Trek Nepal
FREN
The Himalaya above the hills, on the Nagarkot trail

Kathmandu Valley

Chisapani–Nagarkot

The trek closest to Kathmandu: from Sundarijal, at the edge of Kathmandu, to Chisapani then Nagarkot, staying in lodges, with the Himalaya to the north on clear days.

  • Walking days 2–3 days
  • Highest point 2,420 m
  • Level Moderate
  • Permits 1,000 NPR (≈ €6)
  • Start Kathmandu
  • Mandatory guide, checks vary

At a glance

From Sundarijal, an hour by bus from Kathmandu, you climb the steps beside the water pipeline, then via Mulkharka to Borlang Bhanjyang pass (2,420 m), in the forest of Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park, before dropping to Chisapani for the night. The next day, a long ridge walk via Jhule and Chauki Bhanjyang leads to Nagarkot, famous for its sunrise over the Himalaya.

On clear days you can see Langtang, Ganesh Himal, Dorje Lakpa and Jugal. A third day takes you down to Dhulikhel, where buses run back to Kathmandu. Chisapani is also a stop on the Helambu route to Gosainkunda Lake.

Highlights

  • A real trek starting from Kathmandu, with no flight or long drive
  • The forest of Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park
  • Sunrise over the Himalaya at Nagarkot
  • Possible almost all year, outside the monsoon

Drawbacks

  • Frequent haze: the Himalayan view is not guaranteed
  • Long second day (about 23 km), partly on dirt roads
  • Park entry charged per day; nature guide required by the official fee page

In pictures

Ganesh Himal seen from Chisapani, between the pines
A sea of clouds at dawn, from Chisapani
A house in Mulkharka, above Sundarijal

Route

Two days from Sundarijal to Nagarkot, with a night in Chisapani; an optional third day goes down to Dhulikhel.

2 daysof walking
2,420 mhighest point
34 kmD+ 1,570 m D− 1,030 m
SundarijalStart
Road (bus)JhuleChauki BhanjyangSundarijal — 1,380 mChisapani — 2,170 mNagarkot — 2,000 mBorlang Bhanjyang — 2,420 mSundarijal — Start: SundarijalNagarkot — Finish: NagarkotDhulikhel — Finish: Dhulikhel (day 3)SundarijalNagarkotDhulikhelBorlang Bhanjyang 2,420 mChisapaniJhuleChauki BhanjyangStart : SundarijalStartMove to change your finishing pointFinishN
  • Road (bus)
  • Chosen route
  • Other possible trails
  • Possible start or finish

Drag the “Start” and “Finish” labels to another served point, or tap a point. The “+” buttons add a side trip. Zoom with + and − (or Ctrl + scroll wheel), then drag the map to move around.

How do I use it in a hiking app?

The file contains the route you chose on the map (start, finish, side trips), with altitude, and a marker for each night, pass and viewpoint.

  • Organic Maps or Maps.me (free, offline): download the Nepal map before you leave, then open the GPX file from your phone and choose the app.
  • OsmAnd: menu “My places” → “Tracks” → “Import”.
  • Komoot, Gaia GPS, Wikiloc, Garmin: use the app's or website's “Import a GPX file” feature.

With no signal, your phone's GPS still works: you can see your position on the track. The track is indicative: on the ground, waymarks and advice from the lodges come first.

Itinerary
  1. D 0Sundarijal1,380 m
  2. D 1Chisapani via Borlang Bhanjyang 2,420 m2,170 m+790 m10 km1,020 m230 m
  3. D 2Nagarkot via Jhule, Chauki Bhanjyang2,000 m−170 m24 km550 m800 m
Distances and elevation gain estimated from OpenStreetMap and a terrain model.
  • Sundarijal — Local bus from the Ratna Park bus park (about 1 hr depending on traffic, frequent departures) or taxi from Thamel (45 to 60 min; inDrive and Pathao are often cheaper than a negotiated taxi). Park entry at the Sundarijal checkpoint.
  • Nagarkot — Local bus to Bhaktapur, then Kathmandu; negotiated taxi about 2,500 to 4,000 NPR (≈ €14 to €23) to Kathmandu; the inDrive and Pathao apps are often cheaper.

Elevation

1,0002,0003,000D 0 · Sundarijal — 1,380 mSundarijal 1,380 mBorlang Bhanjyang — 2,420 mBorlang Bhanjyang 2,420 mD 1 · Chisapani — 2,170 mD 2 · Nagarkot — 2,000 mNagarkot 2,000 mD 12
Altitude of each night, with the day's passes and viewpoints (red dots). Green dot: rest day.

Permits

Only the Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park entry is required: 1,000 NPR (≈ €6) per person per day for a foreigner (official park fees, October 2026; the second day may be charged again), in cash at the Sundarijal checkpoint. No TIMS card: no official source requires one here.

National park

Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park

1,000 NPR (≈ €6)

At the Sundarijal checkpoint, in cash: 1,000 NPR (≈ €6) per person per day for a foreigner; the official fee page requires a nature guide.

The Sundarijal → Chisapani section crosses Shivapuri-Nagarjun National Park (Chisapani marks its eastern edge). The park's official fee schedule requires foreigners to be accompanied by a nature guide (a guide registered with the park), on top of the entry fee paid at the Sundarijal checkpoint. Enforcement varies and an agency guide is not guaranteed to be accepted: be ready to hire a park guide on the spot (about 1,500 to 3,000 NPR (≈ €9 to €17) per group according to 2025-2026 reports), or call the park office (+977-1-4370355). See Permits.

Guide

Mandatory guide, checks vary

Nature guide (a guide registered with the park) required by the official fee schedule; enforcement varies, and an agency guide is not always accepted.

The trail is easy to follow, but walkers get lost every year taking shortcuts. See Guide and porter.

A guide for this trek? The Guides Nepal directory lists guides, porters and agencies who know this trek, with their licence checked, the languages they speak and traveller reviews.

See guides for this trek

Transport

Getting to the start

Kathmandu → Sundarijal

Duration ~1 hr

Local bus from the Ratna Park bus park, via Chabahil and Jorpati; or taxi from Thamel (45 to 60 min).

Getting back

Nagarkot → Bhaktapur → Kathmandu

Price ~50 to 100 NPR (≈ €0.3 to €0.6) (bus to Bhaktapur)

Local bus to Bhaktapur, then bus or taxi to Kathmandu; direct taxi Nagarkot–Kathmandu about 2,500 to 4,000 NPR (≈ €14 to €23) at a negotiated fare (inDrive or Pathao often cheaper).

When to go

J: IdealF: IdealM: PossibleA: PossibleM: PossibleJ: Not advisedJ: Not advisedA: Not advisedS: PossibleO: IdealN: IdealD: Ideal

IdealPossibleNot advised

October–November: the clearest skies. December–February: often clear, cold mornings, possible frost at Chisapani.

March–May: rhododendrons in bloom, but haze; June–September: monsoon, mud and leeches in the forest.

On the trail

AccommodationSimple lodges in Chisapani (rebuilt after the 2015 earthquake, full at weekends: book ahead); hotels of every kind in Nagarkot.
BudgetWith an agency: about 170 to 300 USD (≈ €150 to €270) per person for 3 days (2026), depending on group size.
WaterNothing between Mulkharka and Chisapani: carry at least 2 litres.
NetworkPatchy after Mulkharka.

Good to know before you go

Don't take shortcuts: walkers get lost on them every year. Stay on the trail, as park rules require.
Park rules: no alcohol, meat, cigarettes or lighters; the water sources of the Sundarijal dam, which supplies Kathmandu, are protected.

What about the visa? A two-week trek plus a few days in Kathmandu and Pokhara quickly adds up to more than 15 days: get the 30-day visa. The calculator on our sister site Visa Nepal shows the cheapest length.

Which visa length?

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Preparing your trek

PermitsPrices, where to buy, documents needed, trek by trek.Guide and porterMandatory or not, region by region, and what it costs.TransportBuses, jeeps and flights to the start of each trek.Altitude and safetyAcclimatisation, altitude sickness, rescue, insurance.BudgetDaily costs, cash to bring, ATMs.FAQThe questions people ask before they go.