Do you have a day off before a long journey? Are you looking for a worth it destination for a day in Kathmandu valley? Then don’t look around as we have got the right day trip planned for you. This Kathmandu Day Tour is the culmination of a cultural, religious, historic, and nature-oriented trip in a single day. The places that are worthy of your attention are included in this trip. The places you will be visiting are Chandragiri Hills, Swayambhunath Stupa, and Kathmandu Durbar Square.
The Chandragiri Hills is the first destination you will travel to. The hill is at an altitude of 2551 meters which is accessible by cable car or a hike through the hilly forest. It is the most famous viewpoint around Kathmandu valley attracting both local and foreign tourists alike. The cable car that you will ride covers a 2.5 km distance in less than 15 minutes. The Chandragiri Hills that lie South-West of Kathmandu Valley is a natural treasure with views of the Himalayas and Kathmandu Valley. There is also a temple of Bhaleshwor Mahadev along with kid friendly playground and family/friends-oriented eateries and gift shops. Then we will ride towards Swayambhunath Stupa.
The stupa is situated on top of a hill with monkeys freely roaming around the place. So, it is also called the "Monkey Temple." The stupa shows the harmonious relationship between the Hindu and Buddhist religions as Hindu gods and goddesses are surrounding the stupa at the center. It is a UNESCO-certified World Heritage Site in Nepal. You can find many smaller stupas and pagodas at the top along with many larger prayer wheels and Buddha statues scattered around the base of the hills. Then we will descend the hill and visit Amideva Buddha Park on the opposite side of the hill. There are three big statues of Shakyamuni Buddha performing different mudras. After spending some time in the park, we will visit one of the Durbar Square/ Royal Courtyard of Kathmandu: Kathmandu Durbar Square.
The Kathmandu Durbar Square is a historically, culturally, and religiously important heritage of Kathmandu valley. As one of the three durbar squares included in the World Heritage Site by UNESCO, the importance of this place is astronomical. It exhibits many temples and statues of deities like Bhairav, Hanuman, the living goddess Kumari, Taleju Bhawani, and Shiva. Also, there are historical structures of Kasthamandap and a museum inside the royal palace. Thus, this is the ideal day trip and a way to spend your day in Kathmandu valley.