changunarayan

Changu Narayan and Nagarkot

City Tour

About

Two quiet days on the eastern edge of the Kathmandu Valley. We start at Changu Narayan, the oldest Hindu temple in the valley, on a hilltop above Bhaktapur. Then we walk, not drive, up the ridge through Newar and Tamang villages, terraced fields and pine forest to Nagarkot, at about 2,175 m. In the evening the light goes down over the hills. Before sunrise we walk up to the viewpoint, and on a clear morning the Himalaya stands in a long line to the north, from Langtang towards Everest.

A private tour

A few days that belong to you

Namaste, and welcome. Just your group, your own car and me. You wake in a quiet guest house, walk when the light is good, and rest when you want to. Nobody hurries you to the next stop on someone else's timetable. For these few days, the road is yours.

Your own car and driver
It stops for a view, a tea shop or a photo whenever you ask.
Mornings without an alarm
Sunrise if you want it, a slow breakfast if you do not.
One person to ask
The same guide all the way: for the history, the food, the road and anything that goes wrong.
Quiet places to sleep
Small guest houses, chosen for calm rather than size.
The plan bends to you
A place left out, a longer stay, a slower day: we decide together as we go.

With warmth, Rujan Neupane

From my last tour

I last guided this tour in Oct 2026 · information checked on 10 October 2026.

Along the way

What this day is known for.

  1. Changu Narayan, the oldest Hindu temple in the Kathmandu Valley
  2. A stone inscription from the year 464, the oldest known in the valley
  3. The ridge walk to Nagarkot through villages, fields and pine forest
  4. Sunrise over the Himalaya from Nagarkot, from Langtang towards Everest
  5. Newar and Tamang villages away from the city
  6. A quiet night on the ridge, above the lights of the valley
Jump to

Evening and morning

Times move with the season: sunrise is earlier in summer.
  1. Day 1

    Changu Narayan, then the ridge walk to Nagarkot

    I meet you at your hotel and we drive to Changu Narayan, about an hour. A slow morning at the temple and in the small village around it. Then we walk up the ridge through Telkot and the villages to Nagarkot, mostly uphill on village paths and forest trails. About 4 to 5 hours on foot. Sunset from the ridge if the sky is clear.

    • Changu Narayan temple and its courtyard
    • Changu village
    • Telkot
    • Nagarkot ridge
  2. Day 2

    Sunrise at Nagarkot, back to Kathmandu

    Up before dawn and a short walk to the viewpoint for the sunrise. Breakfast at the hotel, then the drive back to Kathmandu, about 1 hour 30 minutes. Back in the city before midday.

    • Nagarkot viewpoint

Is this tour for you?

Walking, steps, heat and access, honestly.
WalkingA full day on foot, about 4 to 5 hours, much of it uphill. Good walking shoes are enough.
StepsStone steps at the temple and on parts of the trail.
ChildrenFine for children who like to walk. We go at their pace and rest often.
Less walkingA car can take us from Changu Narayan to Nagarkot instead. Tell me and I will plan it honestly.

Not sure? Tell me who is coming, and I'll tell you honestly. Write to me

The honest downsides

What I'd want to know before booking.
  • The mountains are often hidden by haze or cloud, most of all from April to September. Nobody can promise a clear sunrise.
  • Nagarkot has many hotels and some building work. The ridge is less wild than it was.
  • Roads now reach most villages on the way, so parts of the walk are near a road.
  • The sunrise viewpoint can be busy on weekends and holidays.
  • Changu Narayan was damaged in the 2015 earthquake. Some work may still be going on.

More about this tour

Best time to go

The mountains decide it: clearest from October to February.
  1. GoodJAN
  2. GoodFEB
  3. GoodMAR
  4. HazyAPR
  5. HazyMAY
  6. RainJUN
  7. RainJUL
  8. RainAUG
  9. GoodSEP
  10. BestOCT
  11. BestNOV
  12. BestDEC
Best: clear and mild Good: cool mornings or some haze Warm, hazy and dusty Monsoon: afternoon rain

October to December have the clearest mornings. January and February are clear too, but the nights at Nagarkot are cold. From March the haze grows, and in the monsoon the mountains often stay hidden for days.

Time of day

MorningChangu Narayan is quietest early, before the day visitors come.
EveningThe light on the ridge at Nagarkot, and the lights of the valley below.
DawnThe sunrise from the viewpoint, the reason to sleep at Nagarkot.

Before you go

The small practical things.
ShoesWalking shoes or light boots; the trail is steep in places.
Warm clothesNagarkot is cold at dawn, from October to March most of all.
Water and snacksThere are small shops in the villages, but bring some water.
MoneyBring rupees in small notes for the temple gate, tea and snacks.

Visiting with respect

These are living places of worship, not museums.
  • Changu Narayan is a living temple. Walk around it clockwise.
  • The inner shrine is for worship. Please do not go in.
  • Take off leather and shoes where you are asked to.
  • Ask before photographing people, in the temple and in the villages.

Where your money goes

Every amount, and who receives it. I charge only my guide fee; the rest is paid at cost.
WhatWho receives itAmountNote
Guide (me)Rujan NeupaneMy city day rate × 2 days, plus the overnight allowanceOne rate for 1 to 5 people
Changu Narayan templePaid at the gateThe official priceForeigners pay more than Nepali and SAARC visitors
Car to Changu Narayan and back from NagarkotThe driverThe local farePaid at cost
Hotel at NagarkotThe hotelThe hotel's priceYou pay the hotel directly; I never add anything
Meals and teaThe restaurants and tea shopsYour choiceYou order and pay

I don't sell packages. I guide, and I help you arrange the rest (rooms, transport, permits) at what it actually costs. If you would like it all put together as one package, ask me: I make one only on your request, and we confirm it by email.

Photo notes

From a guide who is also a photographer.
Changu NarayanSoft morning light on the carved roof struts and stone statues.
The ridge walkTerraced fields and villages, best in the afternoon light.
NagarkotThe sunrise on the mountains; a long lens helps for the far peaks. Keep spare batteries warm.

The places in detail

The history and stories behind what you will see.

Changu Narayan

Changu Narayan stands on a hilltop at the north-east edge of the Kathmandu Valley, above Bhaktapur. It is dedicated to Vishnu, and it is thought to be the oldest Hindu temple in the valley. A stone pillar in the courtyard carries an inscription from the year 464, the oldest known in the valley, from the time of the Licchavi king Manadeva. The two-roofed temple is covered in carvings, and the courtyard is full of old stone statues of Vishnu and his mount, Garuda. It is part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site.

The ridge walk

From Changu Narayan we walk up the ridge to Nagarkot, through Telkot and small Newar and Tamang villages, terraced fields and pine forest. It is about 4 to 5 hours, mostly uphill, on village paths and forest trails. Roads now reach most villages, but the path keeps away from them where it can.

Nagarkot

Nagarkot sits on the rim of the valley at about 2,175 m. On a clear morning the view runs along the Himalaya to the north: Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Jugal and the peaks towards Gauri Shankar, with Everest small and far to the east. Read more in my guide to sunrise viewpoints in Nepal.

When to go

October to February for the clearest mountains. See the best time to trek in Nepal.

My promises

Written down, so you can hold me to them.
  • No pressureAsk me anything. Asking costs nothing and commits you to nothing, and I will never rush your decision.
  • Nothing hiddenEvery cost is written down before you pay anything, and nothing is added later without your agreement.
  • Your day, your paceWe stay longer where you want to, and skip what doesn't interest you.
  • Reviews as writtenEvery review here is published as the guest wrote it. I don't edit reviews or remove critical ones.

Before you go

What I would read first, from my own guides and tours.

Guides to read first

Stories from this tour

Frequently asked questions

How hard is the walk?

About 4 to 5 hours, mostly uphill, on village paths and forest trails. If you walk for a day at home, you can do it at a slow pace. A car can meet us if needed.

Will I see the mountains?

On most mornings from October to February, yes. From April to September they are often hidden by haze or cloud. Nobody can promise a clear sunrise.

Can I go inside Changu Narayan?

You can walk in the courtyard and around the temple. The inner shrine is for worship, and visitors do not go in.

Can we visit Bhaktapur too?

Yes. We can stop in Bhaktapur on the way back on day 2. It adds a few hours and the Bhaktapur entry fee. Ask me when we plan.

Can we do it in one day?

Yes, but then there is no sunrise. The night at Nagarkot is the reason for the trip.

Is it good for families?

Yes, for families who like to walk. We go at the pace of the youngest, and a car can take over if needed.

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Plan it with me

Tell me how you'd like to spend the day. I'll plan the rest around you.

Rujan NeupaneTrekking & Tour Guide · Kathmandu

Send your date, group size and anything you'd like to see or skip, whichever way suits you.

Know your date already? Book me as your guide for this tour

More than 5 of you? Write to me. I guide up to 5 people at one rate. For a bigger group we can talk it through by email. I reply myself, usually within a day. On the trail there is often no network, so it can take a few days.

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Guide Association Membership

Some information on this page comes from Department of Immigration, Nepal · Nepal Tourism Board · UNESCO: Kathmandu Valley.

Checked by Rujan · 10 October 2026