Overview
This Kathmandu Valley heritage tour with Nagarkot and Dhulikhel is the classic heritage circuit with two nights out in the hills to finish. Day one covers Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath and Pashupatinath. Day two crosses to Patan and Bhaktapur, then climbs to Nagarkot at 2,175 m for the night. On day three you watch sunrise over the Himalaya and drive on to Dhulikhel, an old Newar hill town at about 1,550 m with its own mountain view, for a second quiet night. Day four is a short drive back to Kathmandu. It suits first-time visitors, families and older travellers who want the main sights without rushing and a restful end to the trip.
The itinerary
- Morning climb to Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa west of the city known as the Monkey Temple
- Kathmandu Durbar Square: the Hanuman Dhoka palace, the Kumari's house and the rebuilt Kasthamandap
- Afternoon kora around Boudhanath, the largest spherical stupa in Nepal
- Finish at Pashupatinath on the Bagmati, watching from the east bank as the evening rituals begin
- Patan Durbar Square with the stone Krishna Mandir and the Golden Temple
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square: the 55-Window Palace, the Golden Gate and the Nyatapola temple
- Juju dhau, Bhaktapur's sweet curd, before leaving the old town
- Drive up to Nagarkot on the valley rim for sunset and the night
- Early rise for sunrise over the Himalaya from the Nagarkot ridge, weather allowing
- Relaxed breakfast, then a short drive south to Dhulikhel
- Afternoon walk through Dhulikhel's old quarter of Newar brick houses and carved windows
- Sunset over the mountains from Dhulikhel and a quiet evening
- Morning mountain view from Dhulikhel on clear days
- Unhurried breakfast before leaving the hills
- Drive back to Kathmandu along the Araniko Highway
- Drop-off at your Kathmandu hotel, with the afternoon free
Things to carry
- Warm layer for mornings and evenings at Nagarkot and Dhulikhel
- Comfortable walking shoes that slip off easily at temples
- Clothing that covers shoulders and knees
- Sun hat, sunglasses and sunscreen
- Small daypack with a refillable water bottle
Good to know
Complete guide
This Kathmandu Valley heritage tour with Nagarkot and Dhulikhel covers the valley's main sacred and royal sites in two days, then gives you two nights in the hills to slow down. The heritage days are full; the hill days are light. That balance is what the fourth day buys.
What the Kathmandu Valley heritage tour with Nagarkot and Dhulikhel covers
The Kathmandu Valley has been on the UNESCO World Heritage List since 1979, as seven monument zones. This tour visits six of them: Swayambhunath, Kathmandu Durbar Square, Boudhanath, Pashupatinath, Patan and Bhaktapur. The seventh, Changu Narayan, is not on this plan; ask us if you want it added. Day one is the four Kathmandu sites. Day two is Patan and Bhaktapur, then Nagarkot. Day three is sunrise and the drive to Dhulikhel. Day four is the drive back to Kathmandu.
There is also a three-day version that returns to Kathmandu straight after the Nagarkot sunrise. Choose this four-day tour if you want an easy last day, or if you prefer not to spend a whole morning in the car straight after an early start.
The heritage days
On day one you start at Swayambhunath, the hilltop stupa west of the city known as the Monkey Temple. Kathmandu Durbar Square holds the Hanuman Dhoka palace and the house of the Kumari, the living goddess. Boudhanath is the largest spherical stupa in Nepal, ringed by Tibetan monasteries. At Pashupatinath the main temple is open only to Hindus, so you watch the ghats and the evening aarati from the east bank.
Day two crosses the Bagmati to Patan, the city of craftsmen, with its stone Krishna Mandir from 1637, then heads east to Bhaktapur, the best preserved of the royal cities, with the 55-Window Palace, the Golden Gate and the five-storey Nyatapola from 1702. If you only have two days, our overnight Nagarkot and Bhaktapur tour pairs Bhaktapur with the Nagarkot sunrise on its own.
Nagarkot and Dhulikhel: two different hill nights
Nagarkot is a ridge-top village at 2,175 m (7,136 ft) on the valley's eastern rim. On a clear morning it looks over a long line of ranges including Annapurna, Manaslu, Langtang, Jugal and the Everest range. Cloud and haze decide the view, and we will not promise it. Dhulikhel, about 30 km south-east of Kathmandu at around 1,550 m (5,085 ft), is a real town rather than a viewpoint. Its old Newar quarter has brick houses with carved wooden windows, and on clear days it looks across to Langtang and Ganesh Himal. It makes a calm last night before the city.
The drive from Nagarkot to Dhulikhel is short, so you arrive with most of the day still ahead. Use it to walk the old quarter with your guide, find a quiet rooftop for tea and watch the evening light fade off the peaks. The pace here is deliberately slow, and that is the point of the extra night.
If Dhulikhel appeals and you have a weekend spare, our Dhulikhel and Namobuddha tour adds the Buddhist hilltop of Namobuddha nearby.
Who it suits, pace and practical notes
This is an easy tour by private car. Walking is mostly on paved squares and temple courtyards, with one long stairway at Swayambhunath. Kathmandu sits at 1,400 m, and neither hill night is high enough to worry most people. It suits families, older travellers, first-time visitors and travellers from India or South-East Asia on a short break. Late September to November is the best time for mountain views; winter is clear but cold at dawn, the monsoon from roughly June to September brings cloud, and spring can be hazy. Each heritage site sells its own entry ticket. Day four is short, which helps if you have an evening departure. We arrange your guide, private car and hotels in Nepal; your visa and international flights are your own arrangements.
