The Chandragiri Hills are the second-highest hills in the valley of Nepal, with a temple and a cable car service to reach the top of the hill.
Overview
About the Chandragiri Everest View:
The Chandragiri Hills are the second-highest hills in the valley of Nepal, with a temple and a cable car service to reach the top of the hill. The Chandragiri Hills are about 2551 meters above sea level on the southwest side of the Kathmandu valley. When tourists
or people reach the top of the hill, they will reach the Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple.
From the top, we can see panoramic views of the Himalayan ranges, from Mount Annapurna in the west to Mount Everest in the east. We can also see all the ranges of Langtang Lirung in the central region and the Jugal Himal Mountain Range as well. To reach the top of the hill, one can ride a cable car, drive uphill, or hike in the Chandragiri hills. The cable cars base station is about 6 kilometers from Kalanki Junction on the Tribhuvan Highway. Its about 500 meters uphill from the checkpoint, Thankot, from the highway. Two of the most famous things about the Chandragiri Hills are Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple and the Cable Car.
In the content of the history of Nepal that connects with the Chandragiri Hills, King Prithvi Narayan Shah grabs the first glimpse of the Kathmandu valley at its finest view from the Chandragiri Hills. On the other hand, going back from Makwanpur to Gorkha Palace, he reached the top of the hill. Looking at the view is what struck King Prithvi Narayan Shah with the idea of adding the Kathmandu Valley into his kingdom. From the bridge that connects with the Chandragiri Hills, King Prithvi Narayan Shah caught the first glimpse of the Kathmandu valley at its finest view from the Chandragiri Hills. On his way back from Makwanpur to Gorkha Palace, he reached the top of the hill. Seeing the view is what struck King Prithvi Narayan Shah with the idea of adding the Kathmandu Valley into his kingdom.
Myths about the Chandragiri Hills:
There is a belief that King Prithvi Narayan Shah contemplated going through extreme “sadhana” and attained spiritual powers. It is Chandragiri Hills who is attaining these powers towards the unification process of Nepal. Bhaleshwor Mahadev had a good impression of King Prithvi Narayan Shah’s sadhana, so he blessed him for his wishes to be true.
Things to do in Chandragiri Hills:
The place provides lots of things for visitors. While they reach Chandragiri Hills, don’t forget to do these activities.
Visit Bhaleshwor Temple:
The Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple is located on top of the hill. People visit the temple with the belief that their wishes will come true. They believe in visiting Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple means that will leading upwards to Shivaloka in afterlife.
Take a cable car ride:
If you’ve reached Chandragiri Hills, you should take a ride to the top on a cable car. It is not just about the short distance to the top, but it is also especially fun to see the land getting smaller by the minute.
Enjoy the mountain view:
Chandragiri Hills is situated on the top of the hill area and has been surrounded by a pleasant view of mountains. On a clear day, people should see Mount Everest from Kathmandu, you get to see the closest view of Mt. Everest from the Chandragiri Hills.
People will also be greeted by the mountain ranges of Annapurna, Langtang, Lirung, Ganesh, Jugal Himal, and more.
Hike to Chandragiri Hills:
There are two routes for hiking to get as far as the Chandragiri Hills. One is the road, and another one is through the jungle. The faster route is through the jungle, from where people get to enjoy the hike. People can walk from Godam Hill and climb up to Chandragiri Hills. And if they are interested in a hike on their own way down the hill, then they can walk the route of Machhegaun.
Have a zipline ride:
Nepal’s highest altitude zip-lining in the Chandragiri Hills. Has quickly become a popular experience for those who visit Chandragiri Hills. It has now been extended to a 200-meter-long zip-line from the preceding 100-meter length.
Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple:
The Bhaleshwor Mahadev Temple was designed by an architect named Shankar Nath Rimal, who also designed many other important monuments like Shahid Gate. There is a historic belief that Lord Shiva carried his wife Satis dead body across the world in
grief. Sati Devi;s forehead, also called “Bhala,” fell from her dead body, and Bhaleshwor Mahadev appeared on the spot where it fell. The belief is that this temple came to be in the same place where Bhaleshwor Mahadev appeared.
Cable Car:
Chandragiri Hills is the only cable car amenity on one of the hills that are surrounded by the Kathmandu valley. It started providing services in 2016 and now runs 38 cable cars successfully. It takes around 8 minutes to reach the top from the station, which is a 2.5- kilometer long ride. The cable car has the capacity to transport about a thousand people per hour.
Best Time to visit Chandragiri:
Chandragiri cable car opening hours are from 8 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday, and 7 am to 6 pm on weekends. People visit Chandragiri Hills year-round, but the spring and fall seasons should not be missed at all. So, September-November and March-May are
great times to see the natural beauty of the Chandragiri hills under a clear blue sky. And from December to early February is the best time to witness the snow hugging the mountain scenery around Chandragiri Hills.
