From old palace, temples to monasteries and stupa in the shade of local impressive culture
Tour around Kathmandu Heritage Sites, an exciting as well as interesting visit to the wonderful landmarks of the country. Of Nepal's Ten World Heritage Sites, four of the beautiful historical site is located in Kathmandu city.
While other three are around Patan, Bhaktapur, and Changunarayan, including the threes, which are situated at Lumbini. Including the Chitwan and Sagarmatha National Parks, which are beyond the Kathmandu Valley. The tour around Kathmandu Heritage Sites focuses mainly on the capital Kathmandu City areas.
Kathmandu, although a metropolitan and commercial hub of Nepal, retains its ancient glorious of immemorial era times. Our tour around Kathmandu Heritage Sites leads you to magnificent places of the medieval periods.
The places of great cultural, historical, and religious interest listed in world heritage sites are the Kathmandu Old Durbar Square.
Includes the holy Hindu Temple of Pashupatinath, the Buddhist monuments of Swyambhunath, and the Bouddhanath Stupas.
The tour takes you amidst Kathmandu city at Kathmandu Durbar Square steeped with temples and palaces, and a royal courtyard.
Then heading towards the west of the city area to Swyambhunath with more than 2,600 years old history. The area is also called Monkey Temple due to the many Rhesus Monkeys that dwell around the compound.
From here the tour leads east of the city and visits the holy Pashupatinath Temple. The shrine is dedicated to the Hindu supreme god Lord Shiva placed on the center of the temple. After a wonderful and interesting time, a short drive to Bouddhanath Stupa, the area also known as Little Tibet. A beautiful dome-shaped monument with three levels that surrounds the Stupa, the top golden spires. Where the mystical all-seeing eyes are placed around the four cardinal sides, watching the daily activities of worshippers.
Truly an exciting and magnificent dome Stupa of Bouddhanath the compound is designed as a Mandala with monasteries around. A great place to visit and to observe the pilgrims on prayers and offerings. After a great enjoyable visit, the Tour around Kathmandu Heritage Sites concludes.
Short Itinerary of Half to Day Tour:
Morning after breakfast our expert city guide will accompany you with short drive to reach at Kathmandu Durbar Square.
The Durbar Square full of colorful life with vendors of vegetables, curios, flutes, and other crafts with Kastamandap a rest house believed to have been built with the wood of a single tree and is the source from which the Kathmandu Valley got its name. Nearby are great drums which were beaten to announce royal decrees. All woodcarvings, statues, and architecture in this area are exceptionally fine, and Kathmandu Durbar Square is among the most important sights for travelers to witness, the complex also houses the Tribhuvan Museum that carries the mementoes of different Shah Kings.
After an interesting time around old Durbar Square a short drive west of the valley to reach at Swayambhunath (Monkey Temple): The great Stupa of Swayambhunath stands high on a hill of more than 26 centuries old, one of the worlds oldest Buddhist Chaitya / Stupa and also a land mark of Kathmandu and Nepal. The Great Stupa of Swayambhunath is the wonder and the glory that was Nepal.
Listed as World Heritage Site, the stupa, forms a salient structure, is well composed of a solid hemisphere of terra - cotta with four-sided all seeing eyes of lord Buddha, keeping an eternal watch on the Valley distinguishing between vice and virtue.
The whole hill is a mosaic of small Chaitya and pagoda temples possessing great five Mahayana (Lamaism) and one Hinyan (Therbadist). On the hind hill is located another important Buddhist shrine; it is called Manjushree, the Chinese Buddha God of Knowledge and Wisdom.
Afternoon with time for lunch break, then a short drive towards east of the city to reach at Hindu Temple of Pashupatinath,a pagoda style temple with gilded roofs richly carved silver doors dedicated to Lord Shiva, situated on the bank of holy Baghmati River. One of the most holy temples in entire Hindu world, Pashupatinath Temple is the nerve center of pilgrimage on the day of Shiva-Ratri anniversary of Lord Shiva. This small religious town also houses great temple known as Debpatan, situated 5 kilometers east of the capital city. Only Hindus are permitted to enter the main courtyard of the temple.
Foreign tourists can view the temple from eastern side of the River.
From Pashupatinath Temple heading towards Bouddhanath Stupa a Little Tibet:
The largest Buddhist shrine in South East Asia, this ancient colossal chhorten / Stupa built in 6th Century A.D. by King Man Deb. It rests on a series of three terraces looking from birds eye view it takes the form and relevant shape of a lotus flower, which indeed remains a very holy object for all the devout world-wide Buddhists.
The chhorten surrounded by a circular market, which forms a part of Tibet town overlooking four sided Buddhas eyes give a vivid flash. The chhorten embraces the authentic philosophy of Mahayana the faith of which is known as Lamaism in Sikkim, Ladakh, Bhutan and Tibet.
Extension Tour of Kathmandu for a day or more:
Budhanikantha:
About 8-kms north of Kathmandu, at the base of Shivapuri hill is a remarkable colossal statue of Lord Vishnu, reclining of the bed of snake. This is one of the masterpieces of stone sculptures of Lichchhavi period. This 5th century statue is in the middle of a small pond and seems to float in water.
National Museum:
Two and half kilometers west of Kathmandu, the National Museum has splendid collection of weapons, artifacts from ancient, medieval and modern Nepal. Its archaeological and historical displays are worth seeing. The museum is open everyday except Tuesday and government holidays.
Chabahil:
The lovely stupa of Chabahil is believed to have been built by Charumati, the daughter of the Indian emperor Asoka, in the 3rd Century B.C. There are ancient statues around the stupa.
Chandra Vinayak:
The temple of Chandra Vinayak is situated about 200 m. north of Chabahil stupa. This double tiered brass roofed temple houses a tiny image of Lord Ganesh, the Elephant-headed God.
Gokarna:
This lovely Sanctuary, known as Gokarna Safari Park, about 10-kms north-east of Kathmandu. Many wild animals such as Spotted Deer can be viewed in the sanctuary from an Elephant back. On the northern side of Gokarna, is a Pagoda of Gokarneshwor Mahadev.
Kirtipur:
It is a small town, 8-kms south-west of Kathmandu on the top of a hill. Tribhuvan University is located at the foot of the hill. This historic town has many things to offer like old shrines and temples, old houses, the people typically dressed in old traditional costumes, people working on ancient loom etc.
Chobhar:
Situated 9-kms south-west of Kathmandu, this place is famous for its gorge. All the water of the valley drains through it. There is a small but picturesque temple of Adinath on the top of a hill. From this top one can have a panoramic view of snowcapped mountain peaks.
Shekha Narayan:
Situated between Chobhar and Dakshinkali the temple of Shekha Narayan represents one of the four Narayans of the Kathmandu valley. The other three Narayans are Changu Narayan of Bhaktapur, Visankhu Narayan of Patan and Ichangu Narayan of Kathmandu.
Dakshinkali:
The temple of Dashinkali is situated about 2-kms south of Shekha Narayan. Dakshinkali is regarded as one of most important Hindu Goddesses pilgrims visit this temple to offer their prayer and animal sacrifices to the Goddess. Besides, this place has been developed as a popular picnic spot.
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