Short escapes · Kathmandu Valley & the middle hills
Shivapuri ridge to monastery
- 2 daysDuration
- 2,732 mHighest point
- ModerateDifficulty
- ★ 4.883 reviews
Out of Kathmandu at eight, above the haze by lunch, and a sunrise over the Ganesh Himal the next morning.
Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park starts twenty minutes from Thamel and climbs to 2,732 m, which is high enough to be above the valley's winter haze layer. It is the fastest way to get out of the city and into forest.
The route climbs through Sundarijal to the Shivapuri ridge, spends the night at a lodge on the far side, and comes down through Chisapani the next morning with the Himalaya visible on a clear day. Ideal for a delayed flight, a rest day or a first acclimatisation walk.
- Above the valley haze within three hours of leaving Thamel
- Old-growth oak forest and the Bagmati headwaters
- Sunrise over Ganesh Himal and Langtang from Chisapani
- A genuine mountain night with no flight or permit required
The essentials
- Duration
- 2 days
- Highest point
- 2,732 m
- Group size
- Max 8
- Style
- Micro adventure
- Starts and ends
- Kathmandu to Kathmandu
- Best season
- Sep–May
- Accommodation
- 1 night at a hillside lodge above the valley
- Meals
- All meals from the first lunch to the second breakfast
- Transport
- Private vehicle to Sundarijal and back from Chisapani
- Permits
- Heritage-site tickets only; no trekking permit needed
The shape of the journey
This journey stays between 2,732 m and the valley floor, so there is no meaningful altitude profile to plot.
When to walk it
Comfortable most of the year. October to March is dry and clear; May is hot and hazy.
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Day by day
2 days, as they are actually walked. Your guide may reorder a day for weather — that is the point of having one.
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1
Sundarijal to the Shivapuri ridge
Drive to the park gate, then a long steady climb beside the water pipeline through oak forest to 2,732 m, with the valley opening behind you.
- 2,732 m
- 14 km
- 6 hr
- Ridge lodge
- Lunch, dinner
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2
Chisapani and down to the road
A dawn viewpoint for Ganesh Himal, breakfast, then a forest descent to Chisapani and the drive back into the city by early afternoon.
- 1,400 m
- 11 km
- 5 hr
- Breakfast, lunch
Is this trip for you?
Two days of five to six hours, with 1,400 m of ascent on the first. Steep but short.
What is included
Included
- Licensed guide for both days
- Private vehicle transfers at both ends
- One night of lodge accommodation on the ridge
- All meals from the first lunch onwards
- Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park entry
Not included
- Accommodation in Kathmandu
- Travel insurance
- Drinks and tips
What to bring
- Walking shoes with grip — the descent is loose in places
- Warm layer for the evening at 2,700 m
- Light waterproof
- Head torch
- 20 litre daypack
- Two litres of water
Demo photography, from the region rather than this departure. Every image is CC0 or public domain.
Departures
20% deposit confirms your place. Balance due 45 days before departure.
| Dates | Availability | Price | Book |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 Aug – 31 Aug 2026 | Places open | $290 | |
| 13 Sep – 14 Sep 2026 | Places open | $290 | |
| 4 Oct – 5 Oct 2026 | Few places left · 2 left | $290 | |
| 1 Nov – 2 Nov 2026 | Places open | $290 |
Your guide
Guide profiles are fictional. The photographs beside them show the terrain each guide works in — they do not depict the people described.
What travellers said
★ 4.8 from 83 fictional demo reviews.
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★★★★★
Perfect rest-day trip
Our Lukla flight was cancelled and Aroha had us on this by the next morning. Saved the week.
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★★★★★
Twenty minutes from Thamel
Genuinely hard to believe the city is that close. Silent forest the whole way up.
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★★★★★
Hazy but lovely
March meant no Himalaya from Chisapani, which the guide had warned us about. The walk itself was excellent.
Things to know
Is this useful as acclimatisation?
Mildly. A night at 2,700 m before flying to Lukla does no harm and gets your legs working. It is not a substitute for the acclimatisation days built into a trek.
How clear are the mountain views?
Excellent from October to December. January to March the valley haze often reaches the ridge, though the forest is worth it regardless. We are honest about this when you book.
Can I do it as a single long day?
You can walk Sundarijal to Chisapani in about eight hours, and we run it as a day trip on request. You lose the sunrise, which is the best part.
Is there any wildlife?
Barking deer, langur, and around six hundred butterfly species. Leopards are present and essentially never seen.
You might also consider
Close relatives.
Same region or same spirit, different commitment.
Not quite right?
We will build it around you.
Different dates, a shorter version, a family pace or a route that is not on this site. Private departures start at the same price as scheduled ones.