Kathmandu Half Day Tour

Overview

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal, carries a very ancient history. Naturally, the place also has many travel destinations due to its age-long culture and tradition. If you are in Kathmandu and need help navigating these places, do not worry. We at Great Adventure Treks bring you a Kathmandu half day tour package. This package brings you short tours around the destinations of Kathmandu that you can finish in less than a day.

Our package offers a half day tour around the Kathmandu Durbar Square and the Swayambhunath temple. These two places are quite close in the vicinity and can be toured within 5 hours. We will leave early morning after breakfast and explore the locals of Durbar Square. Then we will head to the Swayambhunath temple after lunch and be done touring before noon.

The Kathmandu Durbar square is an ancient royal palace built during the Malla rule of Nepal. It has various temples and historical artifacts of great importance. Touring and learning about the Durbar Square is a must-do when visiting Kathmandu. A mere 2.3 km away from Durbar Square lies the famous Swayambhunath temple. Swayambhunath is a religious structure lying on a hill in the valley. The site offers beautiful views of the overall city.

Our Kathmandu half day tour package includes breakfast, pick-up, and drop-off at your hotel, guides, snacks, etc. Stick with us to know more about this package.

Highlights of Kathmandu Half Day Tour

  • Visit the ancient Nepali palace of Kathmandu Durbar Square,
  • Observe Kathmandu city from the hilltop of Swayambhunath,
  • Get a short tour of the city without any prep,
  • Tour with a guide and learn about these destination’s history, architecture, and significance,
  • Have pickup and drop off services from and to your hotel room for the tour,
  • Managed entrance fees and tickets for both destinations,
  • Breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the day.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the ticket price of Kathmandu Durbar Square?

The entry fee for Kathmandu Durbar Square is NPR 1000 or around USD 10 for foreigners. SAARC nationals can visit the site by paying just NPR 150. The entry fee is not charged if a child below the age of 10 is traveling with you.

What is famous in Kathmandu Durbar Square?

Places like Hanuman Dhoka, Taleju Temple, Kal and Swet Bhairav temple, Taleju temple, and Jagannath temple are famous here. Shishal Baithak, Nasal Chowk, and Tribhuwan museum are also popular places to visit.

Why do people go to Kathmandu Durbar Square?

People are intrigued by the Kathmandu Durbar Square as it is enlisted in the UNESCO world heritage sites. Most of the structures of the square age are more than 400 years old and have a great significance.

Why are there three durbar squares in Nepal?

Nepal has three durbar squares due to the segregation of one generation of Malla siblings. They ruled over different parts of the valley and established their own palace. These palaces are now a historical complex that we call “Durbar Square”.

How much is the entry fee for the Swayambhunath Temple?

The entrance fee for Swayambhunath is NPR 200 if you’re a foreigner. But SAARC nationals can enter the temple with a ticket of NPR 50.

What time to visit Swayambhu?

The best time to visit the Swayambhunath temple is early mornings or evenings. The view of sunrise and sunset is mesmerizing from the hilltop where Swayambhu lies. You can see the entirety of the valley from Swaymabhu.

How many stairs are there in Swayambhu?

You can find two stairs leading you to Swayambhu. There is one very steep staircase leading you to the entrance of Swayambhu. A walk from the main road to the entrance will take approximately 350 steps. The walk is relatively easy but is quite steep. There is also another staircase lying on the southwest face of the hill.

Why do people visit Swayambhu?

People visit the stupa because it is an emblem of faith and peace among Hindus and Buddhists. You can find various Hindu temples on this Buddhist site. The stupa is essentially called temple these days.

  • Private transportation for the entire tour
  • Professional and experienced English-speaking tour guide
  • All entrance fees to the monuments and attractions
  • Government taxes and fees
  • Breakfast, lunch, and snacks throughout the day.
  • Accommodation and meals outside of the tour
  • Personal expenses and gratuities
  • Travel insurance
  • Any additional expenses not mentioned in the inclusions

Significance of the destinations

Kathmandu durbar square

The Kathmandu Durbar Square is an ancient royal palace used during the Malla dynasty of Nepal. The place and its vicinity are also popular as Basantapur Durbar or Hanuman Dhoka. The palace lies in the center of the city and houses one of the best historical artifacts in the country.

One of the Durbar Square gates, Hanuman Dhoka, was built back during the Lichhavi period. This was approximately during the 4th to 8th century AD. Hence, the complex has a long and ancient history.

The gate, including the palace, was a part of King Pratap Malla’s property since the 17th century. The Mallas built various structures in the place, including a myriad of palaces, temples, and courtyards. The palace hoses more than 50 temples. Currently, all these structures are used as a museum and a tool for observing history and culture.

The fascinating part of the square is the huge number of temples. The area has around 50 temples, with the Taleju Bhawani temple being the titular one. The palace has two courtyards, an outer and an inner section. The outer section houses Kasthamandap, Kumari Ghar, and Shiva-Parvati Temple. The inner section, on the other hand, has the Hanuman Dhoka and the prime palace. Most of the palace has been transformed into museums dedicated to the Shah kings. You are open to visiting these places every day of the week.

These are some of the major attraction sites of the Kathmandu Durbar Square:

  • Kumari Temple

The temple was built in the 17th century with highly skilled Nepali craftsmen. The temple is the place of residence for the Kumari goddess of Kathmandu. Kumari is a young girl who is believed to be a living goddess. This temple is primarily closed but open to the public once a year during Dashain.

  • Taleju Temple

The temple is the most significant part of the square. It is the tallest among all the other temples and structures of the square. King Mahendra of the Malla dynasty built the temple in 1549 AD. This temple is also closed for the most part of the year and opened during Dashain.

  • Jagannath Temple

This temple was built back in the 16th century by the Mallas. The temple is popular for having engrossing wooden structures of erotic figures.

  • Kal Bhairab

Kal Bhairab is a statue carved out of stone to represent the Lord Shiva of Hindu mythology. It is one of the largest statues built during the 17th century.

  • Swet Bhairav

Swet Bhairav is another stature of lord Shiva housed in the square. The Bhairave temple is also primarily closed but open once a year. This happens at the time of August or September during Indra Jatra.

  • Narsingha Statue

Narsingha is believed to be one of the avatars of Lord Vishnu. People believe he exists in his man-lion avatar, eviscerating a demon. This sort of statue stands in the square built in 1673 by Pratap Malla. There also lies an inscription describing why this statue was built.

  • Nasal Chowk

The Nasal chowk is one of the courtyards of the palace. It lies inside the main entrance of the prime part of the royal palace, where the kings lived. The courtyard was built by the Malla dynasty. But the succeeding rulers built many more structures in its vicinity. This courtyard was used for the coronation of Nepali kings up until 2001.

  • Shisha Baithak

Shisha Baithak is essentially just a patio where you can see the Malla thrones. Along with that, you can also find pictures and paintings of the Shah kings.

  • Tribhuwan Museum

Tribhuwan Museum is a museum commemorating King Tribhuwan as well as the recent kings, Mahendra and Birendra. The museum showcases the king’s bedroom, study, and personal belongings. It provided an intimate look inside the king’s lifestyle. You can also find the king’s boxing gloves and a walking staff with a sword hidden inside. You can find a the king’s dusty old empty aquarium. Various thrones are exhibited along with many photographs post-hunting and coin collection.

Swyambhunath temple

Swayambhu is a historical religious structure that lies on a hill to the west of the Kathmandu valley. The structure is essentially a Stupa with the eyes of Buddha. Between the eyes is a Devanagari one painted to replicate a nose. It consists of myriad shrines and temples of ancient Nepal. Some structures of the Swayambhunath temples date back to the Licchavi dynasty of Nepal. The temple and its original artifacts also house a Tibetan monastery, museum, and library.

The temple and its vicinity have various shops, restaurants as well as hotels. You can browse through various arts and jewelry and even enjoy food and drinks. There are two ways to enter this temple. One is the long steep staircase that leads you to the temple’s main entrance at the east. The other is the entrance in the southwest face of the hill.

The fundamental structure of the stupa is a dome-shaped base. On the top of the dome is a cube-like structure that has a painting of Buddha’s eyes. Every four sides of the cube has a Buddhist structure called torana in a pentagonal shape. There are thirteen levels above each of the Torana, and each level has a small space. There are Gajurs present in each of these spaces.

There are various mythologies regarding the existence of this complex. One of them is the Swayambhu Purana. This mythology says that Kathmandu was once a huge lake with a lotus in its midst. The deity, Manjushree, had a vision of the lotus and traveled to worship it. Upon arrival, he envisioned that the vicinity would be a great area for settlement. So he went up to the hill of Chovar and cut a gorge to drain the water out of the lake. This led to the formation of the Kathmandu valley. The lotus that gave Manjushree this enlightenment is believed to be where the Swayambhunath temple lies.

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Kathmandu Half Day Tour

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