Namo Buddha Day Hiking is one of the famous and loved day hiking trips in Nepal. It is an excellent opportunity to get a glimpse of vast Nepali cultures, religions, and landscapes.
The major highlight of the Namobuddha day hiking is the monastery of Namobuddha which is also called Thrangu Tashi Yangtse. It is a Karma Kagyu traditional Tibetan Buddhist monastery known for its history and serves as a school for novice monks of all ages. Legends state that a prince named Mahasattva (7th reincarnation of Lord Buddha) offered himself to starving Tigress and its several under feed cubs. This episode is depicted in a very nice stone slab and is placed right next to the stupa.
The Namobuddha monastery is positioned atop a hill at an altitude of 1750 meters with 360-degree views of the valley below, making it a popular day trip for both local and foreign visitors. On a clear day, the visitors can get spectacular views of many snow-capped Himalayan peaks from the Langtang and Gaurishanker Himalayan Ranges.
Along with a beautiful Buddhist pilgrim site of great religious significance, this day-long journey also captures the historic and ancient towns, the locals, and their traditional way of life, lush forests, verdant farms, and terrific landscape.
The ancient Newari towns of Dhulikhel and Panauti are worth exploring when traveling to this area.
Our hiking start-point, Dhulikhel, is a place of spectacular beauty situated 30 kilometers southeast of Kathmandu in the Kavre Palanchowk district. The area is famous among locals for picnics and short hikes because of its natural beauty and ancient traditions. The town is equally rich in landscapes and gorgeous natural views, and also in the cultural aspects of the traditional residents. Many Hindu temples may be found in the neighborhood, adding to the area’s cultural legacy.
The list of cultural monuments that one can visit to have a fantastic feel of the culture in Dhulikhel includes Shiva Temple, Kali Temple, Ganesh Temple, Chandeshwori Temple, Gita Temple, and Bhagwati Shiva Temple. On a clear day, the Himalayan ranges can be seen from the twin crests of Mt. Langtang in the west to Mt. Everest in the east.
Panauti is another wonderful place that will be our ending point for this hiking. The townhouses a series of temples such as that are worth visiting such as Indreswari Temple, Bhadrakali Temple, Pashupati Temple, Tola Narayan Temple along with Panauti Museum and Panauti Durbar Square complex.
Namobuddha Day Hike Highlights
- Namobuddha Monastery (Thrangu Tashi Yangtse - a Karma Kagyu tradition Tibetan Buddhist monastery)
- Panoramic Himalayan views of Gaurishanker, Dorje Lakpa, Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, Rolwaling Himalayan range, etc.
- The ancient Newari town of Panauti
- Beautiful Dhulikhel settlement
- Picturesque terraced fields