Kathmandu’s apex sights are spread throughout the extensive capital, meaning most visitors end up missing key magnetism. On this action-packed day tour, you’ll envelop all of the region’s UNESCO-listed highlights. Travel in a relaxed private car between locations in the city, with a private guide on-hand to provide information and background. This heritage tour of Kathmandu Valley: you will be visiting all the UNESCO-listed stops Cover the region’s UNESCO-listed heritage sites in one thrilling day tour by private car to save time amid sights—perfect for visitors on a tight schedule Enjoy lunch in well-preserved site.
This day tour is basically for travelers who have short time to see Kathmandu in a different yet exciting way. Each of the sites is well worth the visit and the personal touch of a private tour is a nice way to learn about the experience. If you are someone who takes interest in the history and culture of the city, this tour is definitely for you and your friends/family.
Well, you don’t have to search for a time machine anymore because we offer you an enchanting tour of the mystical Kathmandu valley. This day tour will let you explore the city of temples in its full glory. Kathmandu valley is an open museum. The city of temples boast hundreds of temples that have cultural and historical significance. There are seven world heritage sites recognized by the UNESCO in Kathmandu alone. You will get surprised by how time has stopped in these courtyards and alleys of the town. The old lanes and courtyards of the city will transport you back in time.
This short trip with The Great Adventure Treks is a gateway to explore the culture, architecture, and food of the “Newar” people. The Newars of the Kathmandu valley known for their many cultural festivals and lavish food habits. The chariot festival of Machindranath, the festival of Indra (god of heaven) etc. are to name a few. The Newar people also worship a living goddess “Kumari.” A high amount of meat and alcohol is a staple of the traditional Newari diet. This cultural tour will bring you closer to the history and civilization of the ancient city. The hospitality of the Nepalese people will warm your heart. This trip is perfect a weekend getaway from work. So forget about your urban life, come to Kathmandu and transport back in time. Here are the detailed itineraries:
Detailed Itinerary:
1. Swayambhunath
Swayambhunath Stupa also known as “The Monkey Temple,” is located on the top of Kathmandu. It has 365 breathtaking stairs to be actual that takes you to the top for the excellent view of the city itself. You can situate many small shrines and souvenir shops on the way to top with monkeys wandering around freely. You are free to take pictures on the road and capture the breathtaking views. As the top, you will see a sizeable gold-plated thunderbolt (Vajra). It is one of the intriguing monuments there. Also, very right next to it lies a large white dome with a cubical pinnacle. The Swayambhunath stupa did not fall even though many additional temples around the vicinity crumbled after the earthquake of 2015. You will also see many prayers wheels of special sizes nearly in every section around the Swayambhunath.
You can go enjoy around the stupa whirling the prayer wheels, and you will even see Hindu temples and divinity that co-exist in harmony in this Buddhist site. Along the way, you will view many other shrines, stupas, gravestones, and offering places. Then you will head in the direction of the western frontier of the Swayambhunath. You will see a sanctified pond stuffed with coins and many human beings attempting to fling the coins in the core of the small pond. Merchants are set up around the location with many Thanka arts and spectacular souvenirs. On attaining the western side, huge statues of Buddha can be found. You then will walk around the hill and find many prayers wheels of idiosyncratic sizes nearly in every phase around the mountain.
Right at the conclusion moment of your Swayambhunath Tour, you will find yourself at the consequent facet of the hill. At initial glance, three big statuettes of Buddha will captivate you. As people tend to miss the opportunity to go to the Buddha Park, this will be a higher considerable possibility to look at the unblemished golden statues of Shakyamuni Buddha. After a few time enjoying there, you will go forward to your subsequent destination, which is Kathmandu Durbar Square.
2. Kathmandu Durbar Square
In Kathmandu Durbar Square, you will witness many historical and holy sites and architectural structures are in the process of reconstruction. However, there are nonetheless many explore able sites around the vicinity. You will see a gigantic statue of “Kal Bhairav,” figure of “Hanuman” at Hanuman Dhoka, and a minuscule model of Pashupatinath temple. Also, you can travel around the Kumari Ghar where the inhabiting goddesses of Nepal reside. You will situate the region lively as there are close by humans and additionally nearby companies selling creative items and Thanka material round.
You will visit a holy attraction at Kumari Chowk, a courtyard inside a red-brick, three-level building that was once residence to Kumari, a girl choosen to be the town’s living goddess until she reaches puberty and turn into a mere mortal.
3. Patan Durbar Square
The Patan Durbar Square is the patio of the old Malla palace, positioned in the metropolis of Lalitpur, which is crammed with Newari Architecture and nearby Newar society. The square is covered with red bricks on the floor. There are three quads in Patan Durbar Square, and you will be visiting them one after another. The first one Sundari Chowk is filled with different statues and stoned architecture. Then you will come across the Mul Chowk, one of the secured places as theft of many sculptures and statues that came about in place of Patan Durbar Square. Finally, the third and closing courtyard homes the museum of Durbar Square. It is the Keshav Narayan Chowk. You will see many matters related to historical eastern civilization.
Heading on to the prime field, you will be astounded at the sight of the beautiful stone artistry of Krishna Temple in the region. The temple is created from end to end stones only. You will see 21 holy places in the temple and carvings associated with Ramayana and Mahabharat. In the identical lane of Krishna Temple, there is a massive bell near to the fraction of the Durbar Square. There is also some other exquisiteness referred to as Shankar Narayan Temple with statues of kneeling elephants. You will ascertain large sculptures of animals like lions on both aspects of access gates in most of the places. Other amazingly integral construction in the Durbar Square are Mahaboudha, Rudravarna Mahavihar and Machhendranath Temple in the south.
You will additionally visit the golden temple in the north. Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, which is regarded as the golden temple, is a 12th-century temple pagoda style temple with bronze sculpture and silver and gold decorations. There is a golden figure of Lord Buddha and a large entreaty wheel in the higher layer of the temple.
Moving forward, you will enter Keshav Narayan Chowk. It is made into the Patan Museum. You will get to take a look at many facts about our tradition and history and especially about historic Japanese civilization. It is a beautiful, peaceful vicinity to unwind and aspects a number Buddhist, Tantric, and Hindu artifacts. You can see many interior architectures and famous with comfortable surroundings inside the museum.
4. Boudhanath Stupa
Boudhanath Stupa is one of the greatest mandalas that is 36 meters tall with over 50 gompas built around it. It is one of the famous and most important Buddhist pilgrimage sites of Nepal for the spiritual as well as tourism purposes. It is enlisted as one of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites of Nepal. As you enter the premises of the Boudhanath, you will see a full-size dome-shaped structure with fluttering prayer flags. These flags prolong from the four corners hovering in the sky with the scent of incense sticks filling the atmosphere. If you attain the stupa at the time of prayer, then you will be spiritually taken away with the chimes and prayer sounds. There are many snapshots of Buddhas around the stupa, and also the prayer wheels surround the stupa. Aside from these elements of Boudhanath Stupa, you will locate many eateries and souvenir shops in the region.
From above, Bodnath Stupa appears like a giant mandala, or illustration of the Buddhist cosmos. And as in all Tibetan mandalas, four of the Dhyani Buddhas mark the prime points, with the fifth, Vairocana, enshrined in the center (in the white hemisphere of the stupa). The five Buddhas also characterize the five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), which are represented in the stupa’s architecture. There are other symbolic numbers here as well: the nine levels of Boudhanath Stupa represent the mythical Mt. Meru, center of the cosmos; and the 13 rings from the base to the summit symbolize the path to enlightenment, or “Bodhi” — hence the stupa’s name. At the bottom, the stupa is delimited by an irregular 16-sided wall, with frescoes in the niches. In addition to the Five Dhyani Buddhas, Boudhanath Stupa is closely associated with the Bodhisattva Avalokiteshvara (Padmapani), whose 108 forms are depicted in sculptures around the base. The mantra of Avalokiteshvara – Om Mani Padme Hum – is carved on the prayer wheels beside the images of Avalokiteshvara around the base of the stupa. The base of the stupa consists of three large platforms, decreasing in size. These platforms symbolize Earth, and here you can look out at the mountains while listening to the hymns of the devoted doing kora, walking around the stupa praying.
Cost Includes:
- Hotel Pick Up and Drop
- An experienced government licensed holder Tour Guide.
- Sightseeing around World Heritage sites
- All monuments fees.
- Private transportation for entire tour.
- Services as per itinerary.
- All local and government taxes.
Cost Excludes:
- Lunch during tour
- Soft and hard drinks
- Your travel insurance
- Any expense of personal nature
- Tips for guides or other staffs.
