In the southern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, you can find one of the highest points of the valley overlooking entire city. Chandragiri Hill (2551 m) is the perfect destination to escape from the city chaos and enjoy culture to nature in a day trip. The Nepal Trekking Rangers Pvt. Ltd. has knitted the perfect itinerary to do the Chandragiri Hill Hike as a day trip. There are multiple trail heads of the Chandragiri Hill Hike but the most popular and captivating route is from Tau Daha and Champadevi Temple. If you are looking for green lush forests, cultural & historical insights, and mountain vistas, then the Chandragiri Hill Hiking from Tau Daha is an ideal choice.
Allocate around 7 to 8 hours from your busy schedule or a day to do the Chandragiri Hill Hiking. If you are in Nepal for trekking, cultural tour, and peak climbing, then you can add the itinerary of the Chandragiri Hill Hike to refresh yourself before departing to your home country. Relish the chance to witness magnificent forest environment and beautiful scenery of the Kathmandu Valley in a short day trip just 16 kilometers away from Thamel.
Popular Day Hikes Around Kathmandu Valley
The Kathmandu Valley is surrounded by green lush hills on all sides. Therefore, there are multiple hiking trails where you can hike in a day. Popular day hikes around Kathmandu Valley are diverse in nature. Some trails are culturally rich and traverse through ancient Newari and Tamang villages. Normally, the places around the valley are called Kathe Bheg (Suburban Semi Hillside Villages). In the time of modernization, there are terraced farmlands, villages, protected forests, temples, and monasteries in these hills around the Kathmandu Valley.
Some of the popular day hiking trails around the Kathmandu Valley is as follows:
Chandragiri Hill Hike
Kalu Pandey Hill Hike
Bungmati Khokana Cultural Hike
Changunarayan to Nagarkot Hike
Phulchowki Hike
Tarakeshwor Temple Hike
Jamacho Hike
Shivapuri National Park Hike
Among these hikes, Chandragiri Hill Hike is very popular due to presence of cable car and sacred Bhaleshwor Temple. Note down that the hill is also one of the highest situated points of the valley alongside Phulchowki Hill.
The route selected by the travel planners of the Nepal Trekking Rangers is absolutely fulfilling and satisfying. It ensures history, religion, nature, and mountain vista!
Tau Daha: Perfect Place for Bird Watching in Kathmandu
The starting point of the Chandragiri Hill Hike is the famous freshwater lake of the Kathmandu Valley, Tau Daha. Please note down that the lake is the last remaining freshwater lake of the valley. According to myths, during the draining of the Kathmandu Valley which was once a big lake, serpents (half human – half serpent) and its king Karkotak became enraged due to draining of their home. The serpent king threatened to destroy the valley but people built magnificent jade palace beneath the lake and persuaded him to stay in the lake. The king agreed in a condition that the lake remain tranquil forever. Therefore, fishing and swimming activities are not allowed in the lake.
Every year during the Nag Panchami festival, thousands of devotees pray in the lake. It has become the popular destination for bird watching too. Lots of migratory and local birds enjoy the lake areas to roam around. Therefore, you can observe different species of birds in the lake. In Newari language, Ta means snake and Daha means lake. The lake got its name from Newari language being the lake of snakes.
Champadevi Temple: Goddess Shrine in middle of Jungle
As you hike for about 1.5 hours from Tau Daha, you reach another sacred temple of goddess, Champadevi Temple. It is a small temple in the middle of jungle which exudes powerful vibes as you hike through the jungle. This is an open air shrine of goddess Parvati or Durga (same goddess with different names). The locals believe that the goddess is a deity who protects the surrounding villages’ agriculture and assets from evils. Besides the Champadevi Temple, there is another temple called Paau Temple (footprints) which is considered as the divine markings. The temple is at an altitude of 2250 m and believed to be the second highest point of the Kathmandu Valley.
Bhaleshwor Temple: Renovated Ancient Shiva Temple
After the immolation of goddess Sati, Lord Shiva carried his wife goddess Sati’s body in rage across the world. Her body parts fell off in many places and formed the sacred shrines. It is believed that the Bhaleshwor Temple is where goddess Sati’s (Parvati) Bhala (forehead) fell off. Therefore, the temple is called as the Bhaleshwor Temple with eshowr being god. Devotees visit the temple to get their wish fulfilled. If you pray to the Bhaleshwor Temple, then all your wishes will be fulfilled and you will be purified from the evil forces. You can go to this temple either by cable car from Thankot or during the Chandragiri Hill Hike from Tau Daha via Champadevi Temple.
History of King Prithivi Narayan Shah and Chandragiri Hill
Before 18th century, Nepal was divided into different states. Later King Prithivi Narayan Shah from Gorkha unified all these smaller states into a greater Nepal. During his visit to maternal home in Makwanpur, he saw the fertile valley of Kathmandu. The valley was ruled by three Malla Kings as the valley had three separate kingdoms, Patan (Lalitpur), Kathmandu (Kantipur), and Bhaktapur (Bhadgaon). He hid his troops in the vast jungles of the hill and conquered Kirtipur before winning against three Malla Kings of these three states. Therefore, the hill has the historical significance. In order to provide him a tribute, you can find a bronze statue of King Prithivi Narayan Shah in the Chandragiri Hill.
Chandragiri Hill: A Perfect Vantage Point in Kathmandu
Besides religious and historical attractions of the hill, you can enjoy majestic scenery of cascading hills, Kathmandu Valley, and mountains from the Chandragiri Hill. Get the majestic mountain vistas of the mountains from the Annapurna, Everest, Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Jugal Himal, and Manaslu Himalayan range. On a clear day, you can spot Mount Everest, Cho Yu, Sishapangma, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna, and Manaslu which are the top eight Thousanders Mountains of the world.
The sight of the valley on one side and the sight of cascading green hills on another side present you the perfect opportunity for landscape photography. Nowadays, you can also enjoy some adventure activities in the Chandragiri Hill. Zip lining, short bungee, and roller coaster rides are present in the hill alongside different food stalls. Therefore, it has become the most popular weekend family getaway destination for people living in the Kathmandu Valley.
What to expect during Chandragiri Hill Hike in Kathmandu?
Expect lots of diverse things during the Chandragiri Hill Hike in the Kathmandu Valley. Starting the hike from Tau Daha means you get to know about the history of the valley. From Newari culture of Kirtipur to the stories of Serpent king who once ruled the immersed Kathmandu Valley, you start the hike on greater note. Walking through dense forests means you may encounter few wildlife, birds, and different vegetation along the way. It is a tranquil experience to find out about you while walking through the jungle. Once at the top, you will be overwhelmed by the scenery of mountains and the valley. Get blessings from the sacred Bhaleshwor Temple before descending down to Thankot by cable car.
Cable Car Experience after Hike
There are four cable car routes in Nepal despite it being the hilly country. However, lots of new cable car projects are under construction. You can ride cable car in Pokhara, Bandipur, Manakamana Temple, and Chandragiri Hill. Among these cable cars, the Chandragiri Cable Car is considered as the longest one. The cost of the cable car two – way ticket is around NRs. 800 to Nepalese people and NRs. 2500 to foreigners. Enjoy beautiful cable car ride over lush green forests of the Chandragiri Hill. The ride is about 15 minutes and it is so enticing experience.
How long does it take to complete the Chandragiri Hill Day Hike?
Our itinerary of the Chandragiri Hill Day Hike starts early in the morning around 7 o’clock and it covers around 13 to 15 kilometers. Therefore, you may have to hike for about 5 to 7 hours depending upon your fitness conditions and walking pace.
How difficult is the Chandragiri Hiking Route from Tau Daha?
The trail of the Chandragiri Hike is full of steep uphill and Nepalese style flat sections. Therefore, you need good amount of physical fitness level to complete the trail. If you are fit and can walk for about 5 to 7 hours, then you can easily complete the hike. The travel planners of the Nepal Trekking Rangers have put an option to end the hike in Champadevi Temple too which is about 2 hours from Tau Daha. We recommend you to be in good shape and complete this amazing short trail to the top of the Chandragiri Hill. The rewards of this short day hike are huge. So, book the Chandragiri Hike with us to spend a quality nature hiking day in Kathmandu.
