Kathmandu Heritage Tour

Trip Profile:

Tour Mode: On Hotels and Guest House or Resorts.

Tour Grade: Leisure to moderate with short walks.

Activities: Exciting drive and cultural tour walk.

Tour Duration: Half-Day to Full Day (9 a.m. to 01 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Seasons: Nearly all months of the year except wet monsoon season of June to mid-September.

Introduction:

Kathmandu Heritage Tour an interesting city to visit a blend of modernization with local ancient culture, where most of the world heritage sites are located that you will witness on this lovely tour. Kathmandu Heritage Tour leads to most fascinating tour for half day or a full day where interested people can extend for more days within the city and around the rural area of Kathmandu valley. Kathmandu Heritage Tour takes you around the only city in this world where two great religions Hindu and Buddhism exists together in peaceful harmony with temples and monasteries close to each other. Although a metropolitan city that still retains its age-old glorious with ancient history and old religious monuments that you see on this wonderful Kathmandu Heritage Tour.

Places of interest to visit around Kathmandu city tour:

Kathmandu Durbar Square:

Tour leads to uncountable monuments around Kathmandu Durbar Square with the house of Living Goddess (Kumari Ghar), ferocious Kal Bhairab, and the red monkey god, where old buildings are of greatest achievements from past Malla dynasty. The Square active with colorful life with woodcarvings, statues, and architecture in this area are exceptionally fine, and Kathmandu Durbar Square is among the most important sights for travelers to observe. The complex also houses the Tribhuvan Museum that carries the mementos of different Shah Kings.

Akash Bhairab Temple:

Also referred to as the Blue Bhairab sometimes, it is a three-storied temple in the principal market called Indra Chowk. The divine image of the Akash Bhairab is displayed outside for a week-long period during the great festival of Indra Jatra. The celebration of Indra Jatra honors Indra- the King of Heaven and the God of Rain. 

Hanuman Dhoka:

A historic seat of past royalty, particularly belonging to the Malla dynasty, the Durbar Square, which is itself the old Royal Palace Complex dedicated to the Malla monarchs, is today classified as a World Heritage Site. The age-old temples and palaces epitomize the religious and cultural lifestyle of the people.  Includes Taleju Temple built by late King Mahindra Malla in 1549 A.D., a gigantic stone figure exposing the fearful manifestation of the Black Bhairab which the Hindus regard as the God of Destruction, the tall stone pillar on the plinth-top of which sits late King Pratap Malla his four children at the four small corners, the colossal image of the White Bhairab the lattice of which is removed for a week during the Kumari Yatra festival, the nine-storied Basantapur Palace (literally meaning the spring season palace), the Great Bell and the Great Drums. The main golden-gate is guarded by the Monkey-God called Hanuman a sole protector, the gate itself has come to be known as Hanuman Gate.

Temple of Kumari:

Temple of Kumari a holy quadrangle with Buddhist stupa at the center forms the residential quarters of the Chaste Virgin Living Goddess called KUMARI.  The traditional building has profusely carved wooden balconies and window screens. The non-Buddhist ant the non-Hindu visitors may enter the courtyard called the 'basal' but may not proceed beyond upstairs. The KUMARI r greets visitors from the middle window of the balcony particularly saved for her alone and the snapshot is strictly prohibited.

Kastha Mandap:

Located near the Temple of Kumari, a unique wooden temple also known as Maru Satal. It was built in 1596 A.D. by King Laxmi Narsingh Malla where timber used for construction was from a single tree, where the capital of Nepal Kathmandu derived its new name from this very 'Kastha Mandap.' 

Tour outside Durbar Square:

Swayambhunath or Monkey Temple:

One of the oldest Buddhist monuments of Nepal of more than 25 centuries old history, stands as one of world's oldest Buddhist Chaityas, the Great Stupa of Swayambhunath a wonder and glory that was Nepal.  Listed a World Heritage Site, the stupa, forms salient structure well composed of a solid hemisphere of terra - cotta bricks and soil supporting a cornice of copper and gilt. Painted on the four-sided based with all-seeing eyes of Lord Buddha, keeping an eternal watch on the Valley distinguishing between vice and virtue. Located a mere driving distance towards the west of Kathmandu City, placed on a hill-top about 500 ft above the Valley, the whole hill a mosaic of small Chaityas and pagoda temples possessing great five Mahayana (Lamaism) and one Hinyan (Therapist). On the hind hill is located another important Buddhist shrine; it is called Manjushree. This Chinese Buddha is the God of Knowledge. 

Pashupatinath Temple:

A pagoda style Hindu temple with gilt roofing and richly carved silver doors dedicated to Lord Shiva and is situated at the bank of holy Baghmati River, most sacred temples in the entire Hindu world, Pashupatinath Temple is the nerve center of pilgrimage on the day of Shiva-Ratri. Pashupatinath Temple situated 5 km east of the city, where only Hindus are permitted to enter the main courtyard of the temple for others can view the temple from the eastern side of the Bagmati River. 

Bouddhanath Stupa:

Declared as the largest Buddhist shrine of South Asia, the ancient colossal chhorthen was built in the 6th century A.D. by King Man Deb. It rests on a series of three terraces and from the bird's eye view it takes the relevant shape or of a lotus flower which indeed remains a very holy object for all the devout Buddhists of the world. The chhorthen is surrounded by a circular market, which forms a part of Tibet town. In this case, also the four pairs of the Buddha's eyes give a vivid flash to the four cardinal directions, meaning to keep a diligent watch over the people and their commitments all day all night. The chhorthen embraces the authentic philosophy of Mahayana the faith of which is known as Lamaism in Sikkim, Ladakh, Bhutan, and Tibet.