Kathmandu Chispani Nagarkot Trek Review: 3-Day Adventure
So, thinking of escaping the Kathmandu city limits for a few days without tackling a huge expedition? The Chispani Nagarkot trek might just be what you’re looking for, a pretty cool circuit that gives you a taste of what the hiking near Kathmandu has to offer in about three days. A trek is often a fantastic way to immerse yourself in the scenery, cultures and more quiet side of Nepal, and this route hits a few worthwhile high points without demanding an awful lot of planning, gear or stamina. I think it’s just about perfect for beginner trekkers, people with limited time or travelers who fancy a side-trip before or after something grander.
Why Chispani Nagarkot? It’s More Than Just a View
Okay, what is it that makes this specific hike an attraction? Well, first off, there is convenience. That this thing starts, and more or less finishes, right around Kathmandu means getting there is easier than catching your bus downtown. Yet it is that Chispani Nagarkot area has some seriously great views! From Nagarkot, specifically, you sometimes can glimpse a wide panorama of the Himalayas, including (on a unusually clear day) some quite famous summits. Plus, too it’s the cultural experiences: that you pass through villages gives one a glimpse into Nepalese rural existence and it’s traditions way out of the typical tourist hotspots.
That is that the trek gives a pleasing blend of views and immersion that may easily fit into a lot of travel itineraries. You can encounter friendly locals who are always just very willing to share a grin or perhaps a cup of tea. So, one may catch amazing sunrises coloring the snow-capped peaks. It offers moments which, very honestly, seem almost still right out of a postcard. This particular mixture helps turn a relatively simple hike into a really worthwhile experience, in my opinion.
Day 1: Sundarijal to Chisapani – Into the Wild
Right, the trek commences! You will normally grab a vehicle out to Sundarijal, which sometimes is about an hour from Kathmandu. What occurs then is entering Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park— that first part’s pretty steep, I suppose, with a never-ending set of stone steps going uphill. If that is that you didn’t stretch your legs enough prior to this, so, you’ll feel it pretty swiftly. Still, anyway, the effort is rewarded when you get further up and so into a wonderfully green landscape.
Sometimes you may meander through wooded areas that almost resonate with the sounds of birds as well as trickling water—definitely a world removed from Kathmandu’s intense city environment. So, depending on your speed and the number of pauses you prefer, the hiking towards Chisapani takes approximately 5–6 hours. And, honestly, if it’s starting to get colder towards sundown, you might want to go to it.
Upon coming into Chisapani, you can very nearly be pleased that you can find your teahouse, drop off your gear and subsequently appreciate those first, genuine views of the Himalayan peaks, frequently more colorful during sunset. These teahouses generally supply simple although sufficient meals. What is great is to sit, sip a hot beverage, so, trade traveler stories and after that just observe the sunset. Then just a nice, hearty meal followed by an quite early night to catch some sleep.
Day 2: Chisapani to Nagarkot – A Scenic Traverse
If you could only bring yourself out of bed quite early in the morning, well, Nagarkot presents just wonderful sunrise vistas—perhaps amongst the best. The next portion is the hiking originating in Chisapani all the way to Nagarkot. Anyway, it’s rather an extended stretch, usually around 6–7 hours. If it’s a somewhat tougher part, but certainly really scenic. In fact, you move on through woodlands, tiny communities and terraced hillsides that simply represent rural Nepal.
In the process, do not forget your camera to grab those quite magnificent hillside images as well as interactions with locals, must you come across a number. That they really welcome you tends to depend, to a degree, on the kind of energy you display.
Then that final approach into Nagarkot, that will probably occur towards the middle of the afternoon. The principal draw here turns out to be, needless to say, its expansive scenic view. I mean it’s truly famous in that sense. Locate just the right place and be grateful that you have arrived at your final stop on time. It might actually be pretty cool simply wandering through the community before settling upon a superb location just so as to catch sundown on those huge mountains.
Day 3: Nagarkot to Kathmandu – Farewell Peaks
Should there be fairly decent climate that morning, a sunrise visit is obviously significant as is commonly what occurs for people. In reality it seems like the dawn almost places the mountain ranges on fire, that is actually if the mountains seem to make themselves apparent! However, in contrast to the prior days, day three involves far more downward slope: usually a four hour or sometimes so stroll from Nagarkot towards a place at which one grabs transport for going back into Kathmandu.
Anyway it allows one opportunity just so as to consider what just has happened during the trek. Basically it’s far more relaxing. Therefore perhaps you want to buy certain local trinkets. Very easily, so, one discovers themselves re-integrated inside of the city prior to late-afternoon, perhaps equipped with new pictures together with just memories as well.
Things to Note For A Smoother Trip
Is this trek really calling to you right now? Maybe you might benefit from some advice. These little ideas that are generally considered quite ordinary actually can enhance just the experience in a reasonably massive fashion:
- Best Times for Travel: Autumn as well as spring turn out to be excellent regarding climbing since the climate tends to be mild and the skylines often are better. I would generally advise you, so, steer quite clear from monsoons due to slippery walkways and perhaps decreased mountainous landscape scenes.
- Permits along with Park Costs: Just ensure you do actually have every needed licenses to get inside Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park; those fees will likely bring modest backing to resource upkeep of that location. You definitely do not really fancy almost any needless snags here!
- Just what to load inside of Your Hiking rucksack: Load somewhat light, but I really suggest a number of the items. So, think layers! That temperature shifts instead a bit. You’d like sturdy footwear (very perhaps anything well busted-in!) plus a sufficient container along with a water filtering equipment.
- Well-being along with Protection: Do actually hydrate by any means times as well as have snacks high in energy at your disposal! A miniature health support kit with all the fundamental supplies happens to be a wise concept besides—especially patches to aid ward off those blisters.
- Honoring Local Culture: Get together by possessing polite dealings along with learning simple Nepali expressions just like “Namaste.” And ask until you simply take images, particularly as you come across individual neighborhood friends inside their homes. I am under the opinion of this can make an substantial disparity at their impression individuals guests!
It may make a noticeable shift on their perspective of your kind, for those travelers!
Is the Chispani Nagarkot Trek the Right One for You?
So, one ought to decide: do I embark on an excursion much like this trek? Well, in my opinion it’s outstanding mainly for people who tend to be slightly inexperienced hikers that only possess some spare period but intend genuine scenery alongside real cultural observations that come right near Nepal’s Capital, basically speaking anyhow. And, clearly, because of individuals preferring no extraordinary bodily stresses even while hiking with landscapes!
Nevertheless, when you seem knowledgeable together with long to scale more demanding peaks or perhaps desire anything tremendously outside well trodden trails…very very well, this one may perhaps simply just seem a bit a bit also comfortable with, to one degree or another.
Final Thoughts: A Memorable Himalayan Introduction
To summarize, what takes place there turns out to be not exactly the toughest walking one possibly may get after, this Kathmandu Chispani Nagarkot path produces one rewarding glimpse inside landscapes, ethnicities along with tranquility relatively adjacent to a single city which has almost everything happening nearly always. One really ought to consider it only—in all honesty!—when having tiny time and perhaps needing certain reasonably speedy dosages amongst magnificent Nepal to boot—I simply feel many individuals can possibly return by obtaining fresh, lovely understanding besides which had actually been accomplished by some exercise through natural beauty and also quietness alike in equal portions!
And very clearly you are possibly going to consider every second extremely fondly! I, basically, simply believe most people can very well return through attaining different good, refreshing insights furthermore which actually got done together with certain effort through pretty natural wonder which includes equal chunks too which have happened because of calmness and wonder.