Kirtipur at Golden Hour
About
Kirtipur is an old Newar town on a ridge at the south-west edge of the Kathmandu Valley, a short drive from the centre and very few visitors. Its brick lanes climb past temples and courtyards to the top of the hill, where the whole valley opens below and, on clear evenings, the snow mountains to the north turn pink. This walk is planned for the late afternoon: the lanes in warm side light, people coming home from the fields, and the town's edge for the last light over the valley. You take the photos; I look after the timing, the way and the people. I do not photograph for guests.
A private tour
Your own day, at your own pace
Namaste, and welcome. This is not a group tour; it is your day. Just you and the people you came with, and me as your guide. We start when you are ready, stop wherever something catches your eye, and sit in a courtyard for as long as you like. No one is waiting at a bus, and there is no list we have to finish. I would like you to leave feeling you met the city, not that you rushed through it.
- We go at the light's hours
- I meet you at your hotel at the time the light asks for.
- We wait for the light
- If it is not there yet, we wait, or change the order on the day.
- No shopping stops
- We go to shops only when you ask.
- We start when you like
- Early for the quiet squares and the morning prayers, or after a slow breakfast. I pick you up at your hotel.
- Time for every question
- The gods on the temple struts, the festival in the street, the food on the corner. There is time for every answer.
- Space to just be there
- A cup of tea while the square wakes up. Often the best moments of a day are the ones nobody planned.
- The plan bends to you
- Tired, or curious about something else? We leave a place out, or stay longer.
- Only the shops you ask for
- We stop at a shop only if you want to.
With warmth, Rujan Neupane
Along the way
What this day is known for.
- The valley below in the last light
- Bagh Bhairab temple and its old carvings
- Brick lanes and courtyards in side light
- Snow mountains turning pink on clear evenings
- Evening life on the steps and in the squares
- Very few other visitors
The day, stop by stop
Times move with traffic and with you.-
14:00
Up to Kirtipur
A short drive from your hotel to the foot of the old town.
- Kirtipur
-
14:30
Bagh Bhairab
The tiger-faced temple of Bhairab, its weapons and carvings, and the square around it in the afternoon light.
- Bagh Bhairab temple
-
15:30
The lanes
Slowly through the old lanes and courtyards: doorways, wells, people at work and at rest.
- Kirtipur old town
-
16:30
Uma Maheshwar
The temple at the top of the town, with the valley spread out below.
- Uma Maheshwar temple
-
17:15
The last light
To the town's edge for the sunset over the valley, and the mountains to the north if the evening is clear.
- Kirtipur
-
18:30
Back down
Tea in the old town as the lamps come on, then back to your hotel.
- Kirtipur
- Your hotel
Is this tour for you?
Walking, steps, heat and access, 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 hidden on hazy evenings.
- Steep lanes and steps.
- The new town around the old one is ordinary.
- Traffic on the way back at dusk.
More about this tour
Best time to go
Best from October to February, when the evenings are clear.- BestJAN
- BestFEB
- GoodMAR
- HazyAPR
- HazyMAY
- RainJUN
- RainJUL
- RainAUG
- GoodSEP
- BestOCT
- BestNOV
- BestDEC
Haze: from late March to May, and on some winter days, the valley is hazy and the mountains are hidden. In the monsoon (June to September) mornings are often grey and there is rain most afternoons.
Time of day
Festivals worth planning for
Festival dates follow the lunar calendar and change every year; I confirm the date when you ask.
Before you go
The small practical things.Visiting with respect
These are living places of worship, not museums.- Walk around stupas and temples clockwise.
- Ask before you photograph a person close up, and accept a no with a smile.
- Do not photograph inside shrines where a sign or a priest says no.
- Take off leather and shoes where others do; dress with shoulders and knees covered.
- Drones need a permit and permission; ask me before you fly one.
Where your money goes
Every amount, and who receives it. I charge only my guide fee; the rest is paid at cost.| What | Who receives it | Amount | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Guide fee | Rujan Neupane | My day rate × 1 day | For your whole private group |
| Entry tickets | Paid at the gate | Official price | See Entrance fees |
| Taxi or car | The driver | Agreed on the day | Paid at cost |
| Breakfast, lunch and tea | The tea shops and restaurants | What they charge | You pay directly |
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.The places in detail
The history and stories behind what you will see.Kirtipur
Kirtipur stands on a ridge at the south-west of the Kathmandu Valley, about 5 km from the centre. It is one of the old Newar towns of the valley, famous in history for its long resistance before the valley was unified in the 18th century. Its old core keeps brick lanes, courtyards and temples: Bagh Bhairab, with its many offerings and carvings, and Uma Maheshwar at the top of the hill. From the ridge the whole valley lies below, and on clear evenings the Himalaya stands to the north.
Why the afternoon
The old town faces the light in the afternoon, and the valley turns gold before sunset. You take the photos; I look after the timing, the way and the people. I do not photograph for guests.
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
Frequently asked questions
How far is it?
About 5 km from the centre; 30 minutes by car, more in traffic.
Will we see mountains?
On clear evenings, mostly from October to February.
Is it steep?
Yes, the lanes climb; we go slowly.
Can we combine it with another walk?
Yes, with a morning walk in Patan.
Is the guide fee for each person?
No. One rate for your whole private group of 1 to 5 people.
Can we fly a drone?
Only with a permit and permission; ask me first.
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- +977 984-3808583
- Phone
- +977 984-3808583
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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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