Most people think you need two weeks and a duffel bag full of gear to go trekking in Nepal. The truth is that some of the most rewarding walking in the country starts right at the edge of Kathmandu, and House of Forrest sits closer to those trailheads than almost any accommodation in the city. The gate of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park is a five minute walk from our front door.
Every hike in this guide can be done in a single day, most of them in half a day, and all of them end with you back at the house in time for a hot shower and dinner. Here they are, roughly in order of distance from your bed.
In This Guide
1. Jamacho Peak: The Hike From Our Doorstep
If you do one hike while staying with us, make it this one. The trail to Jamacho Peak starts at the Phulbari gate of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, five minutes on foot from House of Forrest, and climbs through dense protected forest to a 2,095 metre summit crowned by a small Buddhist gumba and a tangle of prayer flags.
The climb takes around two hours up and ninety minutes down at a relaxed pace, on a clear, well-trodden trail. You will very likely meet langur monkeys, and birdwatchers should keep binoculars handy because the forest is full of life. From the viewing tower at the top, the whole Kathmandu Valley spreads out on one side and the Himalayan wall on the other, from the Annapurnas to Langtang Lirung on a clear day.
Go early. The mountain views are sharpest before mid-morning clouds build, and starting at sunrise means you hike the steep sections in cool air. Our guests regularly call this the best morning of their whole trip.
2. Nagarjun Forest Walks
Not every day needs a summit. The Nagarjun sector of the national park, also called Rani Ban, the Queen's Forest, is laced with quieter trails and an unpaved road that winds gently up the hillside, perfect for a slow forest morning. This is one of the last stands of original valley-rim jungle, and walking under its canopy you would never guess a capital city is twenty minutes away.
Walk as far as feels good and turn back whenever you like, or follow the vehicle road up at a stroll. Deer, pheasants, and monkeys are common sightings, and the birdsong in spring is something special. This is the hike we recommend for your first day, when you want to stretch your legs and let your body settle into the altitude.
3. The White Gumba and Ichangu Loop
This one is a walk rather than a wilderness hike, and it strings together three of the neighbourhood's gems into a half-day loop on quiet lanes and stone paths. From the house, walk about 20 minutes to Seto Gumba, the dazzling White Monastery on its hilltop, with panoramic views across Kathmandu, Lalitpur, and Bhaktapur.
From there, drop down to the 800-year-old Ichangu Narayan Temple in its forest clearing, one of the four sacred Narayan temples of the valley. If your legs still have opinions, continue on to Swayambhunath and climb the 365 steps to the great stupa as a finale. The whole loop is relaxed, mostly gentle gradients, and full of tea shops and photo stops. Perfect for an unhurried cultural morning.
4. Shivapuri Peak
At 2,732 metres, Shivapuri is the second highest point on the valley rim and the most satisfying full-day summit near Kathmandu. The classic route starts from Budhanilkantha on the north side of the valley, about a 30 minute drive from the house, and climbs steadily through oak and rhododendron forest past the Nagi Gumba nunnery to the top.
Count on five to seven hours round trip and bring a packed lunch, which we are happy to help you organise the evening before. The reward is a genuinely big view: on clear days the panorama stretches across a huge sweep of the central Himalaya, with Langtang Lirung front and centre. In spring the upper forest blazes with rhododendron blossom, Nepal's national flower. This is the hike for guests who want a proper workout and a taste of what the big treks feel like.
5. Champa Devi
On the southwestern rim of the valley, Champa Devi rises to 2,278 metres above the Pharping road, about a 45 minute drive from the house. The trail from Hattiban climbs through fragrant pine plantation forest to a small shrine at the summit, sacred to both Hindus and Buddhists, and takes roughly four to five hours round trip.
What makes Champa Devi special is the angle. From up here you get the classic postcard view back across the whole Kathmandu Valley with the Himalaya lined up behind it, plus a bird's eye look at the sacred sites of Pharping and Dakshinkali below. It is noticeably quieter than the northern hills, and combining the hike with a visit to the ancient Sekh Narayan and Asura Cave temples in Pharping makes a superb full-day outing.
6. Chandragiri Hills
Chandragiri is the friendliest mountain on this list, because it offers a choice: hike up, or let the cable car do the work. The summit stands at about 2,551 metres on the southwestern rim, topped by the Bhaleshwor Mahadev temple, and the cable car from Thankot glides you up in around ten minutes with the valley shrinking dramatically below.
Hikers can take the old trail from Thankot in three to four hours and ride the cable car down, which is our favourite combination. Legend says Prithvi Narayan Shah, the king who unified Nepal, first looked down on the Kathmandu Valley from this ridge and decided he had to have it. One glance at the panorama, from Annapurna to Everest on the clearest winter days, and you will see his point. There are cafes and a small park at the top, making this the best option for mixed groups of hikers and non-hikers.
7. Nagarkot to Changu Narayan
The classic Kathmandu Valley day walk. Nagarkot, perched on the eastern rim at about 2,175 metres, is famous for its sunrise panorama over the high Himalaya. Leave the house very early or, even better, spend the previous night in Nagarkot, watch the peaks catch fire at dawn, then walk the beautiful ridge trail down to Changu Narayan, the oldest temple in the valley and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
The walk takes about four hours, downhill most of the way, through pine forest, terraced fields, and villages where daily life carries on as it has for generations. It ends at a 1,600-year-old masterpiece of Newari temple art, where your pre-arranged driver can collect you for the ride home. This route is the single best one-day introduction to rural Nepal that exists within reach of the capital.
8. Permits, Costs, and Practical Tips
Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park charges a small entry fee at the gate, currently a few hundred rupees for foreign visitors, payable in cash. Carry your passport or a photo of it, at least a litre of water per person, sunscreen, and a layer for the summits, which are noticeably cooler than the city. Trail shoes are enough for everything in this guide, and hiking poles help on the steeper descents if your knees ask for them.
Start early, always. Mornings mean clear mountain views, cool air, and quiet trails, while afternoons bring haze and, in the monsoon months from June to September, dependable rain. The best hiking seasons are October to December for the sharpest skies and March to April for rhododendron blossom and warm days.
None of these hikes require a guide, but having local knowledge makes everything smoother. That is where we come in. We can arrange drivers to any trailhead, pack you a breakfast to go, share offline trail maps, and give you an honest weather read over morning coffee. Many guests plan their whole week around hike days and rest days, with Kathmandu sightseeing filling the gaps, and coming home to a hot shower, a full kitchen, and a mountain view balcony beats any teahouse bunk.
Sleep Beside the Trailhead
House of Forrest sits five minutes from the national park gate. Hike from the door, then come home to comfort. Apartments from $16 per night.
Book Your StayWant more ideas for the rest days between hikes? Read our guides to the 13 must-visit attractions nearby, getting around Kathmandu, and the best restaurants and cafes to refuel in afterwards. Not sure which part of the city to base yourself in? Our guide to where to stay in Kathmandu compares every neighbourhood.