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Kathmandu Valley and Nagarkot


5 days 4 nights

Code NP-KN3

Category Nepal Classic Tours

  • Group Size 1-16
  • Difficulty Level 3
  • Rating Popular
  • Highest Altitude 7.200 ft.
  • Trip Starts From Kathmandu
  • Trip Ends At Kathmandu
  • Accommodation Hotels
  • Type Tours
  • Season Spring, fall and winter
  • Destination Kathmandu Patan Nagarkot Bhaktapur
Dates & Prices
Please, contact us for the price and the dates for this trip

Overview

In this trip, we visit the UNESCO World Heritage sites of Kathmandu valley, that includes Hindu temples, Buddhist monasteries, and the durbar squares of Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan. We stroll through the narrow alleys of the medieval cities.

We have a night outing to Nagarkot, which is a scenic drive of less than one hour. Nagarkot, situated in a rural setting, offers spectacular views of the snow-capped mountains when the skies are clear.

 

Detailed Itinerary

Day 01~Arrival in Kathmandu

Kathmandu altitude (1300m/4260 ft.)

Upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, clear immigration and customs process and you will be met by our representative at the arrival gate and transfer to your hotel in the city. You will have time to settle into your room. After some rest, your guide will take you on the sightseeing of Kathmandu. 

First, visit the 2000 years old, legendary Swayambhunath Stupa, also nick-named as "Monkey Temple" due to a good monkey population in the area. Besides the main shrine, there are two active Buddhist monasteries and several other temples. The stupa sits atop a hill 80m (262 ft.) above the valley floor and provides an excellent view over the valley. 

Next, we visit the Kathmandu Durbar Square, the former capital of Nepal, where we visit the old Royal Palace complex and cluster of temples. Parts of the palace and some temples suffered damages during the earthquake of Apr 2015. We visit the temple of Kumari - the Living Goddess of Nepal, among others.

Now, we take a rickshaw ride through Indrachowk and Asson - the traditional business hub of medieval Nepal. The streets are vibrant with the activities of vendors and buyers.

Nearby Thamel is the Garden of Dreams-a neo-classical garden in 6,895 square meters (74,220 sq ft) with three pavilions, an amphitheater, ponds, pergolas, and urns.

In the evening, enjoy Nepali welcome dinner hosted by our local representative. 

Meals : Dinner
Day 02~Visit Patan City, Khokana and Kirtipur

After breakfast, your guide will take you for the sightseeing of Patan City and traditional villages of Khokana and Kirtipur.

First, visit Patan, one of the three medieval principalities of the Kathmandu Valley, the other two being Kathmandu and Bhaktapur. Patan is called the "City of Arts and Crafts." The tour commences from the Durbar Square, with former Royal Palace and an array of ancient and medieval temples and continues through the Golden Temple, Kumbheshwar Temple, Mahaboudha Temple, and Macchindranath Temple.

From here, we head to Khokana. It is a small sleepy village that offers a window back in time, with mattress-makers stuffing cases with cotton, farmers baling straw. And also tailors stitching, and women are spinning wool and winnowing rice. In the main village square is the triple-tiered Shekala Mai Temple (also known as Rudrayani), damaged by an earthquake in 2015 but still standing after the disaster, with carved balconies covered by fretwork screens. 

Our final destination of the day is Kirtipur-a historic town with faded grandeur. The street is lined up with old homes and temples. We take a stroll through the city and visit the temples.

Late afternoon, you are transferred back to your hotel for your leisure time.

Meals : Breakfast
Day 03~Hike from Changu Narayan to Nagarkot

After breakfast, we transfer to the Changu Narayan. On the way, we stop in a traditional town of Thimi-one of the ancient, cultural, and historical places along the trade route from Bhaktapur to Kathmandu. Changu Narayan is the oldest functioning Hindu Temple in Nepal, and it's also a UNESCO Heritage site. The last earthquake damaged the temple a bit, but restoration work is in progress and still the temple, and the vicinity is worth visiting.

After spending some time in this ancient temple, we begin our hike to Nagarkot. Your luggage will go with the van. Those who are not willing to hike can also take a ride. Its three or four hours walking through the terraced fields and villages and sometimes following the dirt road. You will be surprised to see just how much the local life along the trail is laid back and still maintain the traditional architecture, culture, and values. We will see on the way people busy in farming or harvesting, tending livestock, living in a joint family, and maintaining a close bond in the neighborhood.

At first, we follow the jeep track and later the trail goes through the village and sparse forest. Walking is comfortable with fairly level paths, and we will enjoy the mountain views from most of the trail. Now, we arrive at the village of Tamang ethnics. The town is made up of mud and stone houses with thatched or slate roof. Usually, the homes are three-storied, with a kitchen on the ground floor, bedrooms on the second and storage for the grains on the top floor. Often, there is a separate shed for the cattle. Each house maintains its vegetable garden, flowers, and even fruit trees. Later, we follow the jeep track to our hotel in Nagarkot.

Meals : Breakfast
Day 04~Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath Temple and Boudhanath

Early morning, enjoy the spectacular sunrise view over the Himalaya! On a clear weather day, we will see a 180-degree view of the snow-capped mountains! We don't have this luck during the monsoon season, but we will enjoy the views of the lush and verdant valley. After breakfast, take a light walk to the village and hills of Nagarkot, and later we travel back to Kathmandu with stops in Bhaktapur, Pashupatinath Temple, and Boudhanath Stupa.

Bhaktapur is the best preserved of the three medieval principalities of Kathmandu Valley. We enter the city from its eastern gate and walk through the pottery street and arrive at Dattatreya Square with a temple and Pujarimath complex. All the houses and temples exhibit beautiful wood carving. The peacock window of Pujarimath Complex claims to be the masterpiece of wood carving in Nepal.

We continue walking on the cobbled street and arrive at Taumadhi Square, where we visit the impressive five-storied Nyatapola Temple and Bhairav Temple with rich wood carving. Finally, visit the Bhaktapur's Durbar Square that constitutes the former palace and several temples with intricate wood carving and beautiful stone sculpture. The Golden Gate-the main entrance of the castle is the masterpiece metalwork of Nepal. We will visit the palace museum, the courtyard and the Royal Bath Tank of the palace complex.

Next stop will be at the Pashupatinath Temple-the holiest Hindu Temple of Nepal that sits on the bank of sacred Bagmati River which is also a tributary of holy Ganges. Only Hindu people can get inside the temple. However, anyone can view the temple and activities on the premises from another side of the river.

 

The final destination of the day will be Boudhanath Stupa -the most significant Buddhist stupa architecture in Asia! The stupa is believed to be one of the "must visit" site for all Buddhists in their lifetime. There are are several monasteries, belonging to different schools of Tibetan Buddhism. The area is predominantly Tibetan and reminds of Barkhor area of Tibet.

Meals : Breakfast
Day 05~Depart Kathmandu

After breakfast, your guide will transfer you to the airport for flight back home or to your next destination.

Meals : Breakfast

Trip Map

Trip Info

Trip Includes

  • Accommodation on double occupancy basis.
  • Daily breakfast at your hotel.
  • English speaking tour guide.
  • Sightseeing admission fees (except camera and museum entrances).
  • All transfers and tour by a private vehicle.

Trip Does Not Include

  • Airfares and airport taxes.
  • Lunch and dinner.
  • Drinks, tip, and other expenses of personal nature.
  • Travel Insurance.
  • Any extra expenses or loss caused due to nature and unforeseen events.

Trip Difficulty Level, Road, and Transport.

This trip is a motor vehicle-based tour suitable for travelers of all ages with an average health condition. The highest altitude that we attain in this trip is 2000m (6,560 ft.) at Nagarkot, and so we can stay worry-free about altitude sickness. Sightseeing involves no significant hiking. A typical sightseeing day would be 6-7 hour long with a 1-hour lunch break. We provide good condition vehicles which are mid-size sedan car or SUVs or vans, depending on the group size. The driver may speak little or no English.

Accommodations.

We provide a choice of accommodations from three-star in the budget category, four-star in the first class, and five-star in the deluxe category. Rooms are well furnished, and you will have a TV, refrigerator, phone, etc.

Meals.

The tour includes daily breakfast only and one Nepali welcome Nepali dinner. All the hotels do have on-site restaurants and also in walking distance. Budget $10-15 for a meal, depending on the selection of your restaurant.

Tour Guide

Our guides are college-educated locals, proficient in English, and trained and licensed by local tourism authorities. Most importantly, they are friendly and committed to delivering the best services. Guide and driver is not the same person.

International and internal airfares

You will book your international airfare on your own and provide us your flight information. We can also help you find reasonable fares through our air ticket consolidator on your request.

Passport and Visa

Remaining validity of your passport must be at least six months when you return from the trip. And make sure you have two blank visa pages for Nepal visa sticker, arrival, and departure stamps.

You can obtain Nepal visa upon arrival at Kathmandu airport, or you can get it from nearest Nepali embassy abroad. A 15-days valid with multiple entry facilities costs US$ 25 and one picture. You need to pay the visa fee in US$ or any other convertible foreign currency.

Best time for this trip

One can take this trip throughout the year but the fall season is the best. During October and November, you will enjoy a mild temperature, clear skies, clean air, and the fields are lush with the crops. The second preferred season is Spring ( March and April). The temperature is mild, and the weather is dry. Winter also has a dry climate. While the day time temperature is pleasant, it can be cold at night. July, August, and September are rainy months. While you can still visit the cultural sights, hiking excursions can be challenging due to slippery trail

Booking and payment schedule

We request an initial deposit of US$ 300 along with with a completed booking form a passport scan. The balance payment is due 90 days before departure. Payment by credit card attracts an additional 3.5% fee.

Accomodation

Kathmandu: Holy Himalaya

Nagarkot: Country Villa

Kathmandu: Hotel Shambhala

Nagarkot: Club Himalaya

Kathmandu: Soaltee Crowne Plaza or Yak and Yeti

Nagarkot: Club Himalaya

Hotels subject to availability.

Add Ons

Chitwan Jungle Safari

US$ 170

Chitwan Jungle Safari

A 2 nights and 3 days jungle safari package in Chitwan National Park proves great scope of jungle safari rides and its worthy taking this trip as an add on to your trekking or cultural tour of Nepal Himalayas.

Ride on elephant back or drive your four-wheeler to view wild animals in their natural habitat or you might escape for a canoe rides on the jungle rivers. One can also have a memorable nature walks, bird watching excursions, village and cultural tours.

Chitwan National Park stands today as a successful testimony of nature conservation in South Asia. The park covers a pristine area of 932 sq. km and rich in flora and fauna. Situated about 160 km (100 miles) Southwest from Kathmandu, Chitwan National Park has been listed by UNESCO as World Heritage Site in 1984. The national park is home to the Great One Horned Rhinoceros, Royal Bengal Tiger, Sloth Bear, Leopard, 4 species of deer and many other mammal, reptiles and birds.

Package Price

River View Jungle Camp or similar: US$ 180 per person for 2 nights/3 days' package.

Jungle Villa Resort or similar: US$ 250 per person for 2 nights/3 days' package

Barahi Jungle Camp: US$ 550 per person for 2 nights/3 days' package.

Package includes:

2 nights' accommodation on double occupancy basis, full board, national park fee and jungle safari activities.

Package does not include:

Transportation, personal expenses such as drinks, tipping, laundry etc.

 

Everest View Flight

US$ 215

Mountain Flight

Buddha Air and other major domestic airlines of Nepal operate one hour daily mountain flight over the Himalayas - a wonderful opportunity to view Mount Everest and other majestic peaks without venturing into a laborious trekking. Of the fourteen peaks higher than 8000 meters, eight are in Nepal. Although there is no denying that walking up and down the hills for a close up view of the Himalaya is very much worth the effort, this we have to confess is not for everyone, due to the physical and time requirements. Buddha Air’s Everest Experience is meant especially for those who don’t want to leave Nepal without touching the sacred and majestic Himalaya. To get the best of the weather conditions in the mountains where strong winds start blowing gathering clouds and raising snow plumes which block the view as the day progresses ahead, mountain flights take place early in the morning. Mountain flight is something you don’t want to miss while you are traveling in Nepal.

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