Despite being a secular country, Nepal is dominated by the Hindu religion. The majority of Nepalese follow the Hindu religion. Kathmandu is famously known as the 'City of Temples.' In reality, it is not just Kathmandu that is full of these sacred sites. There are famous temples all over the country dedicated to various gods. Our Nepal Pilgrimage Tour takes you to various sacred places around Kathmandu and Pokhara, particularly for Hindu devotees. The many pilgrimage destinations in Nepal have deep religious roots, histories, and traditions. Hindu Pilgrimage Tour provides the opportunity to visit the sites in Kathmandu and Pokhara to worship the deities.
Hinduism (Sanatan) is one of the oldest known religion followed mostly by the people of the Indian subcontinent. There are three major gods in the Hindu religion known as the trinity even though there are a total of 33 crores of gods. Most of the temples in Nepal are dedicated to these major gods, their avatars and their reincarnations. However, some of the major temples are dedicated to goddesses and other gods. The major temple complex of Nepal is Pashupatinath where different gods are worshipped in several temples. Budhanilkantha and Changunarayan are the temples dedicated to Lord Vishnu. Doleshwor Mahadev and Gupteshowr Mahadev are dedicated to Lord Shiva. Manakamana Temple is the shrine of goddess Manakamana (Bhagwati) which is the reincarnation of Parvati, the wife of Shiva. Tal Barahi and Bindhyabasini temples are dedicated to Mata Durga, which is also an avatar of Goddess Parvati. You will be visiting all these temples during Nepal Pilgrimage Tour.
Our Pilgrimage Tour in Nepal is a great way to spend the holidays with your family while worshipping the gods and receiving blessings from them. Even if you are not Hindu, visiting the temples and shrines will let you explore the old religion, tradition, history, and philosophy associated with it. The architecture of the temple is brilliant which represents the history of Nepal.
Nepal Pilgrimage Tour Highlights
- A spiritually fulfilling week in Nepal's holiest places
- Visit the major temples in Kathmandu such as Budhanilkantha, Pasupatinath, Changunarayan and more.
- See Kathmandu Durbar Square, Patan Darbar Square to explore the history, religion, and culture of Nepal
- Check out Doleshwor Mahadev temple and Changunarayan Temple
- Scenic ride from Kathmandu to Pokhara and back
- Visit Manakamana temple along the way to Pokhara
- Visit Talbarahi temple, Bindhyabasini Temple and Gupteshwor Mahadev temple in Pokhara
Pasupatinath Temple
Pasupatinath is the most famous sacred place in Nepal for Hindus. It is a temple complex built on the bank of the Bagmati River. It is also one of Kathmandu's UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The complex is a collection of temples and ashrams. There are many mythologies on how Pashupatinath Temple was built. One of the three major gods of the Hindu religion, Lord Shiva is worshipped here. However, the complex includes the Vishnawa temple complex as well to worship Lord Vishnu. Apart from these, there is a Vasukinath Temple, Ram Mandir, Guyheshwari Temple, Hanuman Shrine and many other temples and shrines to worship different gods. The main temples of the complex are built in the Nepalese pagoda style architecture. The main temple also has a gold pinnacle.
Budanilkantha Temple
Budhanilkantha Temple is a Hindu temple situated below Shivapuri Hill. It is famous for its large statue of Lord Vishnu that was carved with the single basalt rock. Lord Vishnu is one of the Trimurties (Bramha, Vishnu and Maheshwara). There are many mythological stories regarding the origin of the statue. Some believe it was found somewhere by a farmer and placed there. However, some say it was sculpted and brought here by the King of 7th century Vishnu Gupta. Gharibodhani Ekadashi is celebrated in a grand way here.
Doleshwor Temple
Doleshwor Mahadev Temple is another temple of Lord Shiva situated in Bhaktapur. It is one of the major temples for Shiva devotees and it is believed that a trip to Kedarnath is not complete without the visit to Doleshwor Mahadev. By visiting the 3 holy places of Pasupatinath, Kedarnath, and Doleshwor, it is believed to wash off all the sins of life and receiving the blessings from Lord Shiva.
Changunarayan Temple
Changunarayan Temple is said to be the oldest Hindu temple in Kathmandu. It is situated on a hilltop surrounded by a forest and a small village. This temple is dedicated to Narayan which is one of the reincarnations of Lord Vishnu. Being the oldest known temple of Nepal, it has many things to explore the ancient architecture of Nepal. It is a two-story pagoda-style temple. There is a sculpture of Garud, the vehicle of Vishnu, in front of the west face of the temple. There is the statue of Vishnu riding Garuda in the north face. And there are many monuments such as Historical Pillar, statues of Bhupendra Malla, Garuda Narayan, Sridhar Vishnu, Vaikuntha Vishnu, Chhinnamasta, and Vishworup.
Manakamana Temple
Manakamana Temple is one of the most famous pilgrimage sites in Nepal. It is the sacred place of the goddess Bhagwati (reincarnation of Parvati) situated in the Gorkha district. The name Manakamana comes from two Nepali words ‘Mana’ which means heart and ‘Kamana’ which means wish. It is believed that Bhagwati Manakamana fulfills the wishes of everyone who worships her and her shrine. The temple is built on Pagoda style and is 4 story building. Even though one used to hike for about 3/4 hours to get to the top, a cable car ride from Kurintar is available these days. The view of the Trishuli River Valley, covered in green forests, looks spectacular from the cable car.
Pokhara
Pokhara is an relaxing city situated on the lap of Himalayas. There are many beautiful lakes and places worth visiting here. Many temples are situated in Pokhara which hold religious significance. One of the most famous temples is Talbarahi Temple, sitting in the middle of Phewa Lake. It is the temple of Goddess Barahi (Durga) who is known as the Protector of Gods. Another major temple of Pokhara is Bindhyabasini. It is another temple of Durga. It is believed that one of the parts of Sati fell here and later turned out to be a holy place. The atmosphere of the surroundings includes views of the mountains and Pokhara Valley. You can also visit Gupteshwor Mahadeva Temple, mysteriously situated inside the Mahendra Cave.
