6 Days Kathmandu Valley with Nagarkot Dhulikhel Tour

2 – 3 hours

After you arrive at the Tribhuwan International Airport (TIA) Kathmandu, Our representative from Everest vacations will approach you. After the formal introduction, you will get an authentic Nepali welcome with garlands. Our Kathmandu tour focuses upon the UNESCO world heritage sites in the valley. We will start our tour of Kathmandu from the temple of Pashupatinath within a short drive from the airport.

Pashupatinath, devoted to the Hindu god of destruction 'Shiva' is one of the supreme Hindu shrines in Nepal. The temple complex consists of over 500 small and big shrines, Shiva Lingam, and Chaityas. The main pagoda is two stroyed with a golden Gajur in it enclosed within four big doors. In the banks of holy river Bagmati, this temple is an ideal place to learn about Hindu culture and tradition in the valley. Numerous legends give us the origin of the Temple and its constituent shrines. The temple gets most devotees in the festival of Shiva Ratri from all around the world.

You can spend some time in the banks of Bagmati witnessing the Hindu form of cremation. A heartwarming scene, teaching you the meaning of life and what comes after.

We will head towards Boudhanath next. The biggest stupa in Nepal and the center of Tibetan Buddhism, Boudhanath is a peaceful place to spend the evening. You can join the hundreds of devotees circumambulating the premises. From one of the roof-top restaurants enjoy the view with a warm Tibetan tea. Your guide will transfer you straight to your hotel after the tour completes today. Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

5 – 6 hours

We will head towards Patan, also known as Lalitpur or 'The city of arts' after our breakfast today. A short drive will take us to the Patan Durbar Square. The Durbar (Palace) squares are three pristine palace complexes in the valley situated at each major city, i.e., Kathmandu, Bhaktapur, and Patan. The old palace here is a perfect showcase of architecture and history of Medival Nepal. The Garuda pillar, Taleju temple, and the Krishna temple are the major attractions not to miss in this palace square. We will visit the Patan museum located within the palace square and explore the lifestyle and art of Malla era from close.

From Patan, we will take a short ride to the foot of Swoyambhunath temple. This temple complex is one of the oldest heritage sites of the nation. 'The monkey temple' is the secondary name of Swoyambhunath for the abundance of the monkeys inhabiting the hill. Both Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims visit the Swoyambhunath temple. The view of the Kathmandu valley is breathtaking with the background of green hills surrounding it. After the tour, we will return to our hotel and rest for the day. Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

5-6 hours

We will head out for an engaging drive around some of the culturally preserved village and settlements in the edges of Kathmandu valley. Our tour of today will take us closer to Newa art, culture, and lifestyle. We will start the tour with Pharping. Pharping is a small town with majestic Buddhist monastery and caves holding the legends of Guru Rinpoche. Padmasambhava stayed in these caves while returning to Tibet from India in the late 6th century. After a short visit here we will head towards the Dakshinkali temple near Pharpaing. Dakshinkali is one of the most significant Hindu shrines in the valley devoted to the goddess Kali. It is also one of the major 'Shakti Pith' meaning the source of power in Kathmandu valley. Offerings of animals are done specific days to please the guarding deity of southern Kathmandu.

We will then head to Kritipur visiting the Chobar park in the way. We can have a view of a beautiful gorge made by the Bagmati river. Kritipur is one of the culturally rich and vibrant city of Nepal carrying a great history. The setting of the town is picturesque with houses stacking on top of another. Here, we can try some Newari snacks and head for a short tour. The major attractions of Kritipur are: -

*Bagh Bhairab: - A temple dedicated to God Bhairab in tiger form. The idol here is considered as the guardian of this city with the local name Ajudeu.

*Chilancho Stupa: a Buddhist shrine of the medieval period. In the premises of this Chaitya, inscriptions from Nepal Samvat 635 was unearthed. It is one of the most prominent historical stupas of the region.

*Uma Maheshwar: Uma Maheshwar temple (Kwacho Dega) is an important heritage of Kirtipur. This three-storied pagoda is situated at the highest point in Kritipur at 1,414 m. This temple provides us with fascinating views of Kathmandu valley and snow-capped range towards the north.

*Shri Kirti Bihar: a Theravada Buddhist monastery built in traditional Thai architectural style. This Bihar is situated near the entrance of the city.

We will then drive towards the villages of Khokana and Bungmati. These beautiful settlements have preserved their architecture, culture, and lifestyle for hundreds of years despite being near to the capital. In your village tours, you can witness the simple life, local farming techniques, traditional houses, and heartwarming smiles of hospitality here. Similarly, you can visit the temples and street markets here, which is famous for local handicrafts and organic mustard oil. We will return to our hotel in Kathmandu from here and rest for the day. Overnight at a hotel in Kathmandu.

3-4 hours

After breakfast, we will head towards the city of Bhaktapur in the eastern part of the Kathmandu valley. This city is the best preserved one in the valley with many locals following the traditional way of living. Bhaktapur Durbar square will be our first site to visit here. The fifty-five windows palace, Golden Gate (Lun Dhwākhā), Bhairabnath temple, and Vatshala temple are the must-see attraction of the square. We will also visit the Nyatapola temple square and pottery square to round off the trip here. While we are here, we can also try delicious Newari cuisine and the special Juju Dhau (King's curd).

Next, we will visit one of the oldest heritage sites of Nepal, the Changunarayan Temple about 15 km east of Bhaktapur city. The inscriptions found in the premises of Changunarayan ages back to the 6th century while the wood and stone carvings are of top quality here. The main temple is dedicated to Hindu god Bishnu the protector. After the art-rich session here we will head towards the hilltop village of Nagarkot. Nagarkot is one of the most popular gateway destinations near the valley. It is a perfect combination of local culture and beautiful nature. Overnight at a hotel in Nagarkot.

5-6 hours

We will start our day early with a beautiful sunrise view over the Mountains from Nagarkot. An observatory tower here at an altitude of 2,175 meters gives us the perfect view of the Himalayas. Starting from Mt. Dhaulagiri in the west we can have a great view of Everest (8,848m.), Lhotse (8,516m.), Cho Oyu (8,201m.), Makalu (8,463m) in a clear sky from here. After the sunrise, we will return to the hotel for breakfast.

From Nagarkot, we will drive for a couple of hours out from the valley and visit the Nambuddha monastery. The monastery is one of the most beautiful ones in Nepal with many legends linked to it. We can take a short nature walk in the premises and enjoy the landscape from Namobuddha. If you are here from March to May, you can get a fantastic view of blooming Rhododendron forests surrounding the area. Next, we will head for the ancient town of Panauti. Also, one of the most preserved cultural areas near Kathmandu, Panauti showcases you the traditional farming lifestyle of the locals. We will visit some of the old temples here and head towards Dhulikhel. In the evening, you can take a short hike and enjoy nature's bliss here. Overnight at a hotel in Dhulikhel.

2-2:30 hours

We will start the final day of this tour with a clear view of mountain ranges from Langtang-Jugal Himal to Gaurishankar. After breakfast, we will return back to Kathmandu and to airport for your departure. With wonderful memories and moments to cherish for a long time to come, this tour ends with some unique experiences. Our team will stay connected with you for your valuable suggestion and feedback. With a bliss of nature and Himalayas and a mild punch of adventure explore and enjoy with Everest Vacation.