About Kathmandu Tour
Kathmandu a lively city the main commercial hub and as well the capital of the country, although a concrete and metropolitan city still retains its old historical places and monuments from temples, Stupa, monasteries and palaces of late Malla to Shah dynasty times.
Kathmandu cultural and heritage tour takes you to wonderful places of great interest where you can explore and walk into medvial and ancient historical and religious area, where most of important places listed in UNESCO World Heritage Sites which you can observe and catch colorful culture and custom of Nepalese with their daily simple and traditional activities.
Kathmandu cultural and heritage tour a combination of Hindu and Buddhist sites which makes this visit more interesting to see temples and Buddhist shrines located next to each other, a blend of great two religions in peaceful harmony which is quite rare in this part of the world.
Kathmandu was once a huge lake where belief and history describes that Saint Manjushree drained the water of the lake with her mighty sword and made Kathmandu possible for human to settle since last 2,500 years old of interesting history.
At present Kathmandu teemed with life and activities where your tour starts around interesting places in the close backdrop of ancient monuments and important sites with views of distant snow-capped peaks towards north.
Day 01: Tour of Swayambhunath Stupa and Kathmandu Durbar Square with Pashupatinath Temple and Bouddhanath from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. of 5-6 hrs with lunch on tour in a nice restaurant.
Morning after breakfast our city tour guide will receive you at the hotel foyer / lobby by 8:30 a.m or 9 a.m. where short drive takes you to western part of the city rim to reach famous landmark of the country at Swayambhunath a place with great Stupa with all seeing eyes of Lord Buddha on four cardinal sides watching over Kathmandu.
A drive of less than hour takes you on hill top where the old Stupa of Swayambhunath situated, a scenic and religious spot where you can catch views of Kathmandu city and the valley with rolling green hills that surrounds along with snow capped peaks in the north direction.
Swayambhunath Stupa also called ‘Monkey Temple’ where many Rhesus species monkeys dwells around within a small forest surrounding.
Nepal’s most important heritage landmark, world's most glories Buddhist stupa, with history of 2,600 years old, the main Stupa of solid hemisphere of bricks and clay supporting lofty conical spire capped by a pinnacle of copper gilt.
Painted four sides of the spire are all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha that placed on a hill top about 7 meters above the valley floor, around Swayambhunath a mosaic of small Stupas and pagodas temples.
After Swayambhunath Stupa a short drive to reach inner city of Kathmandu for interesting of old Durbar Square (palace courtyard premises), here enjoy local people daily routines and activities and visiting its famous sites of great interest.
Kathmandu Durbar Square:
An amazing place with various monuments within Kathmandu Durbar Square, house of Living Goddess (Kumari Ghar), ferocious Kal Bhairab, red monkey god, and hundreds of erotic carvings are a few examples of the sights at the Square.
The old historical buildings are greatest achievements of Malla period, resulted great rivalry between three palaces of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur around medieval times, Kathmandu Square full of colorful life with street vendors, selling handicrafts around Kastamandap Temple.
The Temple built from a wood of a single tree where Kathmandu name derived from, nearby great drums which were beaten to announce royal decrees.
All woodcarvings, statues, and architecture in this area are exceptionally fine, and Kathmandu Durbar Square is among the most important sights for travelers to see, around its square houses the Tribhuvan Museum that carries the mementoes of different Shah Kings, other interesting sites to visit is Akash Bhairab Temple /Hanuman Dhoka / Temple of Kumari / Kastha Mandap.
Afternoon having lunch around Durbar Square or enjoy at Bouddhanath area:
Bouddhanath area:
From here with interesting and exciting time short drive through the main city area to reach at Bouddhanath Stupa, also known as ‘Little Tibet’ due to similar Tibetan culture and people that resides around.
The great stupa declared as largest Buddhist shrine of South Asia, ancient colossal chhorten was built in 6th century A.D. by King Man Deb where it rest on three terraces layer looking with bird eye view it takes a relevant shape of a lotus flower which symbolize as a very holy object for all Buddhists followers.
The chhorten surrounded by a circular market, which forms a part of Tibet town, where four pairs of Buddha's eyes gives a vivid flash around four cardinal directions, watching over people and their commitments, the Stupa or chhorten embraces authentic philosophy of Mahayana faith of Buddhism which is known as Lamaism in Sikkim, Ladakh, Bhutan and Tibet.
After an interesting and exciting time here short drive to Pashupatinath Temple:
Pashupatinath Temple:
A pagoda style Hindu temple on top decorate with gilt roof and richly carved silver doors the idol of Pashupatinath dedicated to Lord Shiva, where temple situated by the bank of holy Baghmati River, regarded as most sacred temples for all Hindu religion, Pashupatinath Temple the nerve center of pilgrimage where once a year where festival Shivaratri (birth anniversary of Lord Shiva).
Temple surrounding also houses great temple known as Debpatan situated 5 kilometers east of the city, where only Hindus are allowed to enter the main courtyard of the temple, for non Hindu and tourists can view temple from across Baghmati River, from here drive back to hotel after a glorious exciting tour of Kathmandu places of great interest.
Extension for another day 02:
Morning after breakfast at the same time where guides takes for a scenic and interesting drive towards north of Kathmandu and at the valley rim to reach at Buddhanilkanta also known as Narayanthan a temple of Lord Vishnu one of the main god of Hindu religion an impressive statue of sleeping Vishnu on a bed of serpent.
Buddhanilkanta:
Situated in the north of Kathmandu valley beneath high green hill of Shivapuri, an interesting Hindu temple dedicated to Lord Vishnu or Narayan, where the local areas also known as Narayanthan.
Observe the stature on a bed of serpents amidst religious pool which seems to float on water, surrounding pond actually represents the sea. The reclining statue was built in the 5th century A.D. The season of religious celebration here takes place right after the festival of Tihar.
Although it is a renowned spot of worship, the reigning past king of Nepal (a contemporary or any Hindu monarch) not allowed visit for reasons particularly unknown. To please the king a replica of it has been built elsewhere.
From here head to Dakshinkali and Pharping area:
Dakshinkali and Pharping area, approx: 18 k.m. of an hour or less drive to isolated and peaceful forest and rural farm villages on route Dakshinkali to reach at Pharping.
On the drive observe old Newari culture as it was for hundreds of years around medieval town villages with flourishing agriculture and farming, on reaching Pharping visit the famous old Buddhist nunnery with monastery and caves, here in 6-7th century Guru Padmasambhava from India visited here on his way to Tibet stayed and meditated, a short distance from this spot visit Dakshinkali Temple a vicious looking goddesses, where pilgrims offers small animals like goats and chickens Saturday is full of worshipper situated in Chobar gorge where Baghmati River flows through.
Dakshinkali and Pharping area famous for pears and other dairy product as well certainly this will be great escape from the hustle bustle of city life for few hours, here perform devotees worship with religious rites.
Kritipur City
After a great exciting time at Chobar and Pharping short drive to another old city of Kirtipur located south west of Kathmandu valley rim a fascinating area where only few tourist often visit around these rural and hidden villages within Kathmandu valley truly a great interesting places to experience, from here our tour leads to south west town of Kirtipur where you will have to witness old culture and religious sites.
Kirtipur one of main city and town of Kathmandu valley situated on top of a hill, where Nepal old and only Tribhuvan University located at the foot of this hill.
This historic town has many things to offer with old shrines and temples, old houses, the people typically dressed in old traditional costumes, people working on ancient loom etc.
After an exciting day on Nepal Tour covering most best places of Kathmandu where tour completes driving back to your hotel with memorable experience in Nepal with Kathmandu cultural and heritage tour.