Hiking and Sightseeing Activities around Kathmandu can be as fascinating as an exploration of culture and nature as anything can be.
Kathmandu is not only the capital of Nepal but also a small valley that holds a cultural history of more than 2000 years old. As a valley surrounded by beautiful green hills, Kathmandu has beautiful hill stations and viewpoints to watch the wonderful Himalayan range. There are various hiking and sightseeing activities around Kathmandu that lure travelers to explore and enjoy more of the Kathmandu valley.
Of the various different activities to do in Kathmandu, sightseeing activities are certainly the most sought-after ones. Another must-do activity that Kathmandu valley offers is a hiking trip. It can surely be a difficult task to choose the right hiking tour and sightseeing activities in Kathmandu because of the presence of several attractions to explore.
This post will enlighten you on how it feels to go on a hiking tour or a sightseeing tour in and around Kathmandu valley. We also talk here about how to make the right choice of the places to explore in Kathmandu while you are here. We are hopeful that this article will certainly be of some help in enlightening you on the topic.
Hiking around Kathmandu
The Kathmandu valley ridge provides an excellent opportunity to be in pristine nature. Walking in nature, even for a single day, fills us with unimaginable energy that brings only joy in our life. As the valley has surrounding hills, hiking to those hills brings marvelous views of the mountains and the valley. A day hiking tour in the surrounding hills of Kathmandu is a nice escape into nature. Some day-hiking trips bring a chance to explore local culture and lifestyle as well.
Day hiking trips around Kathmandu vary not only in the walking distance and the time but also in the charm that they cast upon the hikers. Some of them are the pure exploration of nature in national parks while some are a combination of nature and culture. The hikers will have the chance to enjoy the wild, culture, nature and of course, the view of white snow-capped mountains from a distance.
We have listed some hiking trips around Kathmandu for you to choose the trip that suits you.
1. Nagarjun Hiking – 4 hours
2. Nagarkot Dhulikhel Hiking – 6 hours
3. Nagarkot Nala Hiking – 3.5 hours
4. Champadevi Hiking – 5 hours
5. Shivapuri Hiking – 6 hours
6. Nagarkot Changu Narayan Hiking – 3.5 hours
Sightseeing Tour in Kathmandu
Actually the rich cultural, spiritual, and historical attractions of the valley make sightseeing in Kathmandu a must activity to do. As a matter of fact, this bustling capital city of Nepal is home to seven wonderful UNESCO cultural heritage monuments.
In fact, exploring these cultural heritage monuments gives you a cultural insight into Kathmandu valley. Heritage exploration does not only bring cultural insights but also a spiritual awakening. Visiting Buddhist stupas and Hindu temples is simply much more than a spiritual awakening. Of the seven cultural heritage monuments, two are Buddhist stupas – Swoyambhunath and Boudhanath. Three of them are medieval royal palace squares – Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, and Bhaktapur Durbar Square. The rest of the two is Hindu temple – Pashupatinath and Changu Narayan.
Next to the cultural heritage sites, there are also fascinating ethnic Newari settlements. These settlements are true places to explore and immerse in the local cultural lifestyle. In addition to the cultural sites, walking around the local streets of will be an authentic experience. Exploring these areas will give you an idea of the shopping habit of Nepalese people and the way they do it.
There is no doubt that the Kathmandu Valley Tour will take you on an exploration of the cultural heritage monuments. You will certainly have a wonderful time exploring these sites. Although exploring these sites may take longer, you will need at least two days to visit all the cultural heritage monuments. But, to explore other local areas too, you will need at least three days to go around the valley.
Finally, we believe that you must have got some essential ideas on hiking and sightseeing activities around Kathmandu after reading this post. If you have more questions on the topic, please do let us know. We will try our best to provide the authentic and best information possible.