Janakpur Tour: Sita's City and the Janaki Mandir
- Duration
- 3 days
- Max altitude
- 1,400 m
- Difficulty
-
Easy
Difficulty scale
- Easy Short walking days on good trails below about 3,000 m. Suitable for anyone in ordinary health, including families.
- Moderate 5 to 6 hours a day with some steep sections, reaching up to about 4,000 m. A reasonable level of fitness and a few weeks of preparation walking recommended.
- Strenuous 6 to 8 hours a day, high passes or altitudes above 5,000 m, and remote stretches. Good fitness, prior trekking experience and proper acclimatisation days are essential.
- Very strenuous Long days, multiple high passes or technical sections, sustained time above 5,000 m. For experienced, well-conditioned trekkers only.
- Best season
- Autumn (Sep–Nov) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $560.00
Overview
Janakpur, on the Terai plain close to the Indian border, is where Hindu tradition places the home of King Janak and his daughter Sita, and where she married Ram. Its centrepiece is the Janaki Mandir, a white marble palace of a temple built in 1910 by Queen Vrisha Bhanu of Tikamgarh and known locally as the Nau Lakha Mandir. Around it, the old town is set among sacred ponds where the evening aarati is sung.
Janakpur is also the home of Mithila painting, the bright, intricate art that Maithil women have painted on the walls of their houses for generations. We fly in and out, so you have two unhurried days for the temples, the ponds, the painters and Dhanushadham, where tradition says a piece of Shiva’s bow fell when Ram broke it.
Every departure is private and led by a licensed guide, so the plan flexes to you. Flights, site fees and local taxes are inside the price you see.
Trip highlights
- The Janaki Mandir, white marble with Mithila-painted walls
- The Vivah Mandap, where tradition says Ram and Sita married
- Evening aarati at Ganga Sagar, among the city's sacred ponds
- Mithila painters at work at the Janakpur Women's Development Center
- Dhanushadham and the story of Shiva's bow
- Short flights from Kathmandu, about 25 minutes each way
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Fly from Kathmandu to Janakpur (74 m) 74 m Hotel D
A short flight south over the hills to the plains, about 25 to 30 minutes, and a transfer to your hotel.
In the afternoon, the Janaki Mandir. Three storeys of white marble and coloured glass around a courtyard, with turrets at every corner and Mithila paintings on the walls inside, it was built in 1910 by Queen Vrisha Bhanu of Tikamgarh and dedicated to Sita. Beside it is the Vivah Mandap, the wedding pavilion that marks where tradition says Ram and Sita were married, and a short walk away the older, pagoda-roofed Ram Mandir.
At dusk, the aarati at Ganga Sagar, one of the large sacred ponds in the heart of the old town, with lamps on the water and bells from the ghats.
-
Day 2: Mithila painting and Dhanushadham 74 m 6-7 hrs Hotel B/D
In the morning, the Janakpur Women's Development Center on the edge of town, where Maithil women artists paint, make ceramics and stitch textiles in the Mithila tradition. You can watch them at work and buy directly from the artists.
In the afternoon, a drive out through the villages, where you will see the same art painted on the mud walls of houses, to Dhanushadham. Tradition holds that when Ram broke Shiva's great bow to win Sita's hand, a piece of it fell here, and a small temple marks the spot.
Back to Janakpur for a second evening by the ponds if you want it.
-
Day 3: Morning in the old town, fly back to Kathmandu 1,400 m B
An early walk to the temples and the ghats of Dhanush Sagar and Ganga Sagar, when the town is at its quietest and the morning puja is under way. Then the transfer to the airport and the flight back to Kathmandu.
Altitude profile
The climb, day by day
Comfort tiers
Choose your level of comfort
| Amenity | Standardfrom $670.00 | Comfortfrom $790.60 |
|---|---|---|
| Kathmandu hotel | 3★ | 4★ |
| Trail accommodation | Standard teahouse | Best lodge in each village |
| Porter support | Shared porter | Private porter, lighter load |
| Transfers | Shared | Private |
What's included
Included
- Included: Return flights from Kathmandu to Janakpur, with airport transfers at both ends
- Included: Two nights in the best available hotel in Janakpur with breakfast and dinner, twin sharing
- Included: Private vehicle with driver for all sightseeing in and around Janakpur
- Included: A licensed, English-speaking guide in Janakpur
- Included: Site and entry fees in the itinerary
- Included: All government taxes and official charges
Not included
- Not included: Hotel nights in Kathmandu before or after the tour
- Not included: Lunches
- Not included: Temple offerings and donations, and anything you buy from the artists
- Not included: Drinks and personal expenses
- Not included: Tips for your guide and driver
- Not included: Travel insurance
- Not included: International airfare and the Nepal entry visa
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Meeting & logistics
Getting there & back
We collect you from your hotel in Kathmandu and take you to the domestic terminal for the flight to Janakpur, about 25 to 30 minutes. Your guide meets you at Janakpur airport. On the last day it works in reverse: a transfer to Janakpur airport, the flight back, and a drop at your hotel in Kathmandu.
If you would rather go by road, the drive takes about seven to eight hours each way and we can arrange a private vehicle instead.
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
Janakpur is on the plains and gets very hot from April to June, often above 40 degrees, and the monsoon follows. October to March is the comfortable time. The biggest celebration of the year, Vivah Panchami, the re-enactment of Ram and Sita's wedding, falls in late November or December. Winter mornings can be foggy enough to delay flights.
Dress modestly for the temples and expect to take off your shoes. Photography is not allowed at some shrines; your guide will tell you where.
Your team
Led by a licensed guide
Every route is led by a government-licensed guide from our team. Licences are on record with us before departure, and you'll meet your guide once your trip is confirmed.
Guide language(s): English, Nepali
Group-size pricing
Walk together, pay less
Every trip is private, so the guide, permits and transfers cost the same however many walk. Sharing them is why the per-person price falls: arithmetic, not a sale.
| Group size | per person | You save each |
|---|---|---|
| 1 traveller | $670.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 travellers | $560.00 | $110.00 |
| 4 to 6 travellers | $525.00 | $145.00 |
| 7 or more | $495.00 | $175.00 |
Per person, including permits, park fees and taxes. Nothing is added at checkout.
Weather
What to expect, month by month
- Autumn (Sep–Nov)The most reliable trekking season: clear air, stable weather and cold nights, right after the monsoon clears.
- Winter (Dec–Feb)Cold and quiet, with the clearest skies of the year at lower altitude. High passes and very high routes are best avoided.
Questions
Asked about this trip
When is Vivah Panchami?
It falls on the fifth day of the bright half of the Nepali month of Mangsir, usually in late November or December, when the wedding of Ram and Sita is re-enacted. Janakpur is packed for it, so tell us early if you want to be there.
Can I see Mithila painters at work?
Yes. At the Janakpur Women's Development Center, women artists paint and make ceramics and textiles, and you can buy directly from them. If you want more time with the painters, we can make it a longer visit.
Is the Janaki Mandir open to visitors of every faith?
Yes, the temple welcomes visitors. Dress modestly, take off your shoes and follow your guide's lead at the shrines.
Do I have to fly?
No. The drive takes about seven to eight hours each way, and we can arrange a private vehicle instead of the flights. Tell us when you book.
How does booking confirmation work?
Instantly. Your booking is confirmed as soon as your payment or deposit goes through, and the confirmation email follows straight away. We then get in touch to confirm your flights and pickup and to introduce your licensed guide before you travel.
Can I pay a deposit and settle the balance later?
Yes. Choose the deposit option to secure your dates, and we will send a secure payment link for the balance before departure, or you can settle by bank transfer.
What is the cancellation policy?
If you cancel before departure, we refund what you paid, minus the payment provider's transaction fee, which they do not return to us, and the cost of any flights or bookings already issued for you. Full terms are in our cancellation policy.
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Good to know
FAQ & policies
When is Vivah Panchami?
It falls on the fifth day of the bright half of the Nepali month of Mangsir, usually in late November or December, when the wedding of Ram and Sita is re-enacted. Janakpur is packed for it, so tell us early if you want to be there.
Can I see Mithila painters at work?
Yes. At the Janakpur Women's Development Center, women artists paint and make ceramics and textiles, and you can buy directly from them. If you want more time with the painters, we can make it a longer visit.
Is the Janaki Mandir open to visitors of every faith?
Yes, the temple welcomes visitors. Dress modestly, take off your shoes and follow your guide's lead at the shrines.
Do I have to fly?
No. The drive takes about seven to eight hours each way, and we can arrange a private vehicle instead of the flights. Tell us when you book.
How does booking confirmation work?
Instantly. Your booking is confirmed as soon as your payment or deposit goes through, and the confirmation email follows straight away. We then get in touch to confirm your flights and pickup and to introduce your licensed guide before you travel.
Can I pay a deposit and settle the balance later?
Yes. Choose the deposit option to secure your dates, and we will send a secure payment link for the balance before departure, or you can settle by bank transfer.
What is the cancellation policy?
If you cancel before departure, we refund what you paid, minus the payment provider's transaction fee, which they do not return to us, and the cost of any flights or bookings already issued for you. Full terms are in our cancellation policy.
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