Amazing Nagarkot Chisapani Trek around Kathmandu

The north rim of the Kathmandu Valley offers some of the finest views of the Himalayas. From the summit of Nagarkot Hill, you can watch amazing sunrises and sunsets over the world’s highest mountains. And from here, there are beautiful jungles to explore with waterfalls and wildflowers. And even an ancient, UNESCO World Heritage Village that stands sentinel over the Kathmandu Valley. 

The Nagarkot to Chisapani Trek takes you through the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Changu Narayan. From here, trek to Nagarkot for a magnificent sunset following by a great sunrise the next morning. Walk to Chisapani and enter Shivapuri National Park before returning to Kathmandu via Sundarial. 

The Nagarkot to Chisapani Trek is a low elevation trek, providing great mountain views and peacefulness so close to Kathmandu. Many people today are rediscovering the incredible beauty of the Kathmandu Valley. Why not you?

Itinerary

Day 1: Trek to Nagarkot (Elev. 2175 m/7136 ft)

Stop At: Nagarkot Nature Trail, Nagarkot Nepal
Your journey begins after breakfast as your guide and driver take you by private car to your starting point at the ancient city of Changu Narayan to begin the Nagarkot to Chisapani Trek. Changu Narayan is the least visited of the UNESCO World Heritage Sites in the Kathmandu Valley because of its remote location. 

Changu Narayan contains the oldest Hindu Temple in the Kathmandu Valley. Dedicated to the god Vishnu, Changu Narayan was created by the Lichhavi kings of old as one of the four protection points of the Valley. The streets are flagstone and stepped with deep taps where women still come to get water as well as do their laundry. The ancient temple is on top of the hill, and we’ll take some time to explore before moving on to Nagarkot. 

The Nagarkot to Chisapani Trek follows upward along the Valley ridge past villages of different ethnic groups along with terraced farms. We can see both the Himalayas as well as the Valley below us. 

We check into our hotel before sunset, so we can watch from our vantage point the setting of the sun over the Himalayas. Trekking time is around four hours after a one hour journey by car to Changu Narayan. 
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Lodge

Day 2: Trek to Chisapani (Elev. 2165 m/7,103 ft)

Stop At: Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, North Side of Kathmandu Valley, Kathmandu Nepal
We rise early for a wonderful sunrise over the Himalayas. It is the reverse of last night as the first rays of the rising sun come over Mt. Everest in the east, illuminating all of the snowcapped peaks. Sunrise is a wonderful experience from on top of Nagarkot as you take in the crisp fresh mountain air and the awesome scenery. 

The journey today takes us to the traditional starting point for many treks: Chisapani Situated on the edge of Shivapuri National Park, this place name means “cold water”. We pass through a number of tiny villages to reach Chisapani, passing alongside wonderful little terraced farms that make their way down the hillsides. These farmers have been doing this for well over 500 years, and we will see many different types of mountain crops growing. The villages feature stone houses with plenty of children playing.  We will trek for around eight hours before we reach Chisapani where there are good places to stay with great food. 
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Overnight at Resort

Day 3: Return to Kathmandu

Stop At: Kathmandu, Kathmandu, Kathmandu Valley, Bagmati Zone, Central Region
It’s our final day of trekking as we work our way through Shivapuri National Park. This park is the closest national park in the world to any capital city. Within the park are a number of high hills that form the ring of hills around Kathmandu. It is also the source of water for Kathmandu and the source of the sacred Bagmati River. We walk around four hours from Chisapani to Sundarijal where we pick up our car back to our hotel in Kathmandu.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Not Included