Tour in Nepal : KATHMANDU TOUR
| Duration - 7 | Max Altitude: |
| Trek Name: KATHMANDU TOUR Trek Code: |
Max Group Size: |
| Cost: | |
Kathmandu tour offers you the experience of rich cultures and vibrant traditions, exquisite temples. However, all the people from different races and religions live in harmony and there is an ideal blending of Hinduism and Buddhism.
To cross a street in Kathmandu is to travel across centuries. Shrines, temples, palaces, palace squares, ageless sculptures and legends that are parts of every brick and stone and gilded masterpiece, make Kathmandu Valley a verifiable living museum
Durbar Square
Kathmandu’s Durbar Square was where the city’s Kings were once crowned and legitimized, and from where they ruled (darbar means Palace). As such, the square remains the traditional heart of the old town and Kathmandu’s most spectacular legacy of traditional architecture, even thought the King no longer lives in the Hanuman Dhoka – the palace was moved north to Narayanhiti about a century ago.
SWAYAMBHUNATH
The great Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath on the top of a hill west of kathmandu, is one of the most popular and instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. The temple is known affectionately as the “Monkey Temple”, after the large troop of handsome monkeys that guards the hill and amuses visitors and devotees with tricks (including sliding gracefully down the banisters of the main stairway to the temple.
BOUDHNATH
On the eastern side of Kathmandu , just north of the airport and around 6 KM from Thamel, is Bodhnath ( admission foreigner/SAARC Rs 50/20), home to one of the world’s largest stupas. The village, also known as Boudha (pronounced boe-da), is the religious centre of Nepal’s considerable population of Tibetan exiles, and the side streets are full of maroon-robed Tibetan (and foreign) monks, gleaming monastery roofs and shop fronts full of Tibetan texts and yak butter. This is one of the few places in the world where Tibetan culture is accessible, vibrant and unfettered.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaon (pronounced bud-gown and meaning ‘City of Rice’) in Nepali, or Khwopa (City of Devotees) in Newari, is the third major town of the valley. Traffic free, the traditionally intact town is also in many ways the most timeless. The cobblestone streets link a string of the Temples, courtyards and monumental squares, and the side-streets are peppered with shrines,wells and water tanks. The lack of traffic makes walking through Bhaktapur a pleasure and certainly more enjoyable than walking in Kathmandu. The town’s cultural life is also vibrant, with centuries-old traditions of craftsmanship and strong communities of potters, woodcarvers and weavers.
CHANGU NARAYAN TEMPLE
The beautiful and historic temple of Changu Narayan stands on a hilltop at the eastern end of the valley, about 6km north of Bhaktapur and 22km from Kathmandu. It dates from 1702, when it was rebuilt after a fire, however its origins go back to the 4th century and many of the stone sculptures date from the Licchavi period(4th to 9th centuries). The temple is a Unesco World Heritage site. The double roofed temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan and is exceptionally beautiful, with quite amazingly intricate roof struts depicting multi-armed Tantric deities.It is fronted on the west side by a kneeling figure of Garuda said to date from the 5th century. The man-bird mount of Vishnu has a snake around his neck and kneels with hands in the nameste position facing the temple. Stone lions guard the wonderfully gilded door, which is flanked by equally detailed gilded windows. Two
DAKSHINKALI
At the southern edge of the valley, in a dark, somewhat spooky location in the cleft between two hills and at the confluence of two rivers, stands the blood-soaked temple of Dakshinkali. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Kali, Shiva’s consort in her most bloodthirsty incarnation, and twice a week faithful Nepalis journey here to satisfy her bloodlust. Sacrifices are always made to goddess, and the creatures to be sacrificed must be uncastrated male animals. Saturday is the major sacrificial day of the week, when a steady parade of chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, pigs and even the occasional buffalo come here to have their throats cut or their heads looped off by professional local butchers. Tuesday is also a sacrificial day, but the blood does not flow quite as freely. During the annual celebrations of Dasain in October the temple is literally awash with blood and the image of Kali is bathed in it. After their rapid dispatch the animals are butchered in the stream beside the temple and their carcasses are either brought home for a feast or boiled up on the spot for a picnic in the grounds. You’ll see families arriving with pots, bags, of vegetables and armfuls of firewood for the big day out.
To cross a street in Kathmandu is to travel across centuries. Shrines, temples, palaces, palace squares, ageless sculptures and legends that are parts of every brick and stone and gilded masterpiece, make Kathmandu Valley a verifiable living museum
Durbar Square
Kathmandu’s Durbar Square was where the city’s Kings were once crowned and legitimized, and from where they ruled (darbar means Palace). As such, the square remains the traditional heart of the old town and Kathmandu’s most spectacular legacy of traditional architecture, even thought the King no longer lives in the Hanuman Dhoka – the palace was moved north to Narayanhiti about a century ago.
SWAYAMBHUNATH
The great Buddhist temple of Swayambhunath on the top of a hill west of kathmandu, is one of the most popular and instantly recognizable symbols of Nepal. The temple is known affectionately as the “Monkey Temple”, after the large troop of handsome monkeys that guards the hill and amuses visitors and devotees with tricks (including sliding gracefully down the banisters of the main stairway to the temple.
BOUDHNATH
On the eastern side of Kathmandu , just north of the airport and around 6 KM from Thamel, is Bodhnath ( admission foreigner/SAARC Rs 50/20), home to one of the world’s largest stupas. The village, also known as Boudha (pronounced boe-da), is the religious centre of Nepal’s considerable population of Tibetan exiles, and the side streets are full of maroon-robed Tibetan (and foreign) monks, gleaming monastery roofs and shop fronts full of Tibetan texts and yak butter. This is one of the few places in the world where Tibetan culture is accessible, vibrant and unfettered.
Bhaktapur
Bhaktapur, also known as Bhadgaon (pronounced bud-gown and meaning ‘City of Rice’) in Nepali, or Khwopa (City of Devotees) in Newari, is the third major town of the valley. Traffic free, the traditionally intact town is also in many ways the most timeless. The cobblestone streets link a string of the Temples, courtyards and monumental squares, and the side-streets are peppered with shrines,wells and water tanks. The lack of traffic makes walking through Bhaktapur a pleasure and certainly more enjoyable than walking in Kathmandu. The town’s cultural life is also vibrant, with centuries-old traditions of craftsmanship and strong communities of potters, woodcarvers and weavers.
CHANGU NARAYAN TEMPLE
The beautiful and historic temple of Changu Narayan stands on a hilltop at the eastern end of the valley, about 6km north of Bhaktapur and 22km from Kathmandu. It dates from 1702, when it was rebuilt after a fire, however its origins go back to the 4th century and many of the stone sculptures date from the Licchavi period(4th to 9th centuries). The temple is a Unesco World Heritage site. The double roofed temple is dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan and is exceptionally beautiful, with quite amazingly intricate roof struts depicting multi-armed Tantric deities.It is fronted on the west side by a kneeling figure of Garuda said to date from the 5th century. The man-bird mount of Vishnu has a snake around his neck and kneels with hands in the nameste position facing the temple. Stone lions guard the wonderfully gilded door, which is flanked by equally detailed gilded windows. Two
DAKSHINKALI
At the southern edge of the valley, in a dark, somewhat spooky location in the cleft between two hills and at the confluence of two rivers, stands the blood-soaked temple of Dakshinkali. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Kali, Shiva’s consort in her most bloodthirsty incarnation, and twice a week faithful Nepalis journey here to satisfy her bloodlust. Sacrifices are always made to goddess, and the creatures to be sacrificed must be uncastrated male animals. Saturday is the major sacrificial day of the week, when a steady parade of chickens, ducks, goats, sheep, pigs and even the occasional buffalo come here to have their throats cut or their heads looped off by professional local butchers. Tuesday is also a sacrificial day, but the blood does not flow quite as freely. During the annual celebrations of Dasain in October the temple is literally awash with blood and the image of Kali is bathed in it. After their rapid dispatch the animals are butchered in the stream beside the temple and their carcasses are either brought home for a feast or boiled up on the spot for a picnic in the grounds. You’ll see families arriving with pots, bags, of vegetables and armfuls of firewood for the big day out.
| Itinerary: | |
| Days Itinerary 1 Pickup from Kathmandu airport; transfer to Hotel 2 Visit Durbar Square, Swambunath and Boudhanath 3 Visit Bhaktapur and Changu Narayan 4 Visit Dakshinkali, Shes Narayan, Chobar and Kritipur 5 Depart Kathmandu |
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| Included in your trip: | |
| The above Package includes the following services: • All Land transfer as per Itinerary • Necessary accommodiation including all meal in Kathamndu or as per client's requirement. • City tour guide • Entrance permit etc |
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| Not included: | |
| The above Package does not include: • Travel / medical insurance and emergency evacuation cost • Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone calls, alcoholic beverages, bottled drinks (including cold drinks and mineral water), tips etc. |
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