worth visiting

Outside Kathmandu Valley

Dhulikhel:

Dhulikhel is a scenic and ancient town situated 30 km east of Kathmandu on the side of the Arniko Rajmarga. From here one can have a complete panoramic view of the snowy ranges from east to west. From the main town an excursion to Namoboudha stupa is highly recommended.

Pokhara

Situated 200km. west of Kathmandu, it is Nepal’s second most popular tourist destination. The city is overshadowed by a massive wall of the Himalayas and dominated by the towering peaks of the Annapurna ranges. The most impressive view is the fishtailed pinnacle of Mt. Machhapuchhare (6,977 m) and the Phewa Lake. This rural town is also the starting point for the most famous treks in the Annapurna region.

Nagarkot:

A beautiful hill station is situated 32 km east of the Kathmandu at an altitude of 2,175 m above sea level. The place is famous for the view of Himalayan range, stretching from Dhaulagiri in the west and Everest to Kanchanjunga in the east. Nagarkot is also a popular site for sunrise and sunset viewing.

Daman:

Daman at an altitude of 2,400m is located 80km. southwest of Kathmandu valley. Daman is famous for the magnificent view of the world's highest mountain ranges. There is a view tower fitted with long- range telescopes.

Gorkha:

It is situated 131 km. west of Kathmandu valley at an altitude of 1135m at the end of mountain road that branches north from the Kathmandu- Pokhara Highway at Abu Khaireni. It is the ancestral home of the Shah dynasty and home of the original Gorkha soldiers. Gorkha's centerpiece is the magnificent Gorkha Durbar which is a fort, a palace and a temple with excellent views of the surrounding valleys and the Manaslu range.

Manakamana:

This is also the famous pilgrimage site of Nepal. It lies southeast from Gorkha. Every Hindu and Buddhist makes a pilgrimage trip to Manakamana temple by a Cable Car from the Kurintar and it takes 8 min to reach.

Bandipur:

It is a hilltop town situated midway on the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway at an altitude of 1005m overlooking the Marshyangdi river valley. It offers mountain views, artistic houses and pagoda temples. It has the largest cavern in the country, the Siddha Gupha, which is full of stalactites and stalagmites.

Janakpur:

A great religious place, Janakpur is famous for being the birthplace of Sita, the consort of Lord Ram. There is an artistic marble temple of Sita (Janaki), popularly known as Naulakha Mandir. Religious festival, trade fairs and other festivities are held here on Bivaha Panchami and Ram Navami.

Tansen

Tansen is one of the oldest Newar hill settlement with a rich history and a glorious past. Short excursion of the surrounding if time permits. Tansen is a beautiful town located amidst the grander of the surrounding mountains and is considered one of the most beautiful town in Nepal. This place is modeled as a sister town of Kathmandu. All the important monuments and temples of Kathmandu have been replicated here.It is like being in a Kathmandu perched on a mountain top minus the noise and the congestion. Sightseeing here includes: Visiting the Srinagar hills which offers the best view of the western Himalayas in Nepal.

Lumbini

The birthplace of Lord Buddha lies in the plains south west of Kathmandu. It is a sacred place for Buddhists from all over the world, standing on an equal footing with holy places sacred to other world religions. As millions of Christians look to Jerusalem for inspiration, as millions of Muslims turn to Mecca, so do three hundred million Buddhists visit Lumbini.