Kathmandu Day Tour

Nepal is generally known for its gorgeous landscapes, colossal mountains, forested hills, and vibrant valleys that people often forget there’s so much more to it. The country has so many layers, including its rich and deep history, varied culture, and scenic towns.

There are some great-looking cities here that possess a magnetic charm for their abundant visitors. The capital itself is quite imposing with iconic landmarks, religious shrines, and ancient monuments, which never get old.

From historical museums to architectural wonders and art galleries, Nepal has endless sightseeing areas to offer visitors. As a cultural epicenter, Kathmandu has a myriad of pilgrimages and religious sites to visit.

Nepal’s former royal capital is packed with loads of old beautiful buildings that have connections with Nepalese history and culture. It has centuries-old historical places like Patan Durbar Square and Kathmandu Durbar Square, which make great tourist attractions.

These ancient sites and medieval royal palaces will give you a sneak peek of Nepalese history and civilization. You can also enjoy authentic Newari food and partake in feasts during the festive season.

Amid the sky-high buildings and residences, it’s hard to find a lot of nature in the city. But, if you climb up the hills, you’ll surely get a glimpse of a few green hills and mountains. Swayambhunath is one of the travelers’ favorite places to go and watch the breathtaking sunset view.

Sitting on a hilltop, Swayambhunath comes with a breathtaking view of beautiful Kathmandu city and surrounding hills. Apart from that, you can explore the stupa and the variety of religious shrines and monasteries there.

Kathmandu can be deemed as the major holiday complex for travelers making their way to Nepal. It has some cool stuff stored up in its sleeves, including corner shops and high-end department stores, where visitors can buy souvenirs for their loved ones.

Highlights of Kathmandu Day Tour

  • Enjoy the spectacular sunrise view from Swyambhunath
  • Close-up view of vibrant Kathmandu Valley
  • Visit sacred Hindu temples and Buddhist monasteries
  • A scenic stroll along the streets of Kathmandu
  • Discover the famous Nepalese landmarks and historical monuments
  • Explore the old and new historical attractions
  • Taste authentic local Newari food and yogurt

Itinerary

As pre-planned, our representative will pick you up from the hotel early in the morning and leave for our first destination of the day. After 15 minutes of drive, we’ll reach the sacred Hindu temple of Pashupatinath. Shortly after offering prayers and walking through the pilgrimage, we’ll head towards Boudhanath Stupa. Since the monstery is just 1.7 km away from Pashupatinath, it won’t take us too long to get there. We’ll spend about half an hour in the complex, exploring the main stupa and its surrounding religious shrines. After striding the pilgrimage along with the Buddhist monks chanting mantras, we’ll drive to the next point of interest, Patan Durbar Square. Located in Lalitpur, Patan Durbar Square is a UNESCO world heritage site and a major sight for tourists. It has many temples, courtyards, stone statues, and sculptures from the past, which is quite incredible. They have a mix of the old and new buildings in the neighborhood, which blends quite well. Following a quick tour of durbar square and a delicious lunch, we’ll drive down the main road heading to Kathmandu Durbar Square. This medieval palace square is one of the best historic landmarks in Kathmandu. It has some impressive cultural and historical monuments dating back to the tenth century. Some of the sculptures in Kathmandu Durbar Sqaure are recorded to be from the early eighteenth century. Hence, it’s a perfect place to learn about the history of Nepal and its old heritage. The capital is also framed by surrounding hills and mountains, which look quite impeccable. You can always ascend the hill to Swayambhunath to watch the mesmerizing sunrise and sunset view. We can also find some time to walk around the monastery and explore other small chortens and monasteries inside the pilgrimage. This stupa is located just in the west of Kathmandu Valley, so it doesn’t take us much time to get here. After the sightseeing, we can easily climb down the stairs and drive our way out to the hotel.
Which is the ideal time for Kathmandu Day Tour?

The peak seasons to visit Kathmandu are Spring (March to May) and Autumn (September to November). These seasons have stable weather with low humidity and minimal precipitation. Visitors will experience mild weather and temperature, which makes the travel more fun and enjoyable.

Do you need any kind of travel permits during Kathmandu Day Tour?

Yes, foreigners have to pay an entrance fee to see and travel around places like Kathmandu Durbar Square. You’ll be charged around US$10 to visit the historical sites and monuments.

Do I need travel insurance for Kathmandu Tour?

Although Kathmandu is safe for all its visitors, we recommend you to get insurance before traveling to the city. It’ll cover your medical expenses if you get sick or injured and save you from extra losses.

What is the food like during the tour?

You’ll get to enjoy traditional Nepali food and a few local Newari dishes during the Kathmandu day tour.

Do I have to bring extra cash on the tour?

Since there are ATMs all around the city, you can withdraw cash anytime you like. However, most ATMs have a withdrawal limit of US$100, which can be annoying, especially if you need a large amount. So, be a bit careful while spending the amount on travel.

Can you use credit on the day tour?

Credit cards are generally accepted by most restaurants, hotels, and travel agents. However, you might still need cash to pay fees and other essentials in small shops. So, it’d be wise of you to exchange foreign currency before the tour.

How much will it cost me to travel to Kathmandu?

Kathmandu is one of the most affordable cities to travel to and stay in. It can accommodate all kinds of travelers, from backpackers to luxury holidaymakers. However, the food and accommodation in a tourist area like Thamel are relatively expensive, especially if you want to stay in a luxurious hotel.

What is the best time for Kathmandu Day Tour?

Kathmandu is a year-round destination for travelers, particularly since there’s so much to do here, irrespective of the time you visit. However, you may experience a seasonal change in the weather, so it’s best to visit the city in peak season, knowing what challenges the weather can bring.

Any time between March and May or September and November is the best time for Kathmandu Day Tour. The weather is pleasant around this time, following long days and warm sunshine.

Autumn Season

Fall is a pretty good time to go out and oversee the places of interest. It has nice weather with a chill in the weather. Visitors may feel like summer at the start of March, but the warmth doesn’t stay too long. By the time falls end, the weather gets extremely cold.

Temperatures start dropping from the end of April and reach up to -10 Degree Celsius until May. The cooling temperature makes the day tour less stressful and relaxing, mostly while visiting crowded places like Kathmandu Durbar Square and Boudhanath.

Spring Season

Spring visitors are clearly in a win for lovely weather and stunning views. They can have the finest weather for themselves, which makes the travel more delightful. The weather is mild in spring, with the temperature just starting to rise.

The weather is slightly cold at the season’s start, but by mid-March, it gets quite hot here. As soon as the winter leaves, days begin to warm up. On average, temperatures rises as high as 30 Degree Celsius.

In spring, the sun sets late in the afternoon, and it’s warm all day. The skies are clear throughout the entire time, which makes traveling places easier and more comfortable. The season also provides great scenery with flower blossoms in the park. There are multiple sunset viewing points in the city, but the sight that Swyamabhunath provides is unrivaled.

Summer Season

The summer season begins around June and lasts until the end of August. It’s hot and humid in the season, with temperatures rising up to 30 Degree Celsius. June is the hottest month of all summer seasons, with an average high temperature of 28 Degree Celsius.

The weather is warm and sunny in the summertime, which can make travelers uncomfortable, particularly in crowded areas. The excessive heat and humidity make the outdoor activity less enjoyable.

After June, you’ll experience heavy rainfall with low precipitation. Even though the temperature remains high, the weather gets gloomy with the arrival of the monsoon. It rains quite a lot most of the season, making it difficult to travel places.

Winter Season

Kathmandu doesn’t experience a severe winter like some parts of the Himalayas. It doesn’t snow here, but the weather does get cold, with temperatures dropping up to -3 Degree Celsius. You can expect mild and dry weather during the season.

The early winter might be chilly, but it isn’t as worse as the mid-season. January is perhaps the coldest month, with an average low temperature of 2.4 Degree Celsius. Since the weather is quite cold in winter, traveling around the city can be a bit stressful.

Kathmandu is also much darker during winter, making it a less favorable time to visit. In wintertime, the sun rises late and sets early, providing travelers a brief length of time to explore places.

Information About the Place you Visit

Pashupatinath Temple

One of the most famous world heritage sites, Pashupatinath Temple, is the oldest Hindu Temple lying in Kathmandu Valley. It’s the sacred place in all of Hinduism and the most popular as well, drawing hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Hindu pilgrims from all across the country come here to pay their offers and perform rituals. However, the temple only allows Hindu devotees to go inside, which means foreigners will have to view the religious shrine from the outside.

Pashupatinath Temple is one of the finest construction in the history of Nepal. It has been nestling on the bank of the Bagmati River for more than four centuries, and yet the structure remains virtually intact.

Inspired by the pagoda style, the architecture of the main temple is a real masterpiece. It has a square base platform with two-level roofs made of copper and covered in gold. It has a variety of other stone statues, temples, images, and ashrams inside the pilgrimage.

Boudhanath Stupa

Next on the list is a Boudhanath Stupa, a real treasure and a product of the finest artwork. It’s one of Kathmandu’s most visited cultural sites as devotees, especially Buddhists, visit the stupa as often as they can.

As for the 14th century-old spherical Buddhist Stupa, Boudhanath is still a major hit with westerners. Most visitors stop by this monastery and give it a quick tour. So, we, too, will visit the stupa and offer prayers.

If you want, we can look around the art and artifacts in the stupa. Of course, it includes walking around the central dome that is already adorned with Buddhist prayer flags and spinning prayer wheels.

Tibetan monks and Buddhist devotees frequent visit Boudhanath in search of peace of mind. Buddhist chants and prayers are usually heard inside the stupa, which is enlivening. The place is more crowded in the late afternoon as tourists come to visit the stupa for its wonderful atmosphere and authentic experience.

Patan Durbar Square

Another major tourist destination in Kathmandu, Patan Durbar Square, is a true Newari marvel. It serves as the primary historical center, with a former royal palace, museum, and temples. Much like Kathmandu Durbar Square, it has traditional Newari buildings featuring wooden-carved windows and red brick square floors.

There are about 55 major temples and statues here, including the famous Krishna Mandir. Mulchowk, and Patan Museum. Additionally, it has 136 courtyards and stone sculptures of gods and goddesses.

Most of the architecture and paintings in Patan Durbar Square are from the 14th century Malla period. Hence, visiting the place will take you back to the time and give you a ground idea of Newari art and culture. It’ll provide you with comprehensive exposure to the Newari art and culture.

Patan Durbar Square is less crowded than other world heritage sites, making it easier to travel around. You’ll also see a few chronicles from the Thakuri dynasty and some recent architectures.

After exploring Patan Durbar Square, we’ll take a short lunch break. There are plenty of hotels and restaurants in Patan where you can try local Newari dishes. After having the meal, we’ll further continue our day tour and head to the next destination.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu Durbar Square is another must-see destination on the day tour of Kathmandu. It’s, in fact, the most remarkable and popular tourist site in all of Nepal. The Durbar Square paints stories of Nepalese history with early sculptures, red buildings, and pagoda-style temples from the Malla regime.

It has a series of ancient royal palaces, courtyards, stone statues, and temples, which are wooden carved. The architectural design and portraits of Kathmandu Durbar Square are mostly inspired by Newari art and culture.

You can see a lot of potteries made by Newari artists and craftsmen in the nearby locale. Inside the palace, you’ll find some of the oldest temples with stone inscriptions written in multiple languages. Most of the attractions in Kathmandu Durbar Square, including Hanuman Dhoka, Kumari Ghar, and Taleju Temple, are within walking distance.

You’ll also be visiting the Jagannath Temple and Bhagvati Temple while exploring Kathmandu Durbar Square. Apart from that, you’ll get to meet locals and get an insight into their centuries-old culture and tradition.

Swyambhunath

No day tour of Kathmandu is complete without a visit to Swyambhunath. It’s the ultimate destination for visitors to experience the spiritual side of Kathmandu. People often visit the stupa to escape the city’s hubbub and find serenity.

For travelers, it’s the perfect place to go and discover the Buddhist culture and traditions. Additionally, they can enjoy nature with a marvelous view of lush green hills and shimmering mountains.

Popular with locals as a Monkey Temple, Swyambhunath Stupa is an ancient Buddhist pilgrimage. Aside from Boudha, it holds the most significance to Tibetan Buddhism followers and devotees. Travelers from all over the world visit the stupa and offer prayers.

They also come here to view the breathtaking scenery that Swyambhunath has to offer. As it nestles at the top of the hill overlooking the sprawling Kathmandu Valley, visitors will get a nice treat. It also spoils you with glimpses of sweeping hills and a breathtaking sunset view from the acme.

On top of that, the pilgrimage consists of the main stupa and a series of other religious shrines, temples, and statues, which you can explore. Out of all the world heritage sites in Kathmandu, Swaymbhunath has easier accessibility. It lies only 3 km west of the main city and 250 feet above the level of Kathmandu Valley.

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Kathmandu Day Tour