Champadevi Hike will be an enjoyable walk for any day hikers and age group with a superb view of the surrounding hills, villages, magnificent Himalayas, and also the Kathmandu valley from the top of the hillock, it will be an amazing sight to experience.

Champadevi hike will lead us to an elevation of 2278 meters with dense pine forests along with Buddhist and Hindu settlement areas, but the number of households throughout the trail will be lesser as the area is a protected forest. It is just a 19 km distance from the main city of Kathmandu towards Pharping which is also one of the holiest Buddhist pilgrimage sites (cave of Guru Padmasambhava also known as Guru Rimpoche).

Champadevi Day Hike is a short and easy day hike towards one of the stunning spots for the splendid view of Kathmandu valley with massif Himalayas in a relaxing way. This day hike around Kathmandu will help us explore the three districts of Kathmandu Valley: Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur.

An easy-going hike around Kathmandu Hill is a penance journey toward the spiritual land for both Hindu and Buddhist followers. Pharping the starting point is the center for Buddhism due to the Padmasambhava cave and far beyond one can experience the view of Dakshinkali temple, a very sacred Hindu pilgrimage destination. Further, the view of the two holy rivers of Kathmandu Valley which are Baghmati and Bishnumati is worth viewing.

Driving from Kathmandu for an hour will take us to the starting point of the Champadevi Hill, passing by the Bagmati River; we will be able to have a scenic view of Khokana and Bungmati village which is an ancient settlement town of the Newari community.

Further, we can enjoy the Pharping village and also the statue of Guru Rimpoche, Seshnarayan Cave, and Dakshinkali Temple. Hiking to the Champadevi hill will take us to the topmost point for the mind-blowing view of the Kathmandu valley also all through the trail praying flags can be seen hanging around to discard the negative power. Finally, we arrive at the Champadevi hilltop, where we can have a view of the Champadevi Temple.

The trail is rich in flora and fauna; above all, it will be a unique experience to hike to the southern hill of the Kathmandu Valley till the descending point where we meet our car.

If the above-mentioned program is out of interest, some of the popular short day hikes around Kathmandu can be Champadevi Day Hike, Namobuddha Day Hike Tour, and Sundarijal Shivapuri Mulkharka Hike, Nagarkot Sunset View Hike Tour, Phulchowki Hill Day Hike are some to mention.

Trip Reviews

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5based on 56 reviews

Great time hiking along Nagarkot-Changunarayan trail

I had a great time hiking to see the sunrise at Nagarkot and then hiking along the Nagarkot-Changunarayan Trail with Kumar! Highly recommend to anyone looking for a quick half day hike on a weekend.

A great hike

A very pleasant hike through the forest following a roaring stream up the mountain. It is a popular outing for many from Kathmandu so there were quite a few groups hiking. The crowds thinned out as we got higher and finally we had a lovely meal at an organic farm and restaurant before returning along the same route. A thoroughly enjoyable outing!

Great Day Hike

The logistics and guide were seemless! The lunch spot fantastic. Bhata Magar was a gentle and well paced guide who understood what we wanted to do and took us up a fascinating trail. Great views of the valley

If you want to experience true, kind Nepali hospitality and a great trek, don’t look for another agency.

I had the incredible opportunity to complete 4 different treks with Discover Altitude: Three Passes, ABC, Annapurna Circuit and Langtang. Each time, the experience exceeded my expectations! The owners, Kumar and Santosh, along with their guides are exceptionally professional, knowledgeable and attentive to every detail. Everything was very well planned for all treks, and I felt safe even at the highest altitudes, thanks to their friendly and supportive guides.

There are many agencies to choose from, and I visited many, but when I met Kumar and Santosh the quality of their personalities quickly became evident. They treated me as a friend they genuinely wanted to support, not just a client, caring only about the money. Even if I hadn’t signed up, they would have treated me the same, not as potential or lost business. This authenticity is why I chose them! This was the only agency where I had that gut feeling, which turned out to be correct. They always went the extra mile. Before each trek, they spent a lot of time going through all the details with me to ensure I had everything I needed and was ready to go. They also checked up on me along the way. During all these times, they truly became my friends!

If you want to experience true, kind Nepali hospitality and a great trek, don’t look for another agency. They are also very competitively priced for both solo and group trips! I cannot recommend them highly enough!

Mustang - Kagbeni, Muktinath 6-day tour

We chose a 6-day course that tours Kagbeni and Muktinath, the gateway to Mustang from Kathmandu. It takes 3 days to actually walk, so it's a safe course even for beginners.

Fly from Kathmandu to Pokhara. Fly from Pokhara to Jomsom (30-minute flight), then hike 3 hours to Kagbeni. Hike 5-6 hours to Muktinath. Return to Jomsom via a different route. Take a lunch break at Rupna on the way. Fly to Pokhara. Fly back to Kathmandu.

It was late May before the rainy season, but we were blessed with clear skies and were able to see the beautiful mountain ranges of Nilgiri and Annapurna. The desolate landscape of Mustang was very beautiful, and it was a very interesting experience to get a glimpse of the life of the villagers in Kagbeni.

It was quite hot during the daytime walks in late May. Short sleeves are fine. If you don't want to get sunburned, wear thin long sleeves. Since it gets cold in the mornings and evenings in Muktinath, I wore a light down jacket, but if you layer up a warm long sleeve jacket, you can wear a hiking jacket instead of a down jacket.

Our trekking guide, Amar, was very kind and not only guided us on hiking but also carefully explained the history and people's lives. (In English) He always took care to make the trek comfortable, and the walking pace was adjusted to suit our physical strength, so we were able to enjoy it without any strain.

Kumar handled advance reservations and questions, and he responded to emails very quickly. After arriving in Kathmandu, I visited the office and Kumar gave me a brief explanation of the schedule. In Kathmandu, Santosh handled my communications and accompanied me to the transfer between the hotel and the airport. Both of them were cheerful and kind.
During the tour, I asked to change my plan to stay in Pokhara for two nights after the trek (of course, the additional hotel fee was at my own expense), and I am grateful that he quickly and readily responded to my request, such as changing my flight on the return trip.

A short walk from Jomsom to Muktinath.

We had great dealings with Kumar and the team at Discover Altitude. Kumar was our initial contact, and Santosh was our day to day contact on-the-ground. Their communication was great, and everything went smoothly.

Before departing for Nepal, we emailed Kumar about what we had in mind, and he presented us with different options. We settled on a short trip from Jomsom to Muktinath - flying from Kathmandu to Pokhara and on to Jomsom the next day to commence our hike. (We took the same air-route in reverse on our way back.) In total, the trip was six or seven days, with three days hiking. (This worked out well due to our schedule, but next time we might spend a few more days walking.)

Our guide on the trip was Amar Magar. We really recommend him. (Ask for him by name!) He was thoughtful, organised, and provided clear information on what we were doing each day. His patience and pleasant manner made the trip really enjoyable.

The hike itself was good. The area from Jomsom to Kagbeni (where we stopped for the first night) was primarily along the road and the riverbed, and the scenery was primarily the dry and desolate scenery one might expect of the Mustang area. Kagbeni was a nice village to rest. (There are a number of tea houses, and an interesting temple where one of the monks showed us around.) The walk up to Muktinath the next day was a little bit tough - being a climb of about 1,000 meters. (Not 'technically' tough; more of a challenge due to low fitness levels!) After resting, we visited the Hindu pilgrimage site, which was quite an interesting experience as it attracts a lot of visitors. We stayed the night at a tea house in Muktinath, and then walked back to Jomsom via a different route, stopping at a village called Lupna on the way back. The route from Muktinath to Lupna was probably the highlight of our trip, with much more diverse terrain, including great alpine scenery, fantastic rocky cliffs and forests, and the picturesque village of Lupna itself, with a very old temple and some caves used for solitary retreats.

If you have limited time, then I would recommend the approach we took. It provides a glimpse of the Mustang region (without getting in to the Upper Mustang region, which requires more time and an expensive permit), and a taste of walking in the region. On our walk, we met a number of people who had walked the Annapurna Circuit, taking around two weeks. We might plan better and aim to do that next time!

In terms of practical considerations, noting it was mid-May, we found that we were able to walk in t-shirts and long pants. We carried a lot of warm clothing with us, but didn't need really it. (We were a bit cold briefly after arriving at Muktinath, but generally we didn't use our warm clothing. It would be smart to take something - but no need to take too much.) The bedding provided in the rooms was more than adequate, and we didn't need our own sleeping bags. (Taking a sleeping bag liner might suffice from a cleanliness perspective if this is a concern.)

A Once-in-a-lifetime EBC Trekking Trip

What a once-in-a-lifetime trek to EBC! Waking up at midnight to dogs barking or in the morning to birds chirping and singing and the sound of rushing river, looking out the window and seeing the mountain so close as if within reach, roaming around Namche Bazaar and checking out the local markets, setting off in the sound of school children's morning drill, crossing rivers and valleys over the suspension bridges, passing the mani stones in the villages and the stupas on the trail, watching porters with oversized load strapped on their heads stepping to the lively beat of loud Nepali songs, navigating rocks uphill inside the dark clouds and white-out snow, trekking on the winding trail through dusty forests, misty mountain passes, wide open scrub land, and rugged and rocky barren land, with the famous and mysterious mountain peaks seemingly around every corner or suddenly elusive behind the wandering clouds, and flying down in helicopter provided every moment to admire the mountainous landscape and appreciate local life in this harsh environment. It’s been almost two weeks since I came back yet the sceneries and sounds on the trail still linger.

The EBC trek was also grueling - the long distance, the high elevation, the thin air at times mixed with dust or animal smell, the coldness at night, the completely unpredictable weather that could change by the minute – and every little inconvenience could pile on the exhaustion from a long day of trekking, but the thoughtful services by my guide Krishna made all these bearable. Every day after arriving at the tea house he made sure food was ordered and I had a spot to sit next to the stove to warm up. Every morning before we leave the tea house, he made sure bill was paid and everything was packed and ready. On the trail he was patient, watchful, and protective when the yaks and horses approaching. My tour company Discover Altitude was very flexible and allowed me to change my trekking schedule on the fly, including booking tea houses during peak season and securing single room occupancy. In fact, the three unplanned tea houses in Jorsalle, Phungi Thenga, and Dughla, allowed me to enjoy the real serenity near nature and away from crowds. The company also booked a helicopter, outside of my original plan, to fly me out back in Kathmandu in time. Their flexibility was crucial for me to have a successful and enjoyable EBC trekking trip.

Thank you Krishna for your kind-hearted service.

And thank you Santosh for showing me the street food, the hidden temples, and the vibrant life around the old town of Kathmadu.

Truly best tour of the seven UNESCO sites in Kathmandu

I had an amazing time with Kumar. Who is extremely knowledgeable and quite spiritual himself. He gave me great insights into the history of Nepal and the social cultural religious aspect of how things work today. I felt light and insipired. Very connected to the city. I highly recommend this tour with Kumar.

No. of Person	Price Per Person
1 person	US$80
2 - 6 people	US$70
7 - 12 people	US$60

Champadevi Day Hike

Itinerary

Day 1:Drive to Pharping

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Trip Reviews

Great time hiking along Nagarkot-Changunarayan trail

Yosua S, Australia

A great hike

Edward W, Australia

Great Day Hike

Racey H, Australia

If you want to experience true, kind Nepali hospitality and a great trek, don’t look for another agency.

Eva B, Hungary

Mustang - Kagbeni, Muktinath 6-day tour

Hito, Japan

A short walk from Jomsom to Muktinath.

Nick O'Connell, New Zealand

A Once-in-a-lifetime EBC Trekking Trip

Jackie Z, United States

Truly best tour of the seven UNESCO sites in Kathmandu

Cedric A, United States

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