Stop At: Nagarkot View Tower
You will start the trip before sunrise. Get up early in the morning and freshen up as we will pick you up at 4 a.m. or before so that we will not miss the sunrise. We will drive to Nagarkot View Tower. It will take about an hour and a half to reach the tower. We can see the glistening snowy mountains as the first ray of the sun hits the mountain peaks with the color of the tip of the peaks changing from bright orange to red and snowy white. Not only are the views of mountain ranges and peaks like Annapurna, Mt. Everest, Ganesh Himal, and Manaslu, but the view of Kathmandu Valley and Shivapuri National Park is amazing. After spending some time there, we will hike down to Changunarayan.
Stop At: Nagarkot Buddha Peace Park
As we walk toward the temple of Changunarayan, we will visit a Buddhist Park. The park is along our path to the Changunarayan Temple. The Nagarkot Buddha Peace Park is surrounded by the beautiful ambiance of hills and terraces. It has a statue of Gautam Buddha with managed garden and prayer flags. The floors are tiled with stone slates. It can be considered a resting spot with a view of the jungle. After spending some time there, we will start the hike toward Changunarayan Temple.
Stop At: Changunarayan Temple
As we move forward on the hike, we will pass the local villages of Tamang and Newars and terraced hillsides. We will stop for local foods served by the family-run eateries on the route. After reaching the temple, let's admire the beauty of the temple as many traditional artisans spent many days creating the masterpiece. As we roam around the temple, we can see 4 entrances guarded by stone statues of beasts such as lions, griffins, elephants, and sarabhas. There are temples of other deities like Lord Shiva and Lord Krishna in the vicinity of Changunarayan Temple. The main temple is a two-floor housing Lord Vishnu and his many forms. We can see carvings of snakes, stone pillars with chakras, khadga, kamal, and sankha, and Sanskrit inscriptions. After enjoying the cultural heritage of Changunarayan, we will mark the end of this "tour to Nagarkot and hike to Changunarayan temple" and drop you back at your hotel.
