Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike

Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike Overview

Nagarkot Changunarayan hike is a brilliant short trek on the outskirt of Kathmandu Valley. If you wish to do a short holiday trip to Nepal then this hiking trip is the best option to explore the beauty of Nepal. It is amazing to see how the villages along the trail still exhibit the countryside lifestyle of Nepal even though it is so close to the city. The best of all is the Himalayas in the backdrop of all these natural settings.

Nagarkot Hill town, at an altitude of 2,100 meters is the popular hill station in the suburb of Kathmandu Valley. It is 35 km away from the capital city of Kathmandu. The sunrise and sunset view from Nagarkot is magnificent. You can plan a night’s halt in Nagarkot. On the way back, explore Bhaktapur, the medieval city and one of the 7 world heritage sites is on the way. Here you can discover the Newari architecture, culture, and lifestyle wandering through the maze-like alleyways of Bhaktapur. This is known as a living museum as it still exhibits the medieval look and lifestyle of the people.

The majority of the people are a farmer and the city is self-sufficient. You can see old women weaving their traditional textiles, pottery, handmade paper production, wood carving, Thanka Painting, and metal sculpting. There are hundreds of monumental buildings around Bhaktapur. Some of them are rented with latticed windows and balconies looking at historical buildings or the tallest temple.

Changunarayan Temple is the oldest pagoda-style temple in Nepal. It is believed that the area hosted an early settlement when Kathmandu Valley was a lake. On the premises of the temple exists fine stone sculptures, all over 1,000 years old. These idols are masterpieces of stone sculptures and are praised by experts from all over the world. This is also known as an open museum. The temple is dedicated to Hindu God Bishnu and is a perfect example of a Nepalese Pagoda Style temple. The site is listed by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site.

Accommodation during the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike

Nagarkot Changunarayan Hiking package includes 3 nights’ accommodation in Kathmandu in a 3-star standard hotel on the bed and breakfast basis. Accommodation in Kathmandu has a wide range of hotels and resorts, especially in Thamel known as a best touristic hub, there are many hotels, guesthouses, lodges, and resorts are available. Please let us know if you want to upgrade your accommodation in Kathmandu.

During the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike, we will provide the best available lodges on full board (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). On the first day of our hike, we will stay in the famous Nagarkot village. This village has many up to the mark hotels, resorts and guesthouses with great facilities including cozy rooms with attached bathrooms, Internet Wi-Fi, comfortable beds with neat and clean bedsheets and warm blankets.  The lodge’s restaurant serves delicious meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner). The next day, we will hike from Nagarkot to Changu Narayan temple and drive back to Kathmandu and stay overnight at the same hotel in Kathmandu.

Meals and Drinking Water

In Kathmandu, the hiking package is based on a bed and breakfast. You can enjoy every day’s breakfast at the hotel any time from 6:30 AM to 10 AM. Two bottles of complimentary mineral water is provided in your room. During the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike, the package includes meals (breakfast, lunch, and dinner) and lodge accommodation. Meals during the hike will be mostly the authentic Nepalese dishes like rice, curry, lentil, vegetable, spicy pickles, curd, plain chapatti and etc.

Other cuisines like continental, Tibetan and Indian are also available. These meals will be served as per the menu of the lodge. Besides that, you can buy bars, bread, cookies, and hot chocolates, extra on the trail on your own. In Kathmandu, we will offer a farewell dinner at the end of the trip to celebrate the grand success of your great journey.

Regarding the drinking water, the hotel in Kathmandu provides 2 liters of mineral water everyday basis which is included in the package. During the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike, drinking water can be easily found everywhere, every next hour you can buy pure and safe drinking water from the local teashops. Also, you can get hot water from the lodge and fill in your bottle every time it gets empty. So, do carry a reusable water bottle with yourself. We request you not to buy mineral water bottles (plastic) on the way as it will help in preserving the nature of this beautiful region. Moreover, you can also carry water purifier tablets or SteriPen with you to purify the water.

Difficulty and Physical Fitness

Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike is a short and easy hike in Nepal. We have organized Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike for the people of varied age differences. Even though it is a short and easy trek, you are required to be in good shape and with professional guidance by our crew, anyone with a reasonably fit health will be able to enjoy Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike. Previous trekking or hiking experience is not required for this hike.

Best Season for the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike

Autumn (from September to November) and spring (from mid-March to mid-May) are the best seasons to go on Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike. During these seasons, the weather will be warm and clear with spectacular views. If you want to avoid the rush time and crowds then winter (December to February) will be an ideal time to go on this trek. Monsoon season (June to Aug) makes everything unclear and slippery.

How much luggage can I take during the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike?

Since the hike is quite easy and short, it is not necessary to bring a lot of things for this hike and since the lodges in Nagarkot provide good rooms with warm enough blankets, it is not necessary to bring a sleeping bag. The weight limit for your hiking luggage is 10 kg per trekker, if you are two trekkers there will be one porter from our company and our porter will carry both of your luggage that should be 20kg max. You can carry your day-pack on your own, that should be around 5 kg. On your day-pack please only carry what are essentials for the hike such as camera, water bottles, and other valuable belongings.

You can leave your unnecessary stuff either at your hotel in Kathmandu or at the Alpine Eco Trek store for free and it will be completely safe. Our leader will recheck everything (Luggage, equipment, etc.) in our briefing time one day before the trip departure.

Gears for the Nagarkot Changunarayan Hike

This is one of the easiest, comfortable and shortest hikes in Nepal, also the nearest destination from the capital city (Kathmandu) so that you do not need any special gears for this hike. We, Alpine Eco Trek recommend you to bring a pair of walking shoes (sports will be fine), trousers, socks, one warm jacket, t-shirts and a long-sleeved shirt, Sunscreen, small backpack, torch (flashlight), Camera, memory card and battery charger( spare batteries) and one quick-drying towel.

How to book or enquire about this trip?

For INSTANT BOOKING or QUICK ENQUIRY, please call us now at +977 9851036844 (Ram Kumar) 24 hours available on WhatsApp WeChat, Viber or send us an email atalpineecotrek@gmail.com for the best quote and detailed itinerary.