Panauti Namobuddha Day Hike popularly known as Namobuddha Hike is one of the most popular day hiking routes in Nepal, carrying fascinating stories throughout the trail about the legends of the place.

Panauti Namobuddha hike carries natural, cultural, and religious importance throughout the hike making it a religious hike to take a glimpse of both Hindu and Buddhist cultural sites close to the main city of Kathmandu.

Panauti-Namobuddha day hike carries a typical image of rural Nepal just close to the main city of Kathmandu with the diverse settlers of different communities living together.

Panauti is an identity of the ancient city of Kathmandu valleys carrying religious importance, the village Panauti is so well maintained by the locals that it will surprise any visitors.

This small old town is in the process of being listed in the UNESCO World Heritage Sites making this the youngest heritage site in Nepal. The old typical Newari houses, beautiful temples, and shrines will attract any travelers.

Starting from Indreshwor Mahadev Temple close to Tribeni Ghat, which is a three rivers junction but one river is hidden below the ground, you will head towards Unmatta Bhairab Temple and Tulanarayan Temple.

Visiting the Pati, Chaitya, Panauti Museum, and the Ghat (Cremation spot), you hike towards the local village to Namobuddha. The beauties of Panauti will mesmerize any travelers as it makes Panauti a heritage city.

If you are visiting Panauti during MAKAR MELA a very famous festival that falls during January/February every 12 years can change your concept of religion and devotion.

Apart from ‘Makar Mela’, the people of Panauti also practice and celebrate different festivals some annually and some monthly.

Further heading through the local village, you can enjoy the stunning view of the local lifestyle and cultivation around, villagers working in their fields for cultivation and different seasonal fruits being grown all around villages among them oranges are very famous.

This trail will lead you through local villages, their lifestyle, a typical house, and different vegetation, flora, and fauna until you reach Namobuddha to visit one of the four famous Buddhist sites of Nepal.

Upon your arrival in Namobuddha, you can visit the famous monastery. Namobuddha lies at an elevation of 1750 meters above sea level; it carries religious importance for Buddhism. The spot is believed to be the place where Lord Buddha was born before being born as a Buddha in Lumbini, Nepal. So, Namobuddha is one of the fourth holy pilgrimage sites in Nepal.

The view of the surrounding villages, hills, and the mighty Himalayas will surprise any visitors. Praying flags, mani walls, monastery, and monks performing their ritual ceremonies all around Namobuddha Hill will be one of the main attractions. All this makes Panauti Hike a chilling hike to explore the rural life of local people.

Driving back to Kathmandu you will be able to visit the highest statue of Lord Shiva in Sanga. Discover Altitude is open for any change in this package upon request. Please feel free to contact us for any customization of these packages.

If you have done the Namobuddha Hike before, some of the alternative day hikes can be the Phulchowki Hill Day Hike, Nagarkot Sunset View Hike Tour, and Sundarijal Shivapuri Mulkharka Hike, or Champadevi Day Hike.

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!

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.

Discover Altitude is the best!

Discover Altitude is the best trekking guide / tour operator in Nepal. Two days ago my friend and I reached Everest Base Camp on May 4th (trekking day 8).

On day 9, helicopter picked us up at Gorakshep - last tea house before EBC. Helicopter transported us back to Kathmandu via Lukla — 2.5 hour stop for refueling and other logistics. Hiking back down 3 extra days is not for everyone.

Reaching EBC was a small miracle for me. I was the biggest person (XXL) trekking. I trained for over a year… lost significant amount of weight to even attempt EBC. Everything had to go perfectly and it did. Planning was key. Some days were incredibly challenging and required very-very slow / steady pace.

At every step my guide was right there to support as needed. On some hills my guide was 12 inches behind me in case I lost balance from exhaustion.

We were blessed to have Amar as our guide and his younger brother, Shukla, as porter. They did everything for us … from finding bathrooms, ordering meals, dealing with hotels, first aid, and fun to talk with too. Multiple times during the trek other guides whispered to us that Amar is one of the best guides in the region.

We opted for the luxury tour with nicer hotels + helicopter ride to Lukla to start + helicopter return from the top. Paying extra for luxury tour is worth every penny. We met some hikers not having a good experience. Painfully obvious they chose the wrong guide / tour operator.

If you are in perfect shape and you’ve trekked Nepal many times before- maybe having the best guide isn’t as critical. But for us we relied on our guides for every decision … even down to what to eat and drink at different altitudes.

TIPS:

1- take diamox right from the start (1 day before starting the trek)

2- take helicopter to/from Lukla. If you don’t take helicopter, be prepared to sit around for days waiting on weather to clear for airplane flight. People stuck at the airport waiting multiple days to get out aren’t having a good time.

3- go vegetarian. You’ll love ra-ra noodle vegetable soup

4- bring tons of electrolyte packets and drink 5 liters/day

5- pack for very cold days at the end (EBC). Both outer-wear gear and warm jackets for nights at the hotel. Be prepared for extremely dry air at night. Bring nasal spray to help breath through your nose.

6- get plenty NPR cash in Lukla or Kathmandu. In a pinch, tea house hotels can run your CC to give you NPR cash… will cost 10% extra charge.

7- tip your guides as generously as you can

8- don’t bring huge camera unless you are ok lugging the extra weight. Newer iPhone or Android do fantastic job.

9- go slow. Don’t skip rest (acclimatizing) days.

10- Book your trip with Discover Altitude. Kumar will email you immediately with details to help you customize your trip. He will work through every question / idea with patience. We had at least a dozen unusual requests including special activities in Kathmandu after the trek. Kumar and our guides made them all happen. Remember to request booking at nicer hotels.

11- go with friend or family you really enjoy being with for two weeks. Having someone to motivate you and just hang out together makes the trip so much better.

12- day 2 to Namche might be your hardest day, particularly after Hillary Bridge… 1-2 hours straight uphill at the end. Don’t give up. Go slow and ask for help (horse available if can’t make it up that hill).

Awesome 10 day EBC trekking experience

I’m towards the tail end of my 10 day EBC trek arranged by Discover Altitude. Overall, I’ve been very happy with the trip so far. Santosh did his best to make sure my trip went according to plan. He was also extremely accommodating to my request for alterations to itinerary during the trip. Always ready to help, no questions asked.

I also wanted to take this opportunity to thank my guide, Sandip Lama. He is an energetic and hardworking young man that went above and beyond to make me trip as comfortable as possible. He’s also flexible in accommodating my last minute change request. For example, when I saw Ama Dablam for the first time, I was blown by its beauty and came up with the idea of doing a side trip to its base camp. It’s require at least half a days time. Sandip agreed without any hesitation and helped with the trip planning. In the end, the side trip didn’t happen simply because I ran out of steam. As a guide, Sandip’s main responsibility is leading me with the trip. But he also offered to carry my bag when I got very tired. This is what I call above and beyond. Again, thank you Sandip and I hope we’ll embark on my adventures in the future!

No. of Person	Price Per Person
1 person	US$120
2 people	US$70
3 - 5 people	US$60

Namobuddha Day Tour

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Day 1:Departure for Namobuddha Hike

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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

A short walk from Jomsom to Muktinath.

Nick O'Connell, New Zealand

A Once-in-a-lifetime EBC Trekking Trip

Jackie Z, United States

Discover Altitude is the best!

James T, United States

Awesome 10 day EBC trekking experience

Hongtao Chen, United States

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