Kathmandu City Tour - 1 Day

Overview

Kathmandu City Tour is a daily tour package for guest to the Kathmandu city in which you are taken on a tour of the city, mainly to places of historical, religious and social importance and significance to not only the locals of the city but as to the evolution of the Nepalese social order, lifestyle over much of Nepal. The importance of them is not felt by the Nepalese population, but the world as a whole, so they were inducted in the hall of fame as being UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

In this Kathmandu City Tour, you will namely get to visit and see the various parts associated with Kathmandu Durbar Square, Pashupatinath, Swayambhunath and Boudhanath. Each of them has their own architectural and historical value build in the past by Kings and people to draw others into their ambits of influence, hence slow integrating the people around as the Nepalese fabric.

Kathmandu Durbar Square was not only the centre of the city now known as Kathmandu, but it was also the area, from which the Kings of Nepal, starting from King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who began the process of unifying Nepal reigned till the time of King Mahendra who shifted to a more Victorian Palace, now a Museum. The Square and its palace is now a museum with artifacts, courtyards and temples in architecture pertaining to the style of the time.

Pashupatinath is a temple complex on the eastern side of Kathmandu Durbar Square, which houses the statue of Lord Shiva, a revered Hindu God and other deity associated with him. He was called Pashupati for the reason that he was most at home with the animal kingdom, whom he not only looked after but protected from the evil creed of the human lust for hunting. He is supposed to have lived in the area of the temple which was a huge jungle back in the ages. He eventually left the area for Kailash to become immortal, but left the legacy of the Lord who protect animals and, the lingra left by Lord Shiva was built around with a temple by a king in the fifth century. Succeeding kings and monarchs of different dynasties only added to the temple of the Supreme God and its refinement as pleasing him bought one in good books with the population and Lord Shiva. This temple is an annual pilgrim site, for the Hindus from as South India and far beyond. So much so, it is believed that being burnt on the banks of the river that runs through the temple complex and ashes of the remains thrown into it, brings merit for straight ascend to heaven.

Swayambhunath is a Buddhist Temple Stupa Complex that lies atop a hillock on the western side of Kathmandu city. This Buddhist temple stupa complex is thought to have been initiation in the early of the fifth century by the great grandfather of King Manadevi and is one of the oldest religious sites in Nepal because of which it is revered and worshiped in by both Buddhist and Hindus alike. The mythological as of it goes like this. The Wise Buddhist Monk, Manjushree had a dream of a Lotus in a lake surrounded by hills. He travelled to the Valley and drained the vast lake believing it be a fertile dwelling place for humans. He cut a gorge in the eastern hills at Chobar and drained the valley. In memory of his effort, the lotus grew to the hillock and the lotus became the stupa with the eyes of Buddha watchful in the four cardinal directions. The hill and the forest is full of Monkeys believe to have sprung from the lice on the Monk’s hair. This is why the temple is also referred to as the Monkey temple by foreigners. To get to the top, there is a set of 365 steps to the main entrance to the main complex. It is an effort climbing them and is believed to clean the body and soul while making one’s way up. The other way in is via road to the western side of the hillock.

The final one to see on your Kathmandu tour is Boudhanath. It is a much revered stupa in the Northwest ends of Kathmandu, revered by the Buddhist from the world over. It is believed that buried in the centre of it, is a single strand of the Buddha’s hair. It is a massive stupa of many layers surrounded by prayer wheels of various sizes and prayers flags to all sides from the top. It glitters brightly with oil lit lamps at dusk and it is believed by the faithful that walking around the perimeters of the stupa while turning the prayer wheels and striking the bells and gongs brings mental and psychological relief from stress and anxiety.

There are many take away this city tour of the Kathmandu gives one. It is a one day city tour by a professional guide who gives in the intricate detail of the sites you visit, allowing you the details to be etched into memory along with the photographs that you will obviously take. You are taken to four UNESCO World Heritage Sites and historical known the world over. They are Kathmandu Durbar Square, the centre of Administration historically for Kathmandu and beyond, Pashupathinath Temple Complex started in the fifth century, Swayambhunath; a Buddhist Stupa Temple that is tied to the creation of the Kathmandu Valley and Boudhanath, the largest stupa of great religious value in Asia. All of these tours are done by private vehicles and you are allowed lunchtime at restaurants facing one of these iconic monuments. You are picked up and dropped off from your point of lodging.