A perfect retreat
Nagarkot offers respite from the scorching heat of Kathmandu
Looking upon the deep valley from an altitude of about 2,000 metres, surrounded by the folds of hills, lush greenery, pollution-free air and the stunning sunrise – these are what Nagarkot is famous for throughout the world.
About 28 km east of Kathmandu, Nagarkot is a world famous hill station and usually visited by large number of tourists during September and October for mountain views , sunrise and sunset. But the cool climate of Nagarkot beckons nature lovers throughout the year.
Taking time off our hectic schedules, one of my colleagues and I recently headed to Nagarkot. The scenic views of lush green forest on both sides of the road after we crossed Bhaktapur soothed our eyes and although the ride in itself was uneventful we were happy just to be able to leave our stress behind. We reached Nagarkot at 2:00 pm and by 4:00 pm it started rain, thereby dampening our plans for a spectacular sunset – literally. Yet the cool evening left an ever-lasting memory and we watched the cloud roll in the sky in a mysterious game from the terrace of the resort we had stayed in.
We were hoping for our sunrise view the next morning, but again the fog played the devil. Nevertheless, we managed to watch the sunrise for few moments when it peeked from behind the dark clouds – painting the entire sky red before re-treating the veil of clouds again.
Hiking was the best part of our Nagarkot visit. The weather was cool when we started to hike at around 10:00 am. We walked about 10 minutes along Dhulikhel hiking route until we reached Rani Banjyang, which branched out to four routes. From Rani Banjyang we could see the valley below with some clouds hovering that made us feel like we were floating in the sky. Since our destination was Nagarkot tower, we took the first route at the right hand side out of the four routes at Rani Bhanjyang. Then though the narrow lane into the forest, we started walking uphill.
The forest seemed alive after the rain – the smell of the mud in the air and the sounds of birds reverberating of crickets chirping. Stopping every now and then to take pictures, it took us about an hour to reach the tower but to our dismay, the fog that hung in the air obstructed our view. Hoping for a lucky break, we lingered around the tower for a while. But then finally dejected, we started walking downhill through the pitched road for about two hours till we reached back to our resort. On the way, however, we were able to catch the stunning views of the lush green forest since the sky was finally clearing up.
Although we weren’t able to marvel at the glorious sunrise and sunset that Nagarkot is so popular for, the cool climate was enticing enough for me to conclude that Nagarkot has its unique charm to attract tourists in every season.
Fast FactsAccommodation: There are plenty of options ranging from high-end luxurious to budget hotels, depending on your preference and depth of your pocket.
Weather: Usually cool and cold during winter.
Best time to Visit: September to October is the best time to visit Nagarkot for sunfrise and mountains views.
Mountains views: Annapurna range, Machapuchre, Himchuli, Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang and Gaurishankar.
Getting there
If you are planning to commute in a local transport, you should take the bus to Nagarkot from Kamalbinayak, Bhaktapur. In a private vehicle, Nagarkot is about one-and-a-half hour drive from Kathmandu.
Nagarkot offers respite from the scorching heat of Kathmandu
Looking upon the deep valley from an altitude of about 2,000 metres, surrounded by the folds of hills, lush greenery, pollution-free air and the stunning sunrise – these are what Nagarkot is famous for throughout the world.
About 28 km east of Kathmandu, Nagarkot is a world famous hill station and usually visited by large number of tourists during September and October for mountain views , sunrise and sunset. But the cool climate of Nagarkot beckons nature lovers throughout the year.
Taking time off our hectic schedules, one of my colleagues and I recently headed to Nagarkot. The scenic views of lush green forest on both sides of the road after we crossed Bhaktapur soothed our eyes and although the ride in itself was uneventful we were happy just to be able to leave our stress behind. We reached Nagarkot at 2:00 pm and by 4:00 pm it started rain, thereby dampening our plans for a spectacular sunset – literally. Yet the cool evening left an ever-lasting memory and we watched the cloud roll in the sky in a mysterious game from the terrace of the resort we had stayed in.
We were hoping for our sunrise view the next morning, but again the fog played the devil. Nevertheless, we managed to watch the sunrise for few moments when it peeked from behind the dark clouds – painting the entire sky red before re-treating the veil of clouds again.
Hiking was the best part of our Nagarkot visit. The weather was cool when we started to hike at around 10:00 am. We walked about 10 minutes along Dhulikhel hiking route until we reached Rani Banjyang, which branched out to four routes. From Rani Banjyang we could see the valley below with some clouds hovering that made us feel like we were floating in the sky. Since our destination was Nagarkot tower, we took the first route at the right hand side out of the four routes at Rani Bhanjyang. Then though the narrow lane into the forest, we started walking uphill.
The forest seemed alive after the rain – the smell of the mud in the air and the sounds of birds reverberating of crickets chirping. Stopping every now and then to take pictures, it took us about an hour to reach the tower but to our dismay, the fog that hung in the air obstructed our view. Hoping for a lucky break, we lingered around the tower for a while. But then finally dejected, we started walking downhill through the pitched road for about two hours till we reached back to our resort. On the way, however, we were able to catch the stunning views of the lush green forest since the sky was finally clearing up.
Although we weren’t able to marvel at the glorious sunrise and sunset that Nagarkot is so popular for, the cool climate was enticing enough for me to conclude that Nagarkot has its unique charm to attract tourists in every season.
Fast FactsAccommodation: There are plenty of options ranging from high-end luxurious to budget hotels, depending on your preference and depth of your pocket.
Weather: Usually cool and cold during winter.
Best time to Visit: September to October is the best time to visit Nagarkot for sunfrise and mountains views.
Mountains views: Annapurna range, Machapuchre, Himchuli, Manaslu, Ganesh, Langtang and Gaurishankar.
Getting there
If you are planning to commute in a local transport, you should take the bus to Nagarkot from Kamalbinayak, Bhaktapur. In a private vehicle, Nagarkot is about one-and-a-half hour drive from Kathmandu.
