Nagarkot Sunrise Day Tour
- Duration
- 1 day
- Max altitude
- 2,195 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) · Spring (Mar–May) · Winter (Dec–Feb)
- Group
- Private
- From
- $85.00
Overview
Nagarkot sits at 2,195 m on the eastern rim of the Kathmandu valley, and on a clear morning the view runs from Annapurna in the west along to Everest in the east. This is the honest version of that promise: the mountains are there roughly two mornings in three from late October to February, and considerably less often the rest of the year.
We leave Kathmandu around 4am so you are on the viewpoint before the light comes up, then come back down through Bhaktapur so the day is worth it regardless of what the sky does.
Trip highlights
- Sunrise over the Himalaya from the valley rim at 2,195 m
- On the clearest mornings the panorama includes Everest
- Bhaktapur Durbar Square on the way back down
- Breakfast at a viewpoint lodge included
- Private vehicle, so the timing is yours
Day by day
The itinerary
-
Day 1: Nagarkot for sunrise, Bhaktapur on the return 2,195 m 10 to 11 hours hrs Breakfast
A very early start. Pick up from your hotel at about 4am, when the roads are empty, and roughly ninety minutes up to the rim.
Sunrise
You will be on the viewpoint well before first light. The order the peaks come out is worth knowing: the high snow catches colour maybe thirty minutes before the sun clears the horizon, and that is the part most people remember. Dress for it, because at 2,195 m in December it is close to freezing before dawn even when Kathmandu is mild.
What you can see depends entirely on the air. From late October to February the odds are good. In spring the haze builds through the day but mornings can still be clear. During the monsoon you are more likely to be looking at cloud, which is why we do not sell this tour as a mountain view in those months.
Breakfast
At a lodge on the ridge once the light is up, included in the price.
Bhaktapur
Down the hill and into Bhaktapur for the middle of the day, with your guide walking you through Durbar Square, Taumadhi and the Nyatapola. The city entry fee is included.
Back in Kathmandu by mid afternoon, so the rest of the day is yours.
What's included
Included
- Included: Government licensed English speaking guide
- Included: Private air conditioned tourist vehicle with driver from about 4am
- Included: Breakfast at a Nagarkot viewpoint lodge
- Included: Bhaktapur city entry fee
- Included: Bottled drinking water in the vehicle
- Included: All government taxes and administrative charges
Not included
- Not included: Lunch and dinner
- Not included: Any beverages
- Not included: Warm clothing, which you will want before dawn
- Not included: Tips for your guide and driver
- Not included: Nepal entry visa, obtainable on arrival at Tribhuvan International Airport
- Not included: Travel insurance
- Not included: Anything not listed under what is included
Know before you go
Suitability & requirements
Mountain views depend on the weather and cannot be guaranteed. From late October to February the air is usually clear enough. During the monsoon, June to August, the mountains are often hidden and we will tell you so before you book rather than after.
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 trekker | $100.00 | base rate |
| 2 to 3 trekkers | $85.00 | $15.00 |
| 4 to 6 trekkers | $80.00 | $20.00 |
| 7 or more | $75.00 | $25.00 |
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.
- Spring (Mar–May)Warmer than autumn, with rhododendron forests in flower and slightly hazier mountain views as the season goes on.
- 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.
Traveller reviews
What trekkers say
Why book with us
Every trail, one licensed team
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