Day Hike Through Shivapuri National Park

Located at around 10 km from the center of Kathmandu, is the Budhanilkantha statue of the Hindu god Lord Vishnu. The Hindu temple, also known as the Narayanthan Temple, lies at the foothill of the Shivapuri Hill. The statue of Budhanilkantha is the largest and most beautiful stone carving in the entire country. The statue is 5 meters long and lies in the center of a pond. Lord Vishnu is seen to be resting on a bed of snakes in a pond that resembles a cosmic sea. This popular temple is considered a sacred place by the Hindu devotees but equally revered by the Buddhist followers.
An interesting mythology states that the king Pratap Malla had a farsighted vision that made him believe that the kings who visited the temple would perish. Hence, no kings of Nepal after Pratap Malla ever visited the temple fearing the prediction of death.

Sitting on a mountainside high above the Kathmandu valley is a small nunnery hermitage – the Happy Mind, known by the name Nagi Gumpa. The Nagi Gumpa has now been renamed as Tsungon Nangkyi Gompa, very aptly named reflecting the stress-free faces of women who live there. The monastery is home to around 100 nuns associated with Ka-Nying Shedrub Ling Monastery in Kathmandu. The monastery is almost 50 years old and lies in a quiet and peaceful location inside the Shivapuri National Park.
Nuns have come from different places of the Himalayan territory as far as Tibet, despite their caste or creed. At the monastery, the nuns are trained in classical Buddhist philosophy, as well as the ritual arts and meditational practices. One can even see several foreigners meditating in this serene location.

Bagdwar is a pilgrimage site located within the Shivapuri National Park on the border between Gokarneshwar and Budhanilkantha municipalities in Kathmandu. It is the origin of the sacred Bagmati River from where the water comes out of a tiger-shaped spout. Hindu devotees are usually seen flocking to this place on the Nepali New Year day as a religious fair takes place here every year on this day. Locals believe that taking a holy bath at Bagdwar on New Year washes a person’s sins and grants blessings. From Bagdwar, visitors can enjoy the scenic views of Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, Jugal Himal, and Mt. Manaslu.

Sundarijal is located at about 18 km northeast of Kathmandu. It is a small village and the gateway to Shivapuri National Park along the Kathmandu valley trekking route. The name Sundarijal is derived from the words ‘Sundari’ meaning beautiful and ‘Jal’ meaning water. For public dwellers, it is a favorite picnic spot with lush greenery and serene environment. There is a Hindu temple dedicated to goddess Sundarimai – the Sundarimai temple at the side of the river. During major Hindu festivals, devotees walk all the way from Pashupatinath to collect the holy waters from here barefooted. The collected water is then offered to the Shiva Linga with a belief that all the previous sins of a devotee will be forgiven.
Tourism is a large industry in Sundarijal. It has been developed as a destination for canyoning. Tourists throng to this cool village to see the pristine waterfalls, natural environment, and the rivers. BP museum is also located in Sundarijal, which is one of the historical sites in Nepal. Initially, it was the Army General Quarter; it was changed to Rajbandigriha – where prisoners were kept. It was then transformed into Gaida Gasti which again was changed into Sundarijal Military Camp. During the 1960s leaders like BP Koirala, Ganesh Man Singh, KP Bhattarai and others were held here without trial for 8 years, hence it was changed in BP Museum.