Shivapuri Hill day hike
About Shivapuri Hill Day Hike Itinerary
Shivapuri Hill, guarding the northeastern horizon of Kathmandu Valley, is one of the most important watersheds to Kathmandu Valley and its river system. This hill area was established as a protected watershed and wildlife reserve in 1976 and later merged/extended with the Shivapuri-Nagarjuna National Park and gazetted as a ninth national Park of Nepal in 2002. The area is full of fauna and flora but is still one of Kathmandu’s least hiked areas.
This full-day Shivapuri Hill day hike begins after breakfast. Your guide and driver will pick you up for a 25-minute drive northeast of Kathmandu to Budhanilkantha, one of the Kathmandu Valley’s most revered religious sites for Buddhists and Hindus.
At the heart of this holy place lies the remarkable Buddha Nilakantha, or Nilakantha Buddha, a grand temple set at the foot of Shivapuri Hill. Translated as “blue-throat Buddha,” it is famed for an extraordinary sculpture cast in the image of Chenrezig in Buddhism or Vishnu in Hinduism. Carved, it is said, from a single block of rock, the figure sits serenely in the middle of a pond, creating the impression that it floats on water. The Neelakantha Lokeshwara is counted among the 108 forms of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara.
Although believed to date back more than 1,300 years, its exact origin remains uncertain. Mythical accounts say King Suryaketu commissioned the statue, but an earthquake buried it underground; it was later rediscovered, excavated, and restored after King Dharmagat saw it in a vision. As a Buddhist deity, the image inspired an irony among the kings of Nepal later converted to Hinduism, who forbade themselves from even laying eyes on it, giving rise to the rumor that they would meet instant death if they did. That belief led King Pratap Malla to commission a replica at the Balaju water garden without consent from the gods or priests.
The statue lies on the coils of the great snake Ananta, a cosmic being whose 11 heads protect the head of the image. Its four hands hold symbols signifying knowledge: the chakra disc representing the mind (in Buddhism, the wheel of Dharma), the conch, elements of the earth, and a lotus flower symbolizing the universe and, in Buddhism, compassion and purity. Interestingly, the forehead and head crown are perpetually covered with cloth or flowers, and no one is allowed to see them; to this day, no one knows what lies beneath. Some say the inner crown bears the image of Buddha and other Buddhist deities, since the figure is also called Neelkantha (Shiva); the traditional practice is that Shiva is incomplete and not sacred without Buddha’s image on his head.
Lord Vishnu is believed to have been created from idols of Bodhisattva and Avalokiteshvara. Idols of Bodhisattva Padmapani are famous in Buddhist religious paintings, including those in the ancient caves of Ajanta and many other Buddhist caves. Bodhisattva Padmapani embodies the qualities of Tathagata Buddha; the lotus, for example, symbolizes peace, compassion, and purity, and Padmapani idols hold the lotus to show compassion. Tathagata Buddha, Avalokiteshvara, and Bodhisattva statues each have their own history, but Lord Vishnu has no history of his own; he is believed to be a character formed from the idols of Bodhisattvas and Avalokiteshvara, representing a Bodhisattva of his time. Bodhisattvas, appearing in many Mahayana and Vajrayana formulas, are worshipped differently in Brahminism today. Yet, these Buddhist preachers teach the Dhamma in all forms; their sculptures, formulas, and mantras remain archaeological evidence still widely found in Mahayana Buddhist countries.
After visiting this great site, continue to the National Park gate, where the vehicle drops you off. Check into the National Park Area, register your ID details, and pay the entry permit fees. The excursion immediately begins through a dense, shaded forest. As you gain altitude, a charming scene of the Kathmandu Valley draws you in for several stops. You’ll be surprised by how quickly you leave the Kathmandu crowd and enter serene nature, with fresh, oxygen-rich air, natural scents, birds, monkeys, other shy wildlife, and sparse villages with smiling villagers. Finally, reach Nagi Gonpa, a Buddhist nunnery on a hilltop 2,325 meters above sea level, with a beautiful view of the Kathmandu Valley. Famous for yoga trips, the site invites you to visit the monastery and rest.
Another two-hour hike takes you to the top of Shivapuri Hill. Weather permitting, you’ll see beautiful views of the Langtang and Ganesh Himal mountains. Stop here for a packed lunch and rest, then take a shortcut trail, though a long walk down, to Budhanilkantha (Buddha Nilakantha), and drive back to your hotel, where you arrive to enjoy free time.
