| Duration: | 1 Days | Trip Code: | CO-056 |
| Trip Grade | Easy | Max-Altitude: | 1400 m |
| Meals: | N/A | Accommodation: | N/A |
| Group size: | minimum 2 | Transportation: | Private |
| Trip Start: | Kathmandu | Trip End: | Kathmandu |
| Primary Activity: | Sightseeing | Best Season | Any |
Kathmandu offers a wide variety of places for you to explore around during your visit to Nepal. The city is a unique blend of the people and their respective cultures who have been leaving together in peace and harmony since centuries. The Kathmandu valley consists of 7 UNESCO world heritage sites in the periphery. You will be adorned by the cultural aspects of the people in the valley. The people, art and architecture, temples and sculpture are the attractions for those who are interested to learn the new culture and place.
Classic Outdoors offer a day tour to some of the most interesting cultural sightseeing place of the Kathmandu valley. We have designed the tour in such a way that offers you the best places and help you enhance the knowledge about the culture of the people living in the country. The heritages sites are the remains of the most diversified culture and the glorified history of the medieval period. In Kathmandu you will be visiting Kathmandu Durbar Square or Patan Durbar Square which are the ancient palace square of the Malla and the Shah Kings that ruled the valley for many centuries. You will also visit the famous UNESCO World Heritage Site, “Swoyambhunath”; a common site of homage for both Hindus and Buddhists. The other important attraction of this trip is the visit to the holiest “Shiva Temple” for Hindus; the “Pashupatinath” temple. The temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, the god of destruction and one of the members of the Holy Trinity. A stopover at “Boudhanath”, the largest and famous Tibetan Buddhist stupa in Nepal is captivating and spiritually rejuvenating.
Day 01: Full day sightseeing tour of Swoyambhunath, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath and Patan Durbar Square
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Swoyambhunath:
Swoyambhunath is situated on the top of a hill, west of Kathmandu which is one of the most popular, holy place of Nepal. The Swoyambhunath Stupa is one of the oldest religious complexes in Nepal; dating back to the 5th century A.D. listed in UNESCO World Heritage site. Swoyambhunath Stupa is a dome shaped that stands on a base which represents the entire world. A pair of big eyes on each side of the dome symbolizes Wisdom and Compassion. They are, in fact, Buddha’s eyes — they give the impression as if he is looking right into you no matter where you stand.
The Swoyambhunath is an example of the religious tolerance that had been amongst the people even during the ancient period. It is a common place for both Hindus and Buddhists to offer their homage to their gods. The complex consists of a stupa, a variety of shrines and temples, some dating back to the Lichchhavi period. A Tibetan monastery, museum and library are more recent additions. The site has two access points: a long stairway, claimed to have 365 steps, leading directly to the main platform of the temple, which lies in the east direction; and the other way to reach the temple is via a road trip around the hill leading to the southwest entrance.
Boudhanath
Boudhanath Stupa is one of the largest Stupas in Nepal and the holiest Buddhist site in Kathmandu which is listed in UNESCO World Heritage Site. The eyes on the Stupa are a symbol commonly associated with Nepal and can be seen throughout the region. Historically, the place has a huge significance as during the ancient period, the surroundings of the massive stupa area was one of the staging place for the travelers and businessmen that travelled between Tibet and Kathmandu. Boudhanath is the best place in the Kathmandu Valley to observe traditional Tibetan lifestyle sometimes even referred to as “Little Tibet”. Thousands of pilgrims offer their homage by a ‘kora’ a ritual circumambulation of the stupa. There are various Tibetan monasteries surrounding Boudhanath Stupa as it is the focal point of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal. At ground level there is a brick wall with 108 images of meditational Buddha inset behind copper prayer wheels. The spiritual ambience, the lighted butter lamps, spinning of the prayer wheels, chanting of the Tibetan Mantra “Om Mani Padme Hom” are some of the major attractions.
Pashupatinath Temple:
Also a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Pashupatinath is a place where our guests will gets the cross-cultural encounter by witnessing the traditional way of cremation on the Bagmati river banks. It lies 6km/4 miles from center Kathmandu. Pashupatinath Temple, is the most sacred temple of Hindu Lord Shiva in the world, the existence of this Pashupatinath Temple dates back to the ancient period. The richly-ornamented pagoda architecture temple houses the sacred linga or phallic symbol of Lord Shiva. The Pashupatinath Linga has four faces and fifth invisible one is said to be on top of the others. The other temples and sculptures in the vicinity are gold painted images of guaridan deities, Arya ghat, Gauri ghat, Brahma Temple, Chandeshwor, which is inscribed Lichhavi linga from the seventh century, Gorakhnath and Vishworup Temple, Guhyeshwori Temple Kirateshwor Mahadev Mandir and etc. Pashupatinath is the center of annual pilgrimage on the day of Shivaratri, which falls in the month of February/March. It falls on the moonless night where thousands of devotees and Sadhu’s from various parts of Nepal as well as India come to worship Lord Shiva.
Patan Durbar Square:
Patan Durbar Square a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is widely appreciated for its intricate artistic heritage. The city is an example of the religious tolerance between Hinduism and Buddhism featuring its age old temples. Patan Durbar Square and its surroundings is a good illustration of ancient Newari architecture. There are three main courtyards in the palace: MulChowk, Sundari Chowk and Keshav Narayan Chowk. Mul Chowk, being the oldest one. The Sundari Chowk holds in its center a masterpiece of stone architecture, the Royal bath called Tushahity. Other places to visit are: Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Maha Vihar), Patan Museum, Krishna Temple, Mahaboudha (Temple of Thousand Buddhas’) etc.