The Chisapani Nagarkot Trek is one of the most accessible trekking journeys from Kathmandu. This short trek is just 18 km out from the city‘s center, making it the best option for beginners and first-time enthusiasts who do not want to commit to weeks-long trekking destinations. Although it is very close to the city area, you will get to experience the countryside of Nepal with amazing panoramic views of the peaks in the north.
The starting point of Sundarijal is a beautiful town with waterfalls, temples, and a dam. This area is also one of the water suppliers of the Kathmandu valley. From Sundarijal, we will enter the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, which has a total area of 159 sq. km. This conserved region has a plethora of different species of birds and animals. However, you are less likely to encounter a wild animal as they rarely cross the paths created by humans.
The Chisapani Nagarkot Trek itinerary will take you through a bunch of Tamang and Newari villages. You will have plenty of chances to witness the traditional lives of the countryside communities, and also a couple of chances to interact with them. The majority of the population there does not know the English language, so our Nyindha Adventures guide will act as the translator, a communication bridge.
Throughout the Chisapani Nagarkot Trek, you will get to enjoy scenes of many peaks, including the Ganesh Himal, Manaslu, Langtang Lirung, Dorje Lakpa, and more. From the viewpoint of Nagarkot, you will get to see the Annapurna Himalayan range to the west and the Everest peak in the east, along with Gauri Shankar and Rolwaling Himalayan range. However, if the weather is not optimal, you might miss the scene of Everest.
This trek takes you through villages like Mulkharka, Chauki Bhanjyang, Jarsing Pawua, and more. The endpoint of this journey is the famous Changu Narayan Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This temple is one of the oldest of its kind and a great example of traditional Nepalese architectural style.
The first day of the Chisapani Nagarkot Trek takes us on a drive from Kathmandu to Sundarijal. We will take a jeep ride, as they are the perfect vehicle for this drive. Sundarijal is just 18 km away from Kathmandu, but it takes over 50 minutes to get there because of the terrible road conditions. From the city center, we will head northeast towards Jorpati. Leaving the bustling city streets, we will soon get to the serene countryside areas. We will pass by the Sundarijal Waterfall, Zoon Waterfall, Gokarna Mahadev Temple, and the Sundarijal Dam to get to our destination of the day. Sundarijal is the entryway to the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park and the starting point of our trek. Today’s trek is about 12 km long, which will take us anywhere from 4 to 5 hours to complete. The elevation gain of the day is 815 meters, taking us to Chisapani, a beautiful village sitting at 2165 meters above sea level. Our first day of trek begins with a sharp ascent, having us climb a set of stone steps. Soon, we will be at the gate of the Shivapuri National Park, where visitors have to pay for entrance tickets. Our Chisapani Nagarkot Trek package will cover this expense. This is the only permit the trek requires. The lush forest of the park, dominated by pine and oak trees, offers a chance to encounter wild animals. You will definitely spot a bunch of birds within the park, while the chances of spotting wild animals are somewhat low. In about 2 hours, we will arrive at Mulkharka village, a beautiful Tamang village offering a great place to rest. This village sits at 1895 meters above sea level. Continuing the trek, we will leave Mulkharka after a short resting period and ascend gently through forested sections with occasional scenes of the peaks up north and the Kathmandu valley. After about 3 more hours of trekking, we will reach our destination, Chisapani village. This village offers a great view of the Gaurishankar and Langtang peaks, along with a scenic sunset moment.
Today’s trekking distance spans over 16 km with a very minimal final elevation gain. However, the elevation gain throughout the trek is 740 meters, as we have to ascend many climbs. The total time required for today is about 6 to 7 hours. The trek begins with leaving the Chisapani village, following a lush forested trail through the national park. But before leaving, make sure to enjoy the sunrise views as the first rays hit the peaks in the distance. After about 1.5 hours of trekking, we will reach the village of Jhule. We will rest a bit there, watching the local lifestyle of the countryside families. Leaving Jhule, we will soon get to Chauki Bhanjyang, another resting spot. From there, we will get to enjoy a beautiful scene of the Ganesh Himal, Dorje Lakpa, Manaslu, and Langtang Lirung peaks.
Continuing the trek, we will reach the amazing Nagarkot viewpoint in about 4 more hours of trekking from Chauki Bhanjyang. Nagarkot is a popular hill station that offers amazing sunrise and sunset views along with a wide panoramic view of the Himalayas. After we get there, Nyindha Adventures’ guide will allocate the accommodation for the night, a 3-star hotel. After putting your luggage down, we can explore the area a bit and enjoy the sunset scenes from a rooftop or a hilltop
Day 3 of the Chisapani Nagarkot Trek requires only 4 to 5 hours of trekking, covering a little over 12 km with an elevation loss of 575 meters. But first, we will wake up before the break of dawn to experience the gorgeous sunrise scenes, the climax of this trek. This will definitely be the most memorable scene of the entire journey. After enjoying the sunrise, we will have a leisurely breakfast before getting on the road to Changu Narayan.
Leaving Nagarkot, we will get on a descending trail with a backdrop of the Himalayas and terrace farmlands on our right. Passing by a couple of traditional Newar and Tamang villages, we will get to a forested section over a dirt trail. After getting out of this section, we will hit a stone-paved trail passing by more villages. You can see the locals getting on with their day, doing their daily chores.
Today’s Chisapani Nagarkot Trek stops after we reach the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Changu Narayan Temple. Dedicated to Lord Bishnu, this religious site is very popular for its religious significance and intricate architectural details. The stone carvings are very detailed, and the wood workings are very intriguing, to say the least.
One of the oldest Hindu temples in Nepal, the Changunarayn Temple dates back to the 4th century. It was built under the commission of the Licchavi Kings, who ruled the land back in the day. Specifically, King Mandeva, who ruled the Kathmandu Valley region back in 400 CE, ordered the building of this temple.
Back in 1702 AD, this temple was caught in a huge fire that destroyed most of its original artifacts, but the building stood. The then King Bhupalendra Malla commissioned the renovation of this temple. At present, the temple displays the traditional Newari architectural style with a two-tiered pagoda style.
After we are done exploring this amazing temple, we will get on our jeep. This drive is almost 18 km long with an estimated driving time of 50 minutes, but it can be a bit longer as well, depending on the traffic flow of the day. Leaving the Changu Narayan Temple, we will head southwest towards Bhaktapur city and west to get to Kathmandu. The road condition is better in comparison to day 1 of the Chisapani Nagarkot Trek.
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