Kathmandu Valley Private Day Tour

Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal is the most developed, busy and populated place in Nepal. Kathmandu is also known as Kantipur is believed to have around 130 monuments, pilgrimages, gumbas and temples for both Hindus and Buddhists. The city is very famous among the tourists due to its unique and rich culture and architecture. It is believed that the Kathmandu valley was once a lake. Then the god named Manjushree with his sword cut open the gorge at a place called Chobhar and drained away all the waters to establish a human habitat. Kathmandu holds 4 UNESCO world heritage sites, namely, Pashupatinath Temple, Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square and Bouddhanath. This specialized tour includes sightseeing of these four world heritage sites.

Pashupatinath Temple:

Pashupatinath, the temple of Lord Shiva is the most sacred and holiest place for the Hindus. It is located 5 km north-east of Kathmandu on the bank of Bagmati River. It is enlisted in UNESCO world heritage cultural site. It is believed that the existence of Pashupatinath dates back to 400 BC. This temple stands as the symbol of culture, religion, faith and tradition in its astonishing architectural beauty. The two tiered pagoda temple attracts hundreds of thousands of pilgrims from all over the world. Dharmashila; a stone where sacred oaths are taken, Chaturmukh; four faced statue, Chandeshwor; a Lichhavi Linga from the 7th century, Brahma temple, Arya Ghat; the place where the dead bodies are cremated, Gauri ghat; the place for the holy bath for women, Pandhra Sivalaya; the 15 shrines, Gorakhnath and Visworup temples, Guhyeshwori temple, Kirateshwor Mahadev Mandir and the Sadhus; sages are the major attractions of the temple. On special occasions like Mahashivaratri and Teej thousands of devotees visit the temple  from all over the world.

Kathmandu Durbar Square:

Kathmandu Durbar Square, the focal point of the city is a cluster of ancient palaces, temples, courtyards and streets. It dates back to the 12th century and is known for its social, historical, religious and cultural values.  The Durbar Square is surrounded by spectacular architecture and it showcases the skills of the Newar artists and craftsmen over the several centuries. It is also included in UNESCO world heritage cultural site.

The Kathmandu Durbar Square is made up of three loosely linked squares; to the south is open Basantapur Square, the main Durbar Square and to the northeast lies the second part of Durbar Square. The square holds the palaces of different Malla and the Shah Kings. It is also the site for important ceremonies like coronation of the Nepalese King. It reflects the Kathmandu’s most spectacular legacy of traditional architecture.

The major attractions of The Kathmandu Durbar Square are Hanuman Dhoka, Taleju Temple, Shiva Parbati Temple, Jagannath Temple, Dequtale Temple, Kumari Bahal, Kasthamandap, Ashok Binayak Shrine, Mahendreshvara Temple, Nasal Chowk, Mool Chowk, Bhandakal, Vilar Temple, Shiva Temple, Manju Deval, Trailokya Mohan Narayan Temple and Simha Sattal. It also houses the King Tribhuwan Memorial Museum and Mahendra Museum.

Swayambhunath Stupa:

Swayambhunath also known as Monkey Temple is one of the oldest shrines in Kathmandu. It is situated on the top of the hill, west of Kathmandu. It is probably the most sacred site for Buddhists pilgrimage. It is comprised of several other temples, shrines, chaityas and stupas which are dated back to the Lichhavi Period while the library, museum and Tibetan monastery are the recent additions. It is believed that Kathmandu Valley was once an enormous lake where a mystic lotus appeared. The valley is called Swoyambhu which means ‘self created’ out of the lotus flower. The stupa consists of a dome at the base and above which lies a cubical structure painted with the eyes of Buddha looking at all the directions. Then there are thirteen tiers, and above that a Gajur is placed.

The major attractions of this place are The Stupa, Harati temple, Palace of Peace, Area surrounds the Stupa where so many temples and chaityas are located and the Vajra.

Bouddhanath Stupa:

Bouddhanath is the largest stupa in Nepal which lies 11 km northeast from the center of Kathmandu. It is the holiest Tibetan Buddhist Stupa outside of Tibet. It is rich in Buddhist symbolism and is the center of Tibetan culture in Kathmandu. Due to many Tibetan refugees, there have been more than 50 Tibetan monasteries built around the Bouddhanath. It is also included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site. Historically the stupa is on the ancient trade route between Tibet and Kathmandu valley. The Tibetans would pray here for a safe journey before taking their yaks on the high passes of the Himalaya. Today, many Tibetan refugees, Sherpas and the local resident visits Bouddhanath every day.

So come and enjoy yourself in this city and enjoy the experience it provides. Let us take you around the Kathmandu and around its many temples, stupas, gumbas and many historical sites which are preserved beautifully from the ancient times.