According to your day tour, you will explore the following famous Temples:

Swyambhunath

Exploring the Kathmandu Valley sightseeing tour you will see the peace and the prayer on the beautiful hilltop, Swyambhuntah in the northwest of the Kathmandu Valley. This temple is also known as the "Monkey Temple" since the 1970s. From the hilltop of the Swyombhuynath, you can enjoy the panoramic views of the whole Kathmandu valley. This stupa has stood as the faith and harmony for centuries with both Hindu and Buddhist sites.

It is said that the Glory of the Kathmandu Valley was started from this point.

Located on the hilltop, Swyombhunath is one of the holiest Buddhist stupas in Nepal. It is said that this temple evolved when the valley was created out of the Lakes 2000 years ago. This stupa is one of the oldest in Nepal and has numerous shrines and monasteries on its premises.

The word Swyombhuntha means "self-existent one" and it is believed that it was built by King Mahendra around 460 AD (13th century). From that, this stupa has become an important center of Buddhism and also it is said that Swyombhunath was born out of the lots of blooming lotus flowers in the middle of the lake and later spread across the Kathmandu valley once. The large images of Sakyamuni Buddha on the southwest boundary of Swyambhunath beside the Ring Road. Behind the hilltop, you will also see the temple which is dedicated to the Saraswati Goddess of the learning. The beautiful stupas, statues, shrines, and Chaityas of the Buddhist and Hindu deities fill this stupa complex. The base of the hill is almost covered by the prayer deities. The devotes can be seen walking the stupa at all times.

The complex of the Swyombhunath stupa consists of a variety of shrines and temples, and some of them date back to the Licchavi periods. Recently the Tibetan monastery, museums, and the library have been added.

This stupa consists of a dome at its base, above which it has a cubical structure painted with and the stupa has a large pair of eyes on each of the four sides of the main stupa which symbolize wisdom and Compassion. Above each pair of eyes, you can see there is another eye which is also called as third eye. It is said that these third eyes emanate cosmic rays when Buddha preaches which acts as a message to the heavenly beings and beings below the human realm cannot come to the earth to listen to the Buddha's teaching also the cosmic rays relieve their suffering when the Buddha preaches. This third eye is also called the Wisdom eye, a curly symbol, symbolizing the nose which looks like a question mark, which is a Nepali sign of figuring the number one. This sign represents the unity of all the things existing in the world as well as the only paths to enlightenment through the teaching of Buddha and you can also see there presents the toran above each of the four sides. Behind and above the toran you can see the thirteen tiers, above all the tiers there is a small space above where the Gajur is present. This stupa has many artifacts inside it.

While visiting this stupa you can also see many shops, restaurants, and hotels. This beautiful site has two access points: one is a long staircase leading directly to the main platform of the temple. The steep stone steps that lead up to the shrine are quite challenging- which lies on the east side, However, there is also a road going up almost at the top form where it is short to walk which is known as a south-west entrance. Taking this route gives you many memories and a beautiful experience as while entering you will see the three big statuses of Lord-Buddha, walking through the hillside, with little disturbance of the monkey give little glory and memories.

This beautiful shrine is the best place to observe the religious harmony in Nepal. this place is always crowded but the largest crowds of people here are seen on the Buddha's birthday which usually falls in May.

Boudhnath

Take an early morning or evening stroll around the white dome, observing the devote people walking around the Stupa, lighting a little butter lamp, saying a little prayers, from around, enjoy the view from the rooftop of the restaurants with a cup of hot coffee make your walk fruitful as Buddha is always full of life.

Situated at the center of the 8 km to the east of the downtown Kathmandu valley, Boudhnath is one of the UNESCO World Heritage sites and one of the most beautiful landmarks in Kathmandu. Boudhnath will be visible as soon as you land at the Tribhuvan International Airport and are heading to your hotel, it is the largest stupa in the Kathmandu Valley.

The unique and great stupa is known as the Boudha or Boudhnath and is also called the Jharung Khashor. This great Boudhnatth is one of the most ancient, largest, and most magnificent stupas in the world and also the most important place of pilgrimage and worship for Buddhists all over the world. this beautiful and unique symbolizes the mind of all the Buddhas. It is believed that whoever prostrates and around the stupa with a pure heart at the great stupa creates good karma resulting in the fulfillment of all your wishes. It is believed that the gates of hell and the rebirth in the lower realms are closed to them. The power of the great stupa and the compassionate blessing are beyond the imagination and conception of all beings.

The structure of the Buddha is around 36 meters high and massive and it dominates the skyline in the area. With the many countless monasteries around the stupa, Boudhnath is the center of Tibetan Buddhism in Nepal.

Built-in the shape of a mandala, the stupa replicates the Gyangtse of Tibet. The stupa was built by the Lichhavi rules in the 8th century. The location of the stupa is very interesting as it was the ancient trade route of Tibet. Boudhnath is one of the major pilgrimage sites for Buddhists from all around the world.

On each side, you will see the Buddha's eyes as it is symbolizing awareness.

For centuries of years, the Boudhanath has been a very important place for the pilgrimages of the local Buddhists as well as Tibetans. This beautiful stupa is located in a major trade route between Nepal and Tibet and many traveling merchants used it as a resting place. This stupa is not only famous for the locals but also is a popular tourist site. In around 1979, Boudhanath stupa was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The beautiful stupa of the Boudhnath is the focal point of the district. Exploring this stupa you will see at least 29 Tibetan Gompas around the Boudhnath. The culture you will see here is a high influence of Himalayan with a strong presence of the Tibetan and the Sherpa as evidence you can see the number of restaurants selling momos, Thukpa, and other Tibetan dishes and favorites around.

You can also see many Tibetan Buddhist monks and nuns walking around the Boudha, especially; at the stupa. As a daily ritual, you will also see the many people walking around three or more times around the stupa repeating the mantra either quietly or aloud. During the days of the full moon and its surroundings, the air is often thinking and the number of people visiting the Stupa increases along with their mantras and prayers. Nowadays, Boudha has become very fascinating and very spiritual area.

The First stupa at the Boudhnath was built around 600 AD, when the Tibetan king, converted to Buddhism. In terms of choosing the grace and the purity of the line, no other stupa comes close to the Boudhnath in Nepal.

According to the legend, the king constructed the stupa as an act of penance after unwittingly killing his father. The first stupa was cracked during the Mughal in the 14th century, so the current stupa is a recent construction.

The high and symbolic construction of the Boudha serves as a three-dimensional reminder of the Buddha, 's path toward enlightenment. The plinth represents earth, the Dome is water, the harmonica (square tower) is the fire, the spire is air and the umbrella at the top is the void. The 13 level of the spire represents the stages that human beings must pass through to achieve nirvana.

Pashupatinath Temple

Dedicated to Lord Shiva, Pashupatinath temples are one of the most important sites in Asia which is devoted to the lord Shiva. The Pashupatinath Temple is a famous Hindu temple and is located on the banks of the holy Bagmati River lies around 5 km northeast of Kathmandu and the eastern part of Kathmandu the capital of Nepal. The temple is known as the Pashupatinath and the temple complex was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 1979. Exploring these places you can see many Ashrams, images, temples, and inscriptions which are raised over the centuries along the bank of the sacred Bagmati Nepal. these temples are also listed as one of the seven unique monument groups in UNESCO's designation of the Kathmandu Valley.

This temple was built around the 5th century and later renovated by the Malla King. The largest temple complex in Nepal, it stretches on both sides of the Bagmati River which is considered holy by the Hindus. The main temples are built in pagoda style and have a gilded roof, all four sides are covered with silver and have unique wood carvings. These temples are dedicated to the several Hindu and Buddhist deities surrounding the Pashupatinath temple

Pashupatinath Temple is a famous temple that was built by the Lichhavi King around the 5th century and renovated by the Malla king. Over time many more temples have been built around this- two-storied temples. This includes the Vaishnava temple complex with a Rama temple from the 14 century and also includes the Guhyeshwori Temple which was mentioned in the 11th-century manuscript.

In this temple, the cremation of the Hindus takes place on the platforms along the rivers. So for this only Hindus are allowed to enter through the gates of the main temples. While entering you will see Shiva Lingam and facing the temple you will see the largest statue of the Nandi the bull vehicle of Lord Shiva.

Heading east before the Bagmati reaches the Pashupati is the temple of the Guheshwori which is dedicated to Shiva's consort, Sati Devi.

The biggest festival Maha Shivaratri festival in the spring attracts thousands of devotees from both Nepal and India.

Visit the Pashupatinath temple for the mix-matched culture, religions, and spiritual experience. located on the banks of the Bagmati Rivers, you can also explore the Deupatan, Gaurighat-a holy baths, Kutumbahal, Gaushala, Pingalasthan, and Sleshmantak forest and you can see around 429 temples, 15 Shivalayas, and 12 Jyotirlinga to explore and collect memories.

You can see numerous religious buildings located on the eastern bank of the Bagmati River, most of them are devoted to Shiva. The majority of the building is single as well as small and constructed from stone. From the outside, they are reminding crypts, but in reality, these are sacral buildings designed for holding the symbol of the deity Shiva. You can see Lingams can be found all over the complex.

Another culturally shocking thing you can see while exploring Pashupatinath temple is the beautiful images of the local woman washing her clothes downstream of the river. You can see the water of the Bagmati is not clear as it contains the animal's fat because of the ashes of cremated Shiva Followers and easily washes the dirt from the linen and it is believed that this is how the soap was invented.

Lord Shiva is considered the patron of animals and all living organisms, so you can see monkeys and deers wandering all around the temple complex on both banks of the Bagmati. As we know monkeys are often unfriendly, they beg for food and snatch things while being careless tourists, and also sometimes can be dangerous so before exploring this temple make sure to be good with them.

Kathmandu Durbar Square

Kathmandu Durbar Square- also known as the Hanuman Dhoka Square is one of the major attractions of the Kathmandu Valley and is also listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Most of the cultural sites of Nepal are concentrated around the Kathmandu Vally and are the center, among those cultures, Kathamndu Durbar Square is an important one of them. The name Hanuman Dhoka Durbar came from the beautiful statue of Hanuman which you can see at the entrance of the royal palace which was established by King Pratap Malla during 1672 AD. Later there was a temple by King Prithvi Narayan Shah in 1770 AD and it is named Basantapur Durbar. Due to being in the ancient city of Kathmandu, you can see it is surrounded by both Hindu and Buddhist temples and also most of them are built in the pagoda style with intricately carved outside. Here you can see most of the building was built around the 15th to 18th century. The Durbar Square with the ancient temple and old palaces shows the religious and cultural life of the ancient people and also attracts many visitors here.

As we mentioned above, Kathmandu's Durbar Square is also known as the site of the Hanuman Dhoka Palace complex, which was the king's residence until the 19th century and also the important ceremonies, parties, and other Coronations of the Nepalese monarchs took place. You can see the palace is decorated with carved wooden windows and the houses with the King Tribhuvan Memorial Museum and Mahendra Museum. If you want it is possible to visit the rooms inside the palace.

Time and again the temples and the palaces have gone through reconstruction after being damaged by natural disasters or by being neglected. Presently explore this area you will see less than 10 quadrangles in this square. The temples are being preserved as the national heritage sites and the palaces are being used as the museum. Only a few parts of the palace are open for visitors and few temple-like Taleju temples are open for the people of Hindu and Buddhist faiths.

The southern end of Kathmandu Durbar Square is one of the most curious attractions of this palace in Nepal as it is known as the Kumari Chowk. This gilded cage contains the Raj kumara- which is also known as "The Living Goddess", a girl chosen through the ancient and mystical selection process to become the Hindu Mother Goddess, Durga. You can only see her in the Indra Jatra as during this time she takes a tour of the city during this festival, during this festival she is carried around from place to place in her chariot. She also makes a public appearance during the other few festivals otherwise interested devotees can visit and worship here by paying to her guards. It is said that doom is upon you if she refuses to let you worship her.

The major highlights of exploring the Kathmandu Durbar Square are visiting the beautiful temple of Kastha Mandap, Maru Ganesh Temple, Mahadev Temple, Shiva Parvati Temple, Bhagwati Temple, Old Palace, Saraswati Temple, Krishna Octangular Temple, Jagannath Temple, Taleju temple and many more others.

The Kathmandu Durbar square is made up of two sub-area. You can see the outer complex of the numerous temples including Kasthamandap, Shiva-Parvati, Jagannath temple, Big Bell, etc, while the inner complex contains the old palace area, Hanuman-Dhoka, and courtyards like Nasla Choke, Mul Choke, Kumari Chowk, Sundari-Chowk, Basantapura Durbar, and many others.

Besides these magnificent temples and shrines, exploring the Kathmandu Durbar Square, has also other interesting aspects like exploring the various festivals, cultural activities, and the traditional people who are following the centuries are presented in the Durbar Square. The major festivals that are celebrated in this Durbar Square include the Indrajatar, Dashain, Gaaijatar, Machchhindra-Nath Jatra, and many more. These are the occasions when the people from the whole city living their daily work gather here to mark their centuries-old traditions. All the carvings and the architecture in this area arse very beautiful and exceptionally good which makes the architecture in this Kathmandu Duare Square(Hanuman Dhoka Square) among the most important sights for visitors.

Patan Durbar Square

Patan Durbar Square is located in Lalitpur City which is only around 30 minutes' drive from Kathmandu City. it is one of the three main royal Durbar Square in the Kathmandu Valley. Patan Durbar Square is a royal region of the ancient Patan region which is now lying in the Lalitpur and is listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Though among the three Royal Durbar Square-Kathmandu Durbar Square, Bhaktapur Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square is the smallest of all the Durbar Square it is the most beautiful of all the durbar Square. Exploring Durbar Square it is not hard to see the square crammed with exquisite temples.

Patan Durbar Square is considered to be very beautiful as well as the prosperous city of the ancient periods. Though there are no clear facts about its origin, it is believed that the royal square was built by the Malla Kings of Lalitpur. It is also known that the site is an ancient crossroads. It is also believed that the Pradhanas who had settled around the site before the Mallas, have a strong connection with this royal square. There is also a hint that the Thakuri Dynasty built a palace reform to the square but there is just a little evidence about that. It is said that Patan was a prosperous city science ancient times.

However, the Malla Kings made important changes to the square. You can see that most of the architecture was built during the 1600s, which was constructed during the reign of King Siddhi Nar Singh Malla and his son Srinivasa Sukriti. Some of the Malla kings who have renovated and improved the structure of the square are Purandara Simha, Shivasimha Malla, and Yogananda Malla. It is the center of both Hinduism and Buddhism which includes 136 courtyards and 55 major temples to explore around.

Major temples to explore around the Patan Durbar Square are:

Krishna Mandir

 Krishna Mandir is one of the most important temples in the Patan Durbar Square which was built in the unique Local variety of Shikhara style which is also called Granthakuta. The stone carving along the beam above the first and the second-floor pillar is very beautiful and also the first-floor craving narrates the events of the Mahabharata, while the second-floor pillar is the carving from the Ramayana.

The Temple was built by King Siddhi Narsinga Malla in around 1667 AD. There is a saying that the king saw Lord Krishna and Radha standing in front of the royal palace, and then he ordered them to build on the same spot. You can see there are 21 golden pinnacles in the temple and below the pinnacles, there are three stories as the first floor holds the shrine of Lord Krishna and the Shrines of Radha, and Rukmini at each side. The second floor is dedicated to the lord shiva and the lord to the Lokeshwor.

This temple is crowded and is a pilgrimage site for the Hindus.

Bhimsen Temple

Bhimsen temple is also one of the most beautiful and important in this royal square which was built by Srinivasa Malla around 1680 and is renowned for its three interconnected golden windows. You can see, that Bhimsen is a great personality in the Mahabharat and is known to be brave and strong. In Newari, he is traditionally worshipped as a god of business and trade. But tourists or visitors are not allowed to enter inside.

Vishwanath Temple

Vishwanath temple dedicated to Lord Shiva which was built in 1672 during the reign of the Siddh Narshing Malla. You can see the roof of the temples is decorated with erotic carving and the temple is guarded by the two stone elephants in the front of the entrance. On the other side of the temple is the sculpture of a bull which is known as the Shiva's Vehicle. You can also see the beautiful stone Linga inside the temple.

Taleju Bhawani Temple

Taleju Bhawani Temple was built by the Siddhi Narsingh Malla in 1640 and was renowned by Srinivasa Malla in 1667 after it was affected by the fire. This temple was the personal deity of the Malla kings. You can see the five-story temples with the triple of a fire. Somehow it is also believed that Taleju Temple was built by the Pradhanas before the Malla.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square

Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the royal palace in the ancient city of Bhaktapur which lies 13 Km East of the Kathmandu Valley. It is one of the most beautiful Royal palaces among the Three Royal Palace of the Kathmandu City-Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Durbar Square, and Patan Durbar Square. Bhaktapur Durbar Square is the preserve of the ancient traditional Nepali culture, customs, and the unique arts of the wooden and pottery. While the Bhaktapur Durbar Square consists of at least four distinct squares- Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square, and Pottery Square the whole area is known as the Bhaktapur Durbar Square and is a highly visited site in the Kathmandu Valley.

The historical monuments around the royal palace show the ancient culture and tradition of Nepal. Bhaktapur is an old city which is indigenous Newari people in the large group, which means exploring this place gives you the chance to learn more about the beautiful Newari culture.

The major attractive monuments of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square are the Nyatapole Temple, the Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, the Peacock Window, the Golden Gate, and the fifty-five windowed palace of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square.

The major attractions of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square are:

55 Window Palace:

The Palace of the 55 Windows was built during the reign of the Malla King Bhupendra Mall who ruled for around 28 years from 1696 AD to 1722AD It was not completed during his reigning time but it was completed in 1754 AD during the reign of his son. Made with brick walls and with a unique sculptural design, it is a balcony of fifty-five windows, and it is considered to be a unique masterpiece of wood carving. 55 Window Palace is known as one of the oldest and most unique monuments present in Nepal.

Vatsala Temple

Vatsala temple is a beautiful stone temple dedicated to the goddess Vatsala Devi and includes many magnificent carvings. This temple is most famous for its silver bell, in residents it is also known as the "bell of the barking dog" as it is believed that when it was rung, the dog in the vicinity barked and howled. It is believed that this bell was hung by the King Ranjit Mall during 1737 AD and this bell is always rung each morning when the goddess Taleji is worshipped. During the earthquake of April 2072, the temple was affected but the bell remains intact. Now, this temple is reconstructed.

The beautiful statue of Bhupatindra Malla

Exploring the Bhaktapur Temples you will see the beautiful statue of King Bhupatindra Malla which acts of worship can be seen on the column facing the royal palace. In this royal palace, you can see many statues but among them, the statue of Bhupatindra Mall is considered to be the most magnificent.

Golden gate

The Golden Gate is one of the most beautiful and is said to be the richest specimen of its kind in this entire world. the door is carved with the figure of the Hindu goddess Kali and Garuda (mythical griffin) and attended by the two heavenly nymphs. It is decorated with monsters and other Hindu mythical creatures of marvelous intricacy. Percy Brown, a famous English art critic, and Historian described the Golden Gate as "the most lovely piece of art in the whole Kingdom; it is placed like a jewel and flashing the innumerable facets in the handsome setting of its surrounding royal palace. The gate was built by King Ranjit Malla and it is the entrance to the main courtyard of the Palace of Fifty-Five windows.

Nayatapole Temple

Nayatapole is the Newari language which means five stories and the symbolic of the five basic elements. Nayatapole temple is the highest and the biggest pagoda of Nepal which was built with such architectural perfection and artistic beauty and it is said that the temple's foundation is wider than its base. The temple is often open for the public people once a year during the great festival of Hindu's-Dashain. This temple is dedicated to the goddess Shiddhilaxmi. You can also see the status which is lined up on the 2 sides of the staircase, they are built as guardians of the temples and the resting goddess which we can see in the five layers from the base of the Temple. There is a popular saying about times as it took three generations to complete those temples also famously known as "Pancha Tale mandir".

The Bhaktapur Durbar proper houses the 55-window Palace which was constructed by King Jitamitra Malla and lived in this royal palace until 1769 but now it is a national gallery. This royal palace is closed by the beautiful Golden Gate which leads you into the Mulchok court which is the home to the Taleju Temple. Like others, this temple in the main town of the Kathmandu valley is also dedicated to the goddess Taleju Bhawani and includes shrines to both the Taleju Bhawani and Kumari. Entrance to the temple for both locals and visitors is restricted and the living goddess strictly cannot be photographed.

The Durbar Square is surrounded by beautiful and spectacular architecture and amazingly showcases the skills of the Newari artists and craftsmen from several countries the Royal Bhaktapur Palace was originally situated at the Dattarayan Square and was latterly moved to the present Durbar Square location.

Exploring the present beautiful cultural heritages of Kathmandu city is the best option to enjoy your short vacation, you can not only be quite far from your hometown but also you will get to learn more about the different environment and nature. You will also get a beautiful chance to learn more about the new culture and tradition, their lifestyle, their daily work, dresses, and many more. Visiting the old heritage will also give you more information about the ancient lifestyle, their traditions, their arts, and skills. They can know more about the religions, their ancient history, and the purpose of building this monument.

It is far better to visit and enjoy the Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour and hear a thousand times from your family and friends. The Kathmandu tour will be best for the one who has a very short vacation but wants to know more about the cultural heritage and know about ancient history. To fulfill your exploring interest Nepal Hiking Trek will support you, we will prepare the itinerary and the tour packages according to your interest.

To know more about the Kathmandu sightseeing tour, then please mail us: at [email protected]