Overview
It is one of the short and easy treks designed to explore nature, the culture of Nepal’s countryside, and Buddhist sites. Kathmandu valley is surrounded by green hills covered with terraced farms, picturesque villages, and lush green forests. Despite being close to Kathmandu, these areas are still not affected by modernity and still preserve pristine nature and the traditional way of life.
Our trek begins from Kakani hill at 2060m after a 1-hour pleasant drive from Kathmandu. On reaching Kakani hill, we gently head to beautiful Shivapuri national park (2732m) witnessing the panoramic view of Ganesh Himal, Langtang, Gaurishankar, Manaslu, and the Annapurna from Suryachaur. While walking, you will also have some wildlife experience and enjoy the stunning view of Kathmandu city. The park has a subtropical to lower temperate forests and associated vegetation. People living around the park follow Hindu and Buddhist religions with a mixed type of Aryan and Mongolian culture. The park also has some important pilgrimage sites including Nagi Gumba, Bagdwar, Bishnudwar, etc.
We continue our trek up to Chisapani, where we stay overnight at a guesthouse. It will be a very relaxing green escape between Shivapuri forest and Chisapani. Wake up early in the morning to see the sunrise over the White Mountains and walk along the ridge between the Shivapuri watersheds. In spring, you will see the blooming of rhododendrons in the forest. Our next destination will be Nagarkot village which is famous for mountain views and panoramic views of Kathmandu valley. The trail from Nagarkot to Dhulikhel is easy, with an uphill but is mostly downhill. It will take 5-6 hrs to reach Dhulikhel, a beautiful town.
The next day we continue our trek to Namobuddha, a famous sacred place of Buddhism in Nepal. Huge monasteries, stupas, and shrines depict a holy feeling and tremendous peace in you. It also provides great Himalayan scenery; Temples, monasteries, and stupas are all along the route. Next, we walk through terraced fields till Panauti, another ancient Newari village that lies southeast of Kathmandu. Here you will visit well preserved numerous Hindu temples and experience local culture and tradition. This is a fascinating short trek that gives a great opportunity to observe the rich Nepalese culture and rural lifestyle of the people. This trek is suitable for those who have limited holidays in Nepal for trekking and fit for all age groups and all seasons.
