Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park

Welcome to Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, a verdant sanctuary positioned like a protective crown upon the northern edge of the Kathmandu Valley. Spanning approximately one hundred and fifty nine square kilometers, this…

Your journey begins at the park headquarters, situated just above the bustling residential area of Budhanilkantha. As you approach the southern entrance gate, the dense urban fabric of Kathmandu abruptly gives way to the looming…

Having passed the military checkpoint, you find yourself walking along a wide, undulating mud track that characterizes the lower elevations of the park. This section of the trail is firmly entrenched within the subtropical…

After navigating the lower forest trails, the dense trees suddenly part to reveal a wide, open plateau terraced into the mountainside. Here stands Nagi Gumba, also known as Nagi Gompa, a prominent Tibetan Buddhist monastery that…

Leaving the serene plateau of Nagi Gumba behind, the trail fundamentally changes character, transitioning from a meandering dirt path into what is arguably the most physically demanding section of the entire hike: the endless…

After enduring the punishing verticality of the stone stairs, the terrain mercifully levels out into a damp, shaded, and profoundly atmospheric glen known as Baghdwar. The name translates literally to the Tiger Gate, derived from…

Just a few steps away from the rushing waters of the tiger spout at Baghdwar, nestled slightly deeper into the shadowy, fern draped alcoves of the rock face, lies a dedicated shrine area focusing on the core iconography of…

While many hikers proceed directly from Baghdwar toward the summit, an important, slightly divergent trail leads toward the western flank of the mountain to another critical hydrological and spiritual site: Bishnudwar. Much like…

As you push past the two thousand five hundred meter mark, leaving the river origins below, the environment undergoes its final and most dramatic ecological transformation. You are now entering the upper temperate zone, a region…

Finally, after hours of relentless upward exertion, the dense canopy of the magical forest breaks apart, revealing the open sky and the culmination of your journey: the summit of Shivapuri Peak. Standing at an impressive…

As you prepare to leave the summit and begin the long, jarring descent back toward civilization, it is essential to contextualize the magnitude of the journey you have just undertaken. The hike through Shivapuri Nagarjun National…