Overview
This day trip from Kathmandu fits a Himalayan sunrise, a short hike and an old royal city into one early start. You are picked up from your hotel at around 4 am and driven about 32 km east to the Nagarkot ridge to watch first light reach the snow peaks. A short drive then takes you down to Telkot, where you set off on foot with your licensed guide for Changu Narayan, a walk of about 1.5 to 2 hours through pine forest, terraced fields and small villages. From the hilltop temple, one of the oldest in the Kathmandu Valley and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, you drive on to Bhaktapur for a Bhaktapur Durbar Square tour of about 2 hours, a quick look at its temples, palaces and pottery yards, then back to your hotel. Entry fees, breakfast and lunch are not in the price, so you pay for them on the day.
The itinerary
- Hotel pickup in Kathmandu at around 4 am, with the exact time set by the season's sunrise
- Drive about 32 km east to the Nagarkot ridge, at about 2,100 to 2,200 m, and watch sunrise over the Himalaya
- Short drive down to Telkot, where the walk begins
- Hike with your guide from Telkot to Changu Narayan, about 1.5 to 2 hours through pine forest, terraced fields and villages
- Visit Changu Narayan temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stone carvings and its pillar inscribed in 464 AD
- Drive to Bhaktapur for a Bhaktapur Durbar Square tour of about 2 hours, a quick look at Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square and the potters' square
- Drive back to your hotel in Kathmandu, where the tour ends
What the price covers
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Things to carry
- A warm layer and light jacket for the cold pre-dawn ridge
- Walking shoes with good grip for the trail and Bhaktapur's cobbled lanes
- A camera or phone for the sunrise, the temple and the old city
- Sunglasses, sun hat and sunscreen for later in the morning
- Water, a snack for the walk and a little cash for tea, breakfast and lunch
Good to know
Complete guide
Nagarkot, Changu Narayan and Bhaktapur sit close together on the eastern side of the Kathmandu Valley, and this day trip links them in the order that suits the light: the mountains at dawn, a cool morning walk through the villages, and the old royal city of Bhaktapur before the afternoon heat. Here is how the day flows and what to expect at each stop.
Nagarkot to Changunarayan hike: what the day covers
Your driver and licensed guide collect you from your Kathmandu hotel at around 4 am and drive about 32 km east to Nagarkot, a ridge at about 2,100 to 2,200 m on the rim of the valley. You watch the sunrise from the viewpoint, then drive a short way down to Telkot, where the walk starts. From Telkot you hike with your guide to Changu Narayan in about 1.5 to 2 hours. After the temple your car takes you the short distance to Bhaktapur for a Bhaktapur Durbar Square tour of about 2 hours, and then back to your hotel. Hotel to hotel, the day takes about nine hours, so you are usually back in the early afternoon.
What time is sunrise at Nagarkot?
Sunrise in the Kathmandu Valley moves by almost two hours through the year: a little after 5 am around June, and close to 7 am in December and January. The drive from Thamel to Nagarkot takes about an hour to an hour and a half on the quiet pre-dawn roads, so a 4 am pickup reaches the ridge in good time for most of the year. In early summer we bring the pickup forward, and in winter we may let you sleep a little longer. We confirm the exact time when we confirm your booking.
Can you see Everest from Nagarkot?
On a clear morning, yes, but it is a small peak far away on the eastern horizon rather than the centre of the view. What fills the skyline is the long wall of the nearer ranges, from Langtang and Ganesh Himal round to Jugal. The view depends entirely on the weather: on a hazy or cloudy morning you may see the valley below and very little of the mountains. Your guide will point out the peaks that are showing on the day.
How hard is the Nagarkot to Changunarayan hike?
The Nagarkot to Changunarayan hike starts at Telkot, a short drive below the viewpoint, and is an easy to moderate walk rather than a trek. The path follows village tracks, forest trails and the edges of terraced fields, with gentle sections, a few short climbs and descents and some rough, uneven ground. Anyone who is reasonably fit and walks regularly will manage it. Wear shoes with good grip, carry water and a snack, and bring a light layer, because the forest is cool early in the day. The paths branch often and are not well signed, which is one reason a guide matters here. If you would rather walk the same ridge the other way and finish with the sunset, the Changu Narayan to Nagarkot hike does exactly that.
Changu Narayan temple: why it matters
Changu Narayan stands on a hilltop above the valley floor and is one of the oldest temples in Nepal. It is part of the Kathmandu Valley UNESCO World Heritage Site, and its courtyard holds some of the finest early stone carving in the country, including a pillar inscribed in 464 AD. The temple is dedicated to Vishnu, and the carved images around the courtyard show him in his different forms. Your guide will walk you round the courtyard and explain the stories behind the carvings. If you have more time in Kathmandu, the 7 UNESCO sites tour with Nagarkot and Changu Narayan covers all seven valley sites over three days, and the 7 UNESCO World Heritage Sites day tour fits them into one long day.
Bhaktapur Durbar Square tour: how long do you need?
Bhaktapur is the best preserved of the three old royal cities of the valley, and about 2 hours is enough for a quick look at all its main parts. You walk through Durbar Square with the 55-Window Palace and the Golden Gate, on to Taumadhi Square with the five-roofed Nyatapola temple, Dattatreya Square, and down to the potters' square, where clay pots dry in rows in the sun. It is also the place to try juju dhau, the town's famous sweet curd. If you want to see Kathmandu and Patan Durbar Squares as well, the three Durbar Squares tour covers all three.
Best months for clear Himalayan views
October and November give the clearest and most dependable views, with dry, settled air after the monsoon. December to February is also clear, but cold before dawn, and the valley below is often filled with a sea of fog that the ridge rises above. From March to May the haze builds and the mountains fade, and from June to September monsoon cloud usually hides them. The walk and Bhaktapur are good in any season, so the trip still works when the peaks stay hidden.
Which Nagarkot day trip suits you?
Choose this trip if you want the sunrise and a proper walk, with Bhaktapur as the finish. If you would rather not hike, the Nagarkot sunrise tour by car follows the same morning with stops at the Shanti Stupa and the Rani Jhula suspension bridge instead. If an early start is not for you, the Changu Narayan to Nagarkot hike runs in the afternoon and ends with the sunset. Entry fees at Changu Narayan and Bhaktapur, breakfast and lunch are not included on any of these trips, so you can add the entry tickets as extras when you enquire or pay at each gate.
