What You Will Do
Are you looking for a half-day tour in Kathmandu? Then try out the half-day tour around Swayambhu and Patan, which is filled with amazing artistic scenery and a bond between Hindu and Buddhist religion. You can observe old and rich cultural and architectural beauty along with the artistic masterpiece of ancient eastern civilization. You can start your tour early morning or at noon according to your choice. This half-day tour is designed to show the harmony of the two most crucial religion of Nepal with Hindu and Buddhist temples and shrines in harmony. With many architectural beauty and religious values, it describes Nepal's ethnic and spiritual side. You will be amazed by ancient temples, old royal palaces, and the existing courtyards that will show the glory of ancient civilization and their architectural skills, which uplifted their status in ancient times. Both are UNESCO World Heritage Sites suffered from the earthquake, but the beauty is preserved in the existing structures.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Itinerary
1
Swayambhunath Temple
50 minutes
You will be picked up from your location and head towards the Swayambhunath Stupa. Also called “The Monkey Temple” because of many rhesus monkeys roaming around the area, the stupa is on the top of a hill which is covered with many trees. You will head towards the west of Kathmandu city where lies the Swayambhunath Stupa. You will then take the east entrance to reach the top of the stupa. It has 365 stairs to be exact that carries you to the top for the fantastic view of the city itself. You can find many small shrines and souvenir shops on the way to top with monkeys roaming around freely. You are free to take pictures on the road, and some monkeys might pose for a photo too. As you reach the final steps, you will see a giant gold-plated thunderbolt (Vajra). It is one of the essential monuments there. Also, right next to it is the large white dome with a cubical top. It is the Swayambhunath stupa that did not fall even though many other temples around the area crumbled after the earthquake of 2015. You will also see many prayers wheels of different sizes almost in every part around the Swayambhunath.
2
Amideva Buddha Park
10 minutes
Right at the end of your Swayambhunath Tour, you will find yourself on the next side of the hill. At first glance, three big statues of Buddha will mesmerize you. As people tend to miss the opportunity to visit the Buddha park, this will be a more significant opportunity to glance at the shining golden statues of Shakyamuni Buddha. After a specific time there, you will move forward to your next destination, which is Patan Durbar Square.
3
Patan Durbar Square
1 hour
Patan Durbar Square is situated in the city of Lalitpur. It is filled with Newari Architecture and the local Newar community. It is the courtyard of the old Malla palace. As you approach from the south, you will see the square on the right and series of temples on the left. The square is layered with red bricks on the floor. You will observe construction works being carried out in some places with fences build around. The Patan Durbar Square is divided into three courtyards, and you will be visiting them one after another. The first palace building is the Sundari Chowk, the first courtyard. It is filled with stone architecture, and you will see many statues of deities like Hanuman, Ganesh, and Nara Singha (an incarnation of Lord Vishnu). Then comes the Mul Chowk, the central part of the royal palace. It is one of the guarded places as theft of many sculptures and statues that occurred in the region of Patan Durbar Square. Finally, the third and last courtyard houses the museum of Durbar Square. It is the Keshav Narayan Chowk. Yow will see many things related to ancient eastern civilization. Also, much artistic technique descriptiveness can be found there.
4
Durbar (Central) Square
10 minutes
Heading on to the main field, you will be amazed by the beautiful stone artistry of Krishna Temple in the region. The temple is created by stones only. You will see 21 shrines in the temple and carvings related to Ramayana and Mahabharat. In the same lane of Krishna Temple, there is a big bell nearer to the edge of the Durbar Square. There is also another beauty called Shankar Narayan Temple with statues of kneeling elephants. You will find large sculptures of animals like lions on both sides of the entrances gates in most of the places. If you are hungry or thirsty, grab a bite to eat in the eateries around the area with many places to shop around. Other relatively essential structures in the Durbar Square are Mahaboudha, Rudravarna Mahavihar and Machhendranath Temple in the south.
5
Patan Museum
15 minutes
Moving forward, you will enter Keshav Narayan Chowk. It is made into the Patan Museum. You will get to observe many facts about our culture and history and especially about ancient eastern civilization. It is a lovely peaceful place to unwind and features various Buddhist, Tantric, and Hindu artifacts. You can see many interior architectures and exhibits with a relaxed environment inside the museum.
6
Golden Temple (Hiranya Varna Mahavihar)
10 minutes
You will also visit the golden temple in the north. Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, which is known as the golden temple, is a 12th-century temple. You will see silver and gold covered decorations and bronze statues in the temple. It is a pagoda-style temple with a golden image of Lord Buddha and a large prayer wheel in the upper layer of the temple. At the end of your tour, you will be dropped back at your hotel or predetermined destination.
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