Bhaktapur Day Tour

Detail About Bhaktapur Day Tour

Bhaktapur Day Tour organized by the Mountain Ram Adventures, offers travelers an unforgettable journey through Nepal’s ancients City, Bhaktapur also known as Bhadgaon and Khwapa in the local Newari language translating to “City of Devotees”. Located just around 12 KM East from Kathmandu, Bhaktapur Durbar Square is a testament of the great architectural brilliance of the ancient Nepalese Kingdom. The UNESCO World Heritage Site offers the travelers an immersion to Medieval Nepal through the intricate architectural marvels, colourful traditions and revered sites.  During the tour the travelers will be exploring two of the iconic landmarks: Bhaktapur Durbar Square  and Changu Narayan Temple.

The participants of the Bhaktapur Day Tour will be picked up from their Hotel and will be transferred to the Bhaktapur Durbar Square through the bustling roads of the Capital City in a comfortable vehicle accompanied by their English speaking Cultural Guide for the day.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Setting foot through the gates of Bhaktapur Durbar Square is like traveling back to the Medieval times, possible due to the well preserved architectural wonders including temples, courtyards and royal palaces. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the best examples of the ancient Newari architectural style renowned for its complex and detailed woodwork, stone carvings and multiple stories monuments in Pagoda Style. The architectural wonderland boasts a number of iconic monuments dating back to the 12th century constructed during the Lichhavi Period, however most of the monuments in the Durbar Square Complex date back to around 15th to 16th century during the Golden age of Architecture in Nepal, the Malla Period.

Bhaktapur Durbar Square used to serve as one of the residences of the Malla Kings of the Kathmandu valley until the death of Yakshya Malla in 1482. The valley of Kathmandu used to be a single kingdom but was divided into three separate kingdoms by Yakshya Malla whilst in his deathbed. The King established his three eldest sons as the rulers of the three Kingdoms: Kathmandu, Bhaktapur and Patan. After the Valley got separated the Kingdom of Bhaktapur was given to the crown Prince, Raya Malla in 1482 AD. The Durbar Square served as the residence of the Malla Royals for centuries and later on thrived during the Reign of Bhupatindra Malla (1674-1722 AD) as Golden Gate, Nyatapola Temple, Taleju Temple, 55 Window Palace and other iconic landmarks were constructed during his time. Due to his contribution in developing the Durbar Square, Bhupatindra Malla arguably cemented himself as  the greatest King of Bhaktapur. The son of Bhupatindra Malla, Ranajita Malla was the final king of the Kingdom of Bhaktapur until the Gurkha soldiers under Prithivi Narayan Shah captured the kingdom during the Unification campaign of Nepal. 

There are around 33 temples/ monuments listed as the part of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square each having its own identity constructed during different dynastical rule. The Bhaktapur Durbar Square is divided into 4 smaller squares: Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square, Dattatreya Square and Pottery Square as the monuments are scattered in a huge area (within walking distance).  Bhaktapur Durbar Square houses some of the most beautiful monuments in the country including the Bhairavnath Temple, Golden Gate, King Bhupalindra Malla’s Statue and many others captivating the visitors with its intricate details. The Taumadhi Square just beside the durbar square holds probably one of the most recognizable temples of Nepal, the Nyatapola Temple which is 5 stories tall and is constructed in the Newari Pagoda Style standing tall at 33 M(108.26 ft) making it the tallest Temple of Nepal.

Festivals celebrated in Bhaktapur Durbar Square are grand and colourful, uniting the locals in celebrations which can last up to a week or even months. Biska Jatra, Indra Jatra , Gai Jatra are some notable festivals celebrated in Bhaktapur Durbar Square providing the visitors an irresistible chance for understanding the culture and tradition of the local communities. Traveling during the festival is arguably the best time, however the Durbar Square can get extremely crowded making it difficult to navigate but the experience during the festival time is simply unparalleled.

Monuments in the Bhaktapur Durbar Square
Durbar Square: 55 Window Temple, National Art Museum, Golden Gate, Statue of Narasimha and Hanuman, Bhandarkhal Chowk, Kedarnath Temple, Radha Krishna Temple, Rameshwor Temple, Jagannath Temple, Badrinath Temple, Ugra Bhairava and UgraChandi Statue, Basantapur Chowk.

Taumadhi Square: Bhairabnath Temple, Nyatapola Temple, Bhimsen Temple 

Dattatreya Square:  Dattatreya Temple, Pujari Math, Vatsala Temple, Statue of King Bhupatinra Malla, The Peacock Window, Small Courtyard and Stupas.

Pottery Square: Pottery Workshop and Potters Guild, Kumhals Chhe (Potters Area)

Changu Narayan Temple
Changu Narayan Temple is the oldest temple of Nepal situated around 6 KM North from Bhaktapur on top of the Changu Hill. The temple’s history can be traced back up to the 4th CE during the rule of the Licchavi Kings. The temple is dedicated to Changu Narayan, an incarnation of Lord Vishnu who is one of the three principal deities of Hinduism and the God of Preservation. The temple is one of the most revered sites in Nepal where devotees often visit for pilgrimage and religious purposes and during the festival of Vishnu Jayanti the complex is crowded as devotees arrive to obtain blessings from the lord of preservation.

The temple is one fine example of the Newar architecture constructed in a two tiered Pagoda Style which houses a statue of Changu Narayan carved from stones and portrays Vishnu in a seated posture. The outside of the Temple complex is covered in intricate wood carvings, stone monuments showcasing the finest architectural prowess of the artisans during the Lichhavi Period. The temple is surrounded by various shrines and statues dedicated to various Hindu deities including Lord Shiva, Brahma and Laxmi. The entrance is as grand as the temple complex as large stone statues of Narasimha (Lord Vishnu’s incarnation as a lion-headed beast) and Garuda (King of the Birds) are abutting in the entrance. The temple also boasts a large stone inscription which dates back to the 464 CE stating the donation made by the Licchavi King Mandev for the temple making it one of the earliest written history of Nepal.

The temple offers mesmerizing views of the Kathmandu Valley and the lush green hills surrounding it and also offers a tranquil area perfect to escape the hectic city life. The temple complex houses various monuments including an intricately carved stone pillar dedicated to King Pratap Malla, temples and monuments of Ashta Matrika, Chinnamasta, Kileshwor and Krishna inside the vicinity of the Temple. The temple is also a testament of the long embedded connection of Hinduism in Nepalese History.