Nepal is a beautiful and stunning country that offers so much in the way of natural scenery and mountain views. Many people come to Nepal to go for extended trekking, but some times, time is limited or you may just want to fill in a day by going hiking. The opportunities for day hiking in Nepal are almost endless. Hiking in Nepal is a rewarding and enchanting experience where you can loose yourself in the magical landscape and immerse yourself in the unique and ancient culture. Nepal is full of art and architecture. In Nepal you will explore the natural beauty and cultural heritage of Himalayas.
Nepal is a popular place for day hiking with its hilly, jungle covered countryside and interesting ethnic villages and historical cities scattered around the place. Hiking in Nepal provides you with spectacular views of the mountains and the deep valleys, as well as a chance to become familiar with the Nepali people’s lifestyle, their art, architecture and cultural traditions.
In your visit to Nepal, Kathmandu valley will be the first place you visit which is the capital of Nepal and the largest city in the country. All the world heritage sites in Nepal including the three Durbar squares-Kathmandu, Patan and Bhakatapur, Buddhist stupas and Hindu temples of Swyambhunath and Changunarayan, the famous Hindu temple- Pashupatinath, and the famous Buddhist stupa- Boudhanath are all situated in Kathmandu Valley. A visit to these places makes a great day hike and takes you through some stunning farming villages and small pockets of jungle.
There are many excellent spots for viewing the Himalayan ranges including Everest in the vicinity of Kathmandu taking into account accessibility, accommodation facilities and distances. These includes Nagarkot-situated on the top of the eastern ridge of Kathmandu Valley, Dhulikhel- situated out of the valley on the road to the Chinese border, Daman- situated south of Kathmandu along the old road to the Indian border, Kakani- situated on a ridge northwest of Kathmandu which offers good views of the western and central Himalayas, Namobuddha- a popular one day hiking destination from Dhulikhel, Panauti- a historic city situated south of Banepa and many others. All this places can be reached by a short drive from the city and you can do a days hiking, stay over night or return to your hotel in Kathmandu. Adventure Travellers Club can arrange day hiking and over night stays for you.
Our choices for the best hiking around Kathmandu-
Nagarkot
It is 32km from Kathmandu at an altitude of 2300 meters where you will see the best views of the Himalayan Ranges in Nepal including Mount Everest. It offers the view of Dhaulagiri in the west to Kanchenjunga in the east. From here you can watch the sunrise and sunset over the Himalayas. It contains a large number of Hotels should you choose to stay over night. You can hike to Nagarkot from Bhaktapur via Changunarayan, through Telkot forest, observing awesome valley views along the way. Its about a five hour walk, with some great places to stop along the way for lunch. You can also do the trip in reverse, begin at the top and hike down to Bhaktapur, it’s a great way to combine a visit to Nagarkot and Bhaktapur.
Bhaktapur
The ancient capital of Nepal is a great place to spend a day or two. Its possible to hike the 13km from Kathmandu to Bhaktapur via Paspatinath along the quite back roads, taking in Changunarayan along the way. Also there are numerous options for day hiking around Bhaktapur.
Kirtipur
This is another lovely old city situated just outside Kathmandu. You can take a day hike here beginning with some of the old temples then climb up to the beautiful hilltop village of Adinath with its romantic temple containing decorations made with kitchen utensils, then down the other side through the farming villages, finishing your trek off at Chobar, the deep gap in the valley which at one time drained the lake which was Kathmandu.
Godavari
Godavari is 12km south of Patan and on the road to Phulchowki. Its possible to do some day hikes in this area and its great for a picnic. Godavari itself is a lovely Newari village at an altitude of 1700m. You can see the magnificent statue of Buddha sitting on the hillside. Godavari is also famous for its botanical gardens, a great place to wonder around for a few hours amongst the lush vegetation, green grass and planting displays.
Sundarijal
It is situated along the road from Gokarna about 13km from the city. The word ’Sundarijal’ means “beautiful waters” and the stream that descends from the hill becomes eventually the holy Baghmati River, the most important one in the valley. Sundarijal is famous for its scenic beauty. In Sundarijal you will observe magnificent waterfalls, cataracts and rock formations. It is an ideal picnic spot, just a short hike away from the motor able road. There are various day hikes you can do in this area and it borders on Shiva Puri National Park. You can get good views of both the valley and the Himalayas.
Kakani
It is situated 23km, northwest of Kathmandu where you will see panoramic views of the western and central Himalayas spreading from Annapurna to Gauri Shankar. From here you will also have magnificent views of Ganesh Himal. It’s a wonderful and popular picnic place on the weekends. You can hike into Shiva Puri National Park and in a day can walk to Sundarijal and be collected to return to Kathmandu. It’s a lovely hike through the jungle.
Dhulikhel
Dhulikhel is a beautiful town just outside the Kathmandu valley giving some of the best views of the Himalayan ranges. Its about two hours drive from Kathmandu with ample places to stay overnight should you choose. It is headquarter of the district and the site of the first private university in Nepal. In Dhulikhel you will see a large number of Government offices. Many tourists take early morning trips to Dhulikhel to see the awesome views of the mountains. You can do various day hikes around, visiting historical temples and the nearby farming lands.
Daman
The best place to see good panoramic views of the entire Himalayan ranges visible from central Nepal which is better than Nagarkot or Dhulikhel is Daman. It is situated south of Kathmandu along the road to the Indian border. During autumn it would be interesting to visit here. It is a three and half hour drive from Kathmandu.
Jamaco
The entrance to Raniban Park is just ten minutes drive from Thamel. This lush jungle spot is a great place for a picnic where you can wonder around the base of the hill, or you can make the challenging 5km climb to the top where there is a small temple and amazing 360 degree views all around you. If you are lucky you may even spot a tiger.
Namobuddha
It is a popular one day trekking destination from Dhulikhel, situated on the hill above Panauti. This hike passes through interesting country and a number of small villages. Here you will see the fascinating stupa dedicated to Buddha. This is an enjoyable trek during the monsoon season where you can see the striking scenery. The hike to namo Buddha is peaceful and inspiring, and its not too difficult either.
Phulchowki
It is a beautiful place located about 10km southwest of Patan and is a good spot for hiking. Here you will see the Buddhist shrine situated on the top of the hill and which can be reached through a jeep able road. It is a natural garden of white and red roses, yellow jasmine, iris and other native flowers. Pulchoki is the most popular peak (2829m) which surrounds the Kathmandu Valley. From here the views of the Himalayas as well as the valley are excellent. Day hiking here is a rewarding experience.
Nagarjun
Nagarjun is the best place which is only 6.2 miles from Kathmandu Valley. At the top of the hill of Nagarjun you will see the stunning Buddhist shrine which is very holy for both Hindu and Buddhist. Climbing 15 to 20 minutes you will reach to the top and it is an easy climb. From the top you can have the panoramic view of the Himalayan ranges which will strike your heart.
Tansen
It is the top most places in Nepal for hiking situated at an altitude of 1,343m and is the most popular summer resort in western Nepal. It has the most extensive views of the country’s major attraction, the Himalaya from Dhaulagiri in the west to Gaurishankar in the northeast. It takes just seven hours by bus from Pokhara to reach Tansen. Tansen is a lovely village to spend a day or two and hike around the area.
Gorkha
It is the birth place of great king of Nepal Prithvi Narayan Shah, the founder of modern Nepal. It is situated on a hill overlooking the snowy peaks of the Himalaya. It is also known as the old place Gorkha Durbar which is beautiful and fascinating. Here you will see the two attractive temples of Gorakhnath and Kali. It can be reached in about six hours by road from Kathmandu. There are many options for day hikes and overnight stays in this area.
Pokhara
Pokhara, an enchanting natural paradise offers heavenly beauty and serenity for the inquisitive travelers. The Valley is of 124 square feet, the home of a numbers of lakes including the most renowned, Phewa Lake. In the middle of the lake the temple of goddess Barahi is situated. Boating and fishing are the major charm of Phewa Lake. Boating on the lake is a lovely way to spend your time here. The valley surrounding Pokhara is a home to thick forests, gushing rivers, clear lakes and the world famous views of the Himalaya.
Sarangkot
The famous village near to Pokhara is situated on the top of the hillock just north of Phewa Lake is familiar to everyone. In Sarangkot one gets a chance to see beautiful views of sunrise and sunset as the sun splashes hues of red on the Himalayan range. On a clear day you will observe the panoramic view of Annapurna, Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre and Ganesh Himal. It’s a steep three to four hour walk from lake side, or a five hour round trip. You can also be driven to the top and walk down or vise versa. Its also possible to stay over night in Sarangkot.
Lake Side
You can walk from lake side to the small village of Pamey in about four hours. Pamey is up on the far western end of the lake and the walk goes along the peaceful lake shore. From Pamey you see where the river Harpan enters the lake, you can take a relaxing boat trip back to lakeside from here.
World Peace Pagoda
This imposing stupa on the opposite side of the lake is a short hike that offers you outstanding views. You do a two way trip combined with a boat crossing of the lake, or you can go one way via the lake and then down the other side and walk or taxi back to lake side via the Tibetan refugee camp and Davis Falls. It’s a simple and not to strenuous day trip.
Begnas Lake
A short drive from Pokhara, this is another of the lakes in the area. A hike up to the ridge and around the lake is a nice four hour walk. The climb to the ridge is quite steep and takes about and hour to reach the village of Pachabhaiya, but the views are well worth it.
Hemgja.
This village once on the main trekking route into Annapurna, until the incursion of the roads is home to the largest Tibetan Refugee camp in the area. Its about a three hour hike from lake side. You can visit around the camp and the monastery in the village. At the moment there are about 50 monks living in the monastery and they take worship early in the morning and at 3pm. Its ok for you to stay and watch should you choose. There is also one guest house here if you want to stay the night.
Kahuna Danda
This hike begins in the center of Pohkara city at the Mahendra Pool. You head up to the top of the near by hills where you can see the ruins of an 18th century fort and you can climb the views tower for stunning mountain views. This is about a 4 hour hike.
