Photo: Pratap Baniya, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons. The stupa and monastery buildings at Jamacho, the top of the Nagarjun hike in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Kathmandu.
Short answer: pick Nagarjun if you want a shorter, shaded forest climb close to the city: 20 to 30 minutes' drive, 2.5 to 3 hours up to Jamacho Monastery and about 1.5 to 2 hours back down the same way. Pick Shivapuri if you want a longer day on the higher hill north of the valley, with 4 to 6 hours of hiking, a top point of 2,732 m and a packed lunch included. Both hikes are in Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, and both HSJ day hikes include the national park entry fee, a guide, drinking water and transport.
Every trip detail below comes from HSJ's current trip pages for the Nagarjun day hike and the Shivapuri day hike with lunch. Where those pages don't give a figure, we say so.
Nagarjun vs Shivapuri at a glance
Nagarjun (Jamacho) | Shivapuri | |
|---|---|---|
Where | Nagarjun Forest Reserve on the north-west edge of the valley, inside Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park | Shivapuri, just north of the Kathmandu Valley, in the same national park |
Start and end | Nagarjun Gate. You walk up and come back down to the same gate. | A trailhead reached by private vehicle from Kathmandu. HSJ confirms the start point when you book. |
Drive from Kathmandu | About 20 to 30 minutes by car, depending on where you start | Not stated on the trip page; included in the full-day time |
Walking time | 2.5 to 3 hours up, about 1 hour at the top, 1.5 to 2 hours down | About 4 to 6 hours, depending on route, pace and weather |
Whole day | About 7 hours: 7:30 am pickup, back at the gate around 2 pm | About 7 hours (6 to 8 hours including lunch and transfers) |
Highest point | Jamacho Monastery and the Nagarjun Hill viewpoint, roughly 2,100 m | 2,732 m (Shivapuri Peak), the highest point HSJ lists for the route |
Climb | Roughly 700 m from the gate (see below) | Depends on the trailhead. Reaching 2,732 m from the valley floor is well over 1,000 m. |
Trail | Forest trail, shaded for most of the way up | Uphill forest trails, natural paths and uneven ground |
HSJ grade | Not graded; the climb time depends on your pace and fitness | Easy to moderate (the FAQ calls it moderate) |
Food | Not included. HSJ suggests budgeting about USD 3 to 6 per meal. | Packed lunch included |
Park entry | Included | Included |
HSJ price | From USD 30 per person (the per-person rate depends on group size) | Ask HSJ for a quote for your group |
Where does each hike start and finish?
Nagarjun: HSJ picks you up in Kathmandu at 7:30 am and drives you to Nagarjun Gate, which takes about 20 to 30 minutes. From the gate you climb through the forest to Jamacho Monastery and the Nagarjun Hill viewpoint, which has a view tower and a Buddhist stupa. You come back down to the same gate, where the car is waiting to take you back into the city.
Shivapuri: a private vehicle takes you from Kathmandu to the hiking start point on the north side of the valley and collects you afterwards. The trip page doesn't name the trailhead, so ask HSJ which start point your route uses. It also decides how much climbing your day involves.
How long is the walking on each hike?
On Nagarjun, it's 2.5 to 3 hours up, about an hour of rest and looking around at the top, and 1.5 to 2 hours down. That's about 4.5 hours of walking in a day of roughly seven hours.
On Shivapuri, HSJ gives 4 to 6 hours of hiking, depending on the route, your pace, the weather and the group's fitness. With lunch and transfers, the full day is about 6 to 8 hours.
How much climbing is there?
HSJ's Nagarjun page gives times, not heights. Published route data puts the gate at about 1,390 m and Jamacho at about 2,100 m (sources range from about 2,090 m to 2,130 m), so expect roughly 700 m of climbing on the way up and the same coming down. Treat these as approximate.
For Shivapuri, HSJ lists the highest point as 2,732 m, the top of Shivapuri. Kathmandu sits at about 1,400 m, so if your route goes to the top, the climb is much bigger than at Nagarjun, well over 1,000 m from the valley floor. That's why the Shivapuri day has more hours of walking.
Are there a lot of steps?
Neither HSJ trip page gives a count of steps or describes a staircase. Nagarjun is described as a forest trail with shade for most of the climb. Shivapuri is described as uphill forest trail on natural, uneven ground. On both, the way down is where tired legs notice the gradient. Walking poles are included on the Shivapuri hike if you need them. On Nagarjun, bring your own if you like using them.
What do park entry and transport look like?
Both hikes are inside Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, and on both HSJ trips the national park entry fee is included, so you don't pay it separately at the gate. Transport is included too: a car to and from Nagarjun Gate for Nagarjun, and a private vehicle for Shivapuri.
Included | Nagarjun | Shivapuri |
|---|---|---|
Transport | Car to and from Nagarjun Gate | Private vehicle |
Guide | Experienced guide | Government-licensed tour/trek guide |
Park entry fee | Yes | Yes |
Water | A bottle of drinking water | Bottled drinking water |
Food | No (about USD 3 to 6 per meal) | Packed lunch |
Walking poles | No | If needed |
Not included | Meals, personal expenses | Personal expenses, gratuities |
What will I see?
Nagarjun: dense forest, small shrines along the trail, prayer flags near Jamacho Monastery, and the view tower and stupa at the top, with views over the Kathmandu Valley and towards the Himalayan range. HSJ's trip page notes that birds and monkeys are often seen along the way and that rhododendrons flower in spring.
Shivapuri: forest paths, birds, viewpoints and landmarks along the route, with views of the valley and the Himalayan peaks on clear days.
Which hike fits my fitness?
I walk regularly but don't hike. Which one should I do?
Start with Nagarjun. The climb is shorter, it's shaded for most of the way, and you come back down the trail you went up, so there are no surprises about the route.
I'm training for a trek. Which is better practice?
Shivapuri gives you a longer day, with 4 to 6 hours on your feet and a higher top point, so it's closer to a trekking day. Nagarjun is still a useful test of your boots and knees, with roughly 700 m up and down.
Do I need hiking experience?
HSJ says no previous trekking experience is needed for Shivapuri, but you should be comfortable walking for several hours on uphill, uneven forest trails. On Nagarjun, the climb takes 2.5 to 3 hours depending on your pace and fitness, and your guide sets the pace for the group.
What should I wear and carry?
For Shivapuri, HSJ's gear list suggests hiking shoes with good grip, light hiking clothes, a light jacket or rain layer, a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen, a small daypack, a reusable bottle, any personal medication, and an extra layer in the colder months. The same kit works for Nagarjun. Because meals aren't included on Nagarjun, bring food or money for a meal.
When is the best time to go?
HSJ lists spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) as the best seasons for Shivapuri, when the weather is usually pleasant and mountain views are clearer. On Nagarjun, spring is when the rhododendrons flower.
Can I do both?
Yes, on separate days. Each is a full day out of Kathmandu.
So which one should you book?
If you've got one free morning and want forest, a monastery and a valley view without a very long day, book the Day Hiking in Nagarjun Hill trip. If you want a longer, higher hike with lunch included, book the Shivapuri Day Hike with Lunch. To find out what a first Nagarjun day is like on the trail, read Leaving the City Noise Behind.
Reviewed by Amrit Sapkota, Himalayan Social Journey
