We begin our journey from Kathmandu to a place called Godam via Thankot. From Godam, we hike to Markhu via Chitlang.
We will head to Chitlang, an ancient Newari settlement with a beautiful setup of houses and hills all around, where we will have our lunch. Different artistic monuments, pagoda types of roofs, and unique craftsmanship around this place offer a fascinating charm. The weather is cool, and the hills all around make it look beautiful. Chitlang organic village resort, located there is famous for its pear garden and the special local pear wine produced there. The well-organized pear garden over the hills of Chitlang has beautified this place very much. Also, other important places include the oldest Cheese factory of Nepal and several temples.
On the way to Markhu from Chitlang, there is also an interesting sheep farm to see. It is very large in area and the evenly distributed grasslands over the hills make the view of the farm very beautiful. There is also a one-tree hill over there to sit back and relax. Markhu is specifically popular for Indrasarowar, the largest man-made lake in Nepal and is the only reservoir-based hydropower in Nepal. The lake looks peaceful and beautiful along with the typical Nepali village. There is also a suspension bridge over the lake that has added beauty and an extra viewpoint of Indrasarowar. You can go boating over there and also the fish there is famous food.
After spending a night at Markhu, we continue our trekking, the trail leads us to Pharping, which is a small Newar town lying above the Bagmati river on the southern edge of the Kathmandu valley, about 23 km from Kathmandu city. At Pharping, we can visit some important Buddhist pilgrimage sites namely Phamting Vajrayogini temple, Yangleshö cave, Neydo Tashi Chöling Monastery, and Sheshnarayan Temple.
After spending overnight at Pharping, we continue our trek to Chandragiri Hilltop. The hilltop provides panoramic views of Kathmandu Valley and the Himalayan ranges from Annapurna to Everest. Chandragiri hilltop lately has become a fascinating tourist destination due to the establishment of cable cars. After having breakfast, we will continue our journey by enjoying the view from the cable car ride and then drive our way back to Kathmandu.
