Chandragiri cable car or a Shivapuri hike: two ways above the Kathmandu Valley
4 min read
The short answer
If you want height without a hike, take the Chandragiri Hills Cable Car & Monkey Temple Tour: a guide, hotel pickup, a 2.4 km cable car ride to the summit at 2,551 m and a visit to Swayambhunath. If you want to walk, the Shivapuri Day Hike with Lunch climbs inside a national park on the northern edge of the city. Neither guarantees mountains: both pages describe the Himalayan view as depending on clear weather.
The three tours compared
| Tour | Duration | What it covers | Group type | From price | Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chandragiri Hills Cable Car & Monkey Temple Tour | 5 hours | Cable car, Bhaleshwar Mahadev Temple, Swayambhunath | Guided, hotel pickup listed | €33.91 per person | 4.8 / 5 from 152 reviews |
| Chandragiri Cable Car & Monkey Temple Tour, Private/Group | 3–5.5 hours | Same route, options with lunch box or all tickets | Private or group | €4.51 per person | 5.0 / 5 from 61 reviews |
| Shivapuri Day Hike with Lunch | 4–8 hours | Hike in Shivapuri National Park | Guided, pickup listed | €30.21 per person | 4.8 / 5 from 39 reviews |
The cable car day
On the first tour the page lists a 45-minute drive to the cable car station, a gondola ride of about 15 minutes, the Bhaleshwar Mahadev Temple and an hour of sightseeing at the top, then the descent, another 45-minute drive and an hour at Swayambhunath. The inclusions are a private air-conditioned vehicle, an English-speaking guide and bottled water. The cable car tickets and the zipline are described as add-ons, and the itinerary marks both the cable car and Swayambhunath “Extra fee”, so budget for those tickets on top of the price. Meals and drinks are not included.
The second tour is clearer about money. Group tours depart at fixed times of 9 am and 1 pm; private and all-inclusive tours allow a flexible start between 8 am and 1 pm. A lunch box with water, snacks, fruit and juice is listed, and the page says entrance fees are included only in the all-inclusive option, so the group and private options leave the cable car ticket and the Swayambhunath entry to you. The page gives them as USD 23 per person for the cable car and USD 2 per person for Swayambhunath. It also notes a moderate amount of walking and warns that pickup can involve short waits.
Both cable car pages list people with mobility impairments as unsuitable, and the second also lists people afraid of heights. Both mention a zipline as an optional extra.
The Shivapuri day
The park is one of the Nepal Tourism Board’s listed protected areas near the city: by its page, you drive from central Kathmandu to Budhanilkantha, about 11 km, and then trek; it lists 19 mammal species, including Himalayan black bear and leopard, and 177 bird species, and gives the best season as September to May, with June to August rainy (Nepal Tourism Board). On the hike tour the page lists a 30-minute drive to the start at Muhan Pokhari, 4 hours of hiking, about 30 minutes at the top and 2.5 hours back down, then a 30-minute drive. It says to be ready for a challenging climb up to the 2,732 m peak. The inclusions listed are a licensed guide, hiking poles if needed, bottled water, a packed lunch, the national park entrance fee and a private vehicle; personal expenses and tips are not.
Which month
For the hike, the Tourism Board’s September to May window is the one to use, and the rainy months are best left alone. For the cable car tours, check the forecast the day before; the first page’s reviewer reports that cloud hid the Himalayas but that the day was still enjoyable, so treat the view as a bonus.
Our recommendation
Book the Chandragiri Hills Cable Car & Monkey Temple Tour for an easy half day with Swayambhunath included, and the Shivapuri Day Hike if the idea of a steady climb appeals. Pick the private or group version if you want a lunch box and a choice of start time. For the stupa on the way down, see our guide to the two great stupas; more walks are in the treks and hikes category.
