Things to do in Nagarkot / Hiking in Nagarkot, Nepal
Nagarkot is a rocking hiking and biking destination. You will find both action and relaxation here. Explore the most beautiful trails in a natural setting of uplifting beauty with wide variety of day trips. Enjoy your refreshing holidays in peaceful seclusion and breathtaking natural scenery in Nagarkot by hiking and biking. Majestic snow capped peaks, verdant valleys, idyllic villages are waiting for you.For those wishing to stretch their legs and enjoy there are several pleasant strolls around the rural countryside.
There are several good walks in and around Nagarkot such as Nagarkot Nature walk, Nagarkot 360 view tower walk, Nagarkot tamang village walk, Nagarkot to Changu narayan hiking or biking, Nagarkot to Sankhu hiking or biking, Nagarkot to dhulikhel , Nagarkot to Chisapani hiking, etc. Here are some inspirations for you to enjoy the beauty of Nature in Nagarkot:
1.
Nagarkot Panoramic Hiking Trail
Level: Medium
Distance: 10 km
Time
duration: 3 hours
Altitude:
1900 metres
Ideal for acclimatization before heading to the trekking. Nature walk with stunning mountain views + Fresh Mountain air + Serene atmosphere. Good 3 -3.5 hrs with around 12 km hike. This hike includes Nagarkot Nature Trail + Village Walk (starting from kartike village) + Panoramic Hiking Trail with 180 degree views of the stunning landscapes with lush greenery.
First Part (Nature Walk) You will start this trail with quiet walk inside the pine trees where you can enjoy the freshness of nature and take lots of mountain oxygen. The initial Nature Trail is a lovely walk through a dense coniferous forest.
Second Part (Village Walk) After you will complete the nature trail, you will reach Kartike village from where you can see the mountain villages perched on the hill with terraced farmlands and if the weather is clear, you will be awarded with the stunning himalayan views.
Third Part (Panoramic Trail) The second part of hike starts from kartike VILLAGE and ends at dhanda gaun VILLAGE (gaun means village in nepali). When you reach dhanda gaun village, you need to turn righwhere your landmark should be a school with blue color roof. from that school, it’s a good uphill walk around 5 minutes. From there you need to turn left with a very inspiring views of the rolling hills and villages. You will make one whole loop of the village. It is around 12 km hike and it is very very beautiful time in nature in quiet and peace.
It is a very safe and secure hiking which can be done with or without guide. however it is still recommended to have a guide as you might get lost on the way as there are no clear signboards or directions on the way. You can download the GPS map of this trail here.
Please download MAPS.ME in android store or Itunes store before heading for hiking for OFFLINE NAVIGATION. Download the GPS file here in KML extension or gpx file .
2. Nagarkot 360 view tower + Village hiking trail
Level
: Medium
Time
duration: 3 hours
Altitude:
2200 metres
Energy boosting, mood enhancing, oxygen delivering, stress relieving walk in Nature. Ideal for acclimatization before heading for trekking or for those who want a gentle stroll with Himalayan views without staircase.
Scenic uphill walk to the 360 view tower with an elevation gain of 200m from where you can relish the unparalleled Himalayan vistas, 5 out of 8 highest peaks of Nepal can been seen from here in a crystal clear day along with lots of 7000’s meter and 6000’s meter high peak.This is the highest point of Nagarkot commanding 360 degree panoramic views of the kathmandu valley in the west, himalayas in the north and deep lush jungles in the south and east. It is a nice walk to the tower from the main market which is 4 kms uphill walk where you can enjoy the nature beauty with valley views as well with verdant valleys and lush greenery. You will pass by the military camp on the way.
Then, you will pass through a serene walk inside pine forest with occasional bird watching opportunity as well.There is also a monastery inside the forest for Buddhist retreat though permission required to enter. After the end of pine forest, you will encounter a cross road leading to different places. You need to go straight towards a temple of ganesh and then turn left.
The trail will finally pass through two villages of thakurigaun and gurung gaun with unobstructed views of rolling hills, verdant valleys, lush forests, snowcapped himalayas before getting back to town. Gaun means village in Nepal.
Download the GPS file for Offline Navigation in KML extension
3. Nagarkot buddha peace garden hiking
The first part of the walk will pass through traditional villages with terraced farming where you can see the countryside lifestyle. You can also see the kathmandu valley and shivapuri national park from this hiking trail. After walking for about 45 minutes passing through sunrise hotel, few Charming home stays where you can pose for a while for herbal tea and om shanti meditation center, you will see a very nice statue of Buddha in a nice garden posing Infront of green jungle. After spending few time admiring the beauty, you can return back to the town of Nagarkot from another side of village to make one complete loop. The second part of the trail passing back to town passes through two villages gauri gaun and bakri gaun and lots of farmlands. Depending the seasons of the year, you can see different crops and vegetables planted in the agriculture land. The last part of the trail is an uphill walk back to town. Its a very refreshing walk with nice Himalayan views as well. This hike can be done whole year around.
Level: Medium
Distance: 8 km
Time duration: 2h30
Point of interest: villages, farmlands, Buddha statue
Download the GPS file for OFFLINE Navigation in KML Extension .
Level:
Medium
Time
duration: 4 hours
Altitude:
1500 metres
This
hiking route from Nagarkot to Changu Narayan is one of the most popular hiking route around the kathmandu
valley. It is a very beautiful walk where we explore local tamang culture with
their local settlements for the half way whereas the half way is through the
lush pine forests. It is a 15 kms walk with an altitude drop of around 450
metres and we arrive in a Changu Narayan temple premises, one of the seven
World Heritage sites in the kathmandu valley.
Download Hiking Map of Nagarkot to Changu Narayan temple GPS file for Offline Navigation in KML extension or GPX extension
5. Nagarkot to Dhulikhel Hiking
Distance: 15.6 km
Time: 5 hours approx.
Kathmandu is crazy but mountains tell a different story. The trek will take through the Lush greenery of the Kathmandu valley rim passing through two beautiful hillstations (Nagarkot and dhulikhel) lying in the foothills of the Himalayas. Nagarkot to Dhulikhel hiking is an excellent choice for those planning to be in close with nature with a fresh mountain air inside a pine forests and villages before reaching the hillstation of dhulikhel. It is a good 16 km walk with an altitude drop of more than 800 meters and will take around good 5 hours to complete this trekking with ever changing landscapes.
It is a panoramic trail in the valley rim and a part of Kathmandu valley cultural trekking trail with an altitudinal drop of 600 meters from Nagarkot (2100m) to Dhulikhel (1500m) above sea level. You will enjoy the stunning views of the eastern and central himalayas
The highest peaks that can be seen here are Everest (8850m), Cho oyu (8), Manaslu (8156m), Annapurna(8010m), Dhaulagiri (8176m), shishapangma (8) along with lots of peaks above 7000 meters, 6000 meters. The crow fly distance of the mountains from Nagarkot ranges from 50km (jugal range of the nearest range of the Himalayas to the kathmandu valley) to 150km far (everest). Some famous that can be seen includes Numbur peak(6,958 m), melungtse (7200), gauri Shankar(7,134 m), dorje lakpa (6,966 m), langtang ri (7205 m), Phurbi Chyachu (6,722 m) , ganesh himal(7,422 m) , himalchuli (7900m), Gur Karpo Ri (6,874 m), Gyaltzen Peak (6,705 m) etc.
You will pass through cool pine trees, terraced farmlands, villages and jungle again before reaching the hillstation of dhulikhel.
The first part of the hike will go through the pine forests for around 10 km with sounds of birds chirping inside and the second part will be pass through terraced farmlands and villages of local people cultivating different vegetables for the remaining 8 km before reaching the hillstation of dhulikhel. It is a part of kathmandu valley cultural trekking trail and is one of the best hiking routes within kathmandu valley. This trekking can also be done in the thick of winter as it is below 3000 meters.
It is an ideal choice for trekkers who have limited time in nepal however want to have a taste of trekking and also an ideal hiking to do acclimitazition before heading up to the himalayas. This hike can be done with family with children.
Please note that this section of the trek can be confusing with the roads ever changing. Note the main villages mentioned in this itinerary and be sure to repeatedly with the local people ask for directions.
There are no restaurants on the way so, it is highly recommended to carry enough water and packed lunches to eat on the way. As it passes through thick pine forests, we can get easily lost inside the forests, so, it is highly advisable to hire a guide to accompany for safety and security of the guests.
Recommended itinerary
After your morning sunrise and breakfast, start your hike early to dhulikhel (5hrs) loaded with fruits and water. When you reach dhulikhel, you can either stay at dhulikhel. However, if you want to stay in a more peaceful place, it is highly recommended to stay overnight at the Namobuddha monastery, perched on the top of the hill and around 12 km from Dhulikhel. Once, you will reach dhulikhel, you can take a bus or taxi and head to Namo buddha monastery.
Tariff:
Room with Common bathroom: 1200 Rs. per person including dinner + b/f
Room with Attached bathroom: 1250 Rs. per person including dinner + b/f