(From 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. with a lunch break in between).
Kathmandu Day tour starts after your hearty breakfast in the hotel. Our city/tour guide will pick you up at the hotel for a short drive or walk (depending upon walking distance).
The tour begins right from the heart of Kathmandu city around old Durbar Square (Palace and Courtyard). It is an amazing place within the hub of a metropolitan city. So, you will be in the midst of a med-vial and ancient era of old temples and palaces of Malla times to the late Shah period.
Visit uncountable historical sites and monuments around Kathmandu Durbar Square. At the same time, visit Kumari Ghar (Living Goddess) and vicious Kal Bhairab, red monkey god (Hanuman). This memorable visit includes intricate carvings and sights around Kathmandu Durbar Square.
Buildings of the Malla dynasty, which ruled three palaces of Kathmandu, Patan, and Bhaktapur cities within Kathmandu valley, can be seen. In addition, visit the temple of Goddess Taleju (legend story the goddess played dice with King Jaya Prakash Malla).
The Durbar Square is lively with the colorful life of street vendors selling curios, flutes, and other handicrafts within the Kastamandap rest house. The rest house is constructed from the wood of a single tree where the name Kathmandu derived from, built-in 1596 A.D. by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla.
Besides the things mentioned below, there are many things to visit in Kathmandu. You can visit yourself also. Take time and explore those places.
What to visit around Kathmandu Durbar Square:
Akash Bhairab Temple:
Known as Blue Bhairab, the three-tier temple is located near the main market of Indra Chowk. The divine image of Akash Bhairab is displayed outside for a week-long period during the great festival of Indra Jatra.
The celebration of Indra Jatra honors Indra- the King of Heaven and the God of Rain.
Hanuman Dhoka:
An ancestral historic seat of past royalty, it mainly belongs to the Malla dynasty. Durbar Square is dedicated to Malla royal sovereigns, today listed as World Heritage Site.
Temple of Kumari:
Temple of Kumari, with its holy quadrangle houses, has a Buddhist Stupa in the center is a residential quarter of the Chaste Virgin ‘Living Goddess’ called ‘Kumari.’ The traditional building is carved with wooden balconies and window screens.
Kumari, the Living Goddess, greets visitors from the middle window of the balcony. Taking photos is strictly prohibited.
After Durbar Square, drive to the famous old Syambhunath Stupa:
Completing an hour's visit around Durbar Square, our guide and cheerful driver take for a short drive. Then you will reach Swayambhunath, which is also known as Monkey Temple due to the many Rhesus monkeys around.
Swayambhunath Stupa, an ancient monument and famous landmark of Nepal, is believed to be more than 2,600 years of history as it stands as one of the world’s oldest Buddhist Stupa / Chaitya.
The Great Stupa of Swayambhunath is a wonder and glory of Nepal. Moreover, It is an excellent viewpoint of Kathmandu City, which is covered by green hills.
This famous ancient Stupa is listed as World Heritage Site. Similarly, the large Buddhist dome-shaped Stupa is composed of a solid hemisphere of terra–cotta bricks and soil supporting a cornice of copper and gilt with paints on four-sided of the spiral. Interestingly, the all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha keep an eternal watch over the valley distinguishing between vice and virtue.
From Swayambhunath, visit the large Bouddhanath Stupa with lunch break:
After a grand time with views of Kathmandu city from Swayambhunath, the short drive leads to the east of the city at Bouddhanath, also called ‘Little Tibet.’ This is because of similar culture and customs with the Tibetan origin people that reside around.
This large Stupa stands as the largest Buddhist shrine in South Asia, the ancient colossal Chorten built in the 6th century A.D. by King Man Deb.
It rests on three terraces looking from a bird’s eye view. It has a relevant shape of a lotus flower which remains a very holy object for all worldwide devout Buddhists.
The Stupa, known as Chorten / Stupa, is surrounded by a circular market with four pairs of Buddha’s eyes. This gives a stunning flash around four cardinal directions as a diligent watch over the people and their commitments.
The Stupa embraces the authentic philosophy of the Mahayana faith of Buddhism, known as Lamaism in Nepal, Sikkim, Ladakh, Bhutan, and Tibet.
With time here for a lunch break, enjoy meals in a nice terraced restaurant with views of the large Bouddhanath Stupa.
Tour of Pashupatinath Temple:
After enjoying morning and mid-afternoon with an exciting tour of Durbar Square, Swayambhunath, and Bouddhanath Stupa, take lunch, and then take a short drive to the holy temple of Pashupatinath.
Pashupatinath is a sacred Hindu Temple of pagoda design with a gilt roof and richly carved silver doors. Moreover, this temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, close to the holy Bagmati River.
One of the most sacred sites of the entire Hindu world, Pashupatinath Temple is the nerve center of pilgrimage for millions of Hindus on the auspicious day of Shiva-Ratri (birth anniversary of Lord Shiva) around mid-February as per the Hindu calendar.
Inside the main temple premises, only Hindus are permitted to enter. Non-Hindu and foreign visitors can observe the temple from the east side of the Bagmati River.
After visiting places that are historically, culturally, and religiously important, get back to the hotel and enjoy the rest of the day. Our one-day Kathmandu city tour finally ends with a visit to Pashupatinath temple. Get blessed with visits to religious places.
Note: This trip, we will operate privately and also be able to operate every day.