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Char Narayan PilgrimageFour Shrines of Narayan Around the Kathmandu Valley

The Char Narayan Pilgrimage is a 2-day private tour by road to the four traditional shrines of Lord Narayan, or Vishnu, that stand around the Kathmandu Valley: Changu Narayan, Ichangu Narayan, Bishankhu Narayan and Shesh Narayan. A private vehicle and an English-speaking pilgrimage guide take your group from temple to temple, with time at each one for darshan, prayer and meditation, and one night in a Kathmandu hotel between.

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Journey at a Glance

Duration
2 Days1 night in Kathmandu
Altitude
About 1,400 mKathmandu Valley
Difficulty
EasyBy road, steps at two temples
Best Season
Oct to Nov, Mar to MayRuns year round on request
Group Size
2 to 25Larger groups on request
Start and End
KathmanduHotel or airport, private vehicle

Package Cost

USD120

per person

(Group of 21 or more)

2 to 11 travellers
$180
12 to 20 travellers
$140
21 and above
$120

Last updated

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The Char Narayan Circuit

What is the Char Narayan Pilgrimage?

The Char Narayan Pilgrimage visits the four traditional shrines of Lord Narayan, a name of Vishnu, that stand on the hills around the Kathmandu Valley. Tradition holds that the four Narayans guard the valley from its four sides. Pilgrims visit them in turn for darshan and prayer, and the visit to the fourth completes the pilgrimage.

Changu Narayan stands on a hilltop in Bhaktapur district, about 12 km east of Kathmandu, and is the Narayan of the east. It is widely regarded as the oldest Hindu temple still in use in the Kathmandu Valley. A stone pillar in its courtyard carries an inscription of King Manadeva dated 464 CE, the oldest dated inscription found in Nepal. The two-tiered temple was rebuilt after a fire in 1702, restored after the 2015 earthquake, and has been part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site since 1979.

Ichangu Narayan, the Narayan of the west, stands at the foot of the Nagarjun forest about 3 km north-west of Swayambhu. Its founding is dated to the Licchavi period and the present two-tiered pagoda was rebuilt in the 18th century. Bishankhu Narayan is in Godawari, in Lalitpur district, where the shrine sits in a cleft of rock reached by steep stone steps. Pilgrims traditionally try to squeeze through a narrow gap in the rock beside it.

Shesh Narayan stands near the old town of Pharping, about 20 km south-west of Kathmandu. Here Vishnu is worshipped as Shesh Narayan, resting on the serpent Shesha, and the temple is dated to the Licchavi period. Pools with carved stone images lie below it. At every temple you have time for darshan, prayer and meditation, and a puja can be arranged with a priest on request.

“Four shrines of Narayan, and time at each one to pray.”

Before You Book

Who the Char Narayan Pilgrimage Is For

Sama Yatra prices the Char Narayan Pilgrimage for families, Vaishnav communities, temple groups, spiritual organisations and pilgrimage groups. It is the shorter of the two Kathmandu Vaishnav journeys: all four Narayan temples in two unhurried days, with one night in a Kathmandu hotel. The Kathmandu Vaishnav Darshan adds Budhanilkantha and Krishna Mandir over a third day.

Every temple is reached by private vehicle, and the whole route lies in the Kathmandu Valley at about 1,400 metres, so altitude is not a concern. The walking is short, but there are stone steps up to Changu Narayan on its hilltop and steep steps up to Bishankhu Narayan, so pilgrims who find stairs hard should tell us before they travel. Rules on entering the inner shrine differ from temple to temple, and your guide will tell you what is open to you at each one.

The tour runs on any date your group asks for. October and November bring clear, dry weather, and March to May is mild. About 80% of Nepal’s rain falls in the monsoon from June to September, which does not stop the tour but can slow the roads. Haribodhini Ekadashi, in the month of Kartik (October or November), is one of the great days of Vishnu worship in the valley, and the temples are crowded on it.

Indian citizens need no visa for Nepal. Other SAARC citizens receive a free tourist visa of up to 30 days on a first visit in a visa year. Everyone else buys a tourist visa, which cost USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days and USD 125 for 90 days as of September 2026. Heritage-site entry fees are confirmed in your quotation. As of September 2026 the Nepal Tourism Board lists NPR 300 for foreign nationals and NPR 100 for SAARC nationals at Changu Narayan, with Indians entering free.

Booking works the same way on every Sama Yatra yatra. A single pilgrim is quoted on request. A 30% deposit confirms the booking and the balance is due before arrival. Bookings cannot be cancelled, but the journey can be postponed for up to two years at the same cost. Children are quoted at a reduced rate that depends on their age and whether they need their own bed and meals. Indian pilgrims can be quoted in rupees. A Hindi-speaking guide, a single room and a hotel upgrade are arranged on request.

Journey Highlights

  • All four Char Narayan temples in two days
  • Nepal’s oldest inscription, 464 CE
  • The rock shrine of Bishankhu Narayan
  • The pools of Shesh Narayan
  • Puja at any of the four on request

Detailed Itinerary

2 DaysThe Char Narayan circuit

The 2 days at a glance
DayRouteOvernightTravel
Day 01Changu Narayan and Ichangu Narayan, overnight in Kathmandu (about 1,400 m)Kathmandu, about 1,400 mPrivate vehicle with guide
Day 02Bishankhu Narayan and Shesh Narayan, then drop-offTour endsPrivate vehicle, then drop-off
  1. Day 01Changu Narayan and Ichangu Narayan, overnight in Kathmandu (about 1,400 m)

    Your private guide and driver meet you at your Kathmandu hotel in the morning, or at Kathmandu airport if your arrival time allows. The pilgrimage begins at Changu Narayan, on its hilltop about 12 km east of Kathmandu, one of Nepal’s most important Vishnu temples. There is time for darshan, prayer to Vishnu as Narayan, a puja if you have asked for one, your guide’s explanation of the temple and its 464 CE inscription, and a walk around the historic village. After a vegetarian lunch at a selected local restaurant, you cross the valley to Ichangu Narayan, about 3 km north-west of Swayambhu, for darshan, personal prayer and meditation. In the evening you return to Kathmandu, check into your 3-star hotel and have a vegetarian dinner. Overnight in Kathmandu, at about 1,400 metres. Breakfast, lunch and dinner included. The night before day 1 is not part of the package unless you book it.

  2. Day 02Bishankhu Narayan and Shesh Narayan, then drop-off

    After breakfast, the drive south-east to Bishankhu Narayan in Godawari for morning darshan and prayer, climbing the stone steps to the shrine in its cleft of rock. Then across the southern valley to the Shesh Narayan temple near Pharping, about 20 km south-west of Kathmandu, with time for darshan, prayer, meditation, the pools below the temple and a spiritual discussion with your guide. After a vegetarian lunch the Char Narayan pilgrimage is complete, and you return to Kathmandu. Depending on your departure there may be free time for shopping or more temple visits. The tour ends with a drop-off at your Kathmandu hotel, the airport or another agreed location. Breakfast and lunch included.

What's Included

  • Private vehicle throughout the tour, with Kathmandu hotel or airport pickup and drop-off, transport between all four Char Narayan temples, fuel, parking and drinking water
  • English-speaking pilgrimage guide and local pilgrimage assistance, with a Hindi-speaking guide on request
  • 1 night in a comfortable 3-star Kathmandu hotel, twin or double sharing, on the night of day 1. Hotel names are confirmed before arrival
  • Vegetarian breakfast, lunch and dinner as listed in the itinerary
  • Applicable government and service taxes

What's Not Included

  • Nepal tourist visa
  • International airfare
  • Travel insurance
  • Any night before day 1
  • Heritage-site entry fees, confirmed in your quotation
  • Special puja, abhishek, sankalpa and priest fees, quoted separately
  • Temple donations and personal offerings
  • Single-room supplement and hotel upgrades, quoted on request
  • Personal shopping, laundry and alcoholic drinks
  • Tips and gratuities
  • Other personal expenses
  • Any service not specifically listed as included

Before you book

Questions Travellers Ask

What are the Char Narayan temples of Kathmandu?

The Char Narayan temples are the four traditional shrines of Lord Narayan, or Vishnu, around the Kathmandu Valley: Changu Narayan in the east, Ichangu Narayan in the west, Bishankhu Narayan in Godawari and Shesh Narayan at Pharping. Tradition holds that they guard the valley from its four sides.

How many days does the Char Narayan Pilgrimage take?

The Char Narayan Pilgrimage takes 2 days and 1 night. Changu Narayan and Ichangu Narayan are on day one, and Bishankhu Narayan and Shesh Narayan on day two.

How much does the Char Narayan Pilgrimage cost?

The Char Narayan Pilgrimage costs USD 180 per person for 2 to 11 pilgrims, USD 140 for 12 to 20 and USD 120 for 21 or more, with twin sharing in a 3-star Kathmandu hotel. A single pilgrim is quoted on request.

What is included in the Char Narayan Pilgrimage?

The Char Narayan Pilgrimage includes the private vehicle with fuel, parking and drinking water, an English-speaking pilgrimage guide, one night in a 3-star Kathmandu hotel, vegetarian meals as listed and applicable taxes. Entry fees, puja and priest fees and the night before day one are not included.

Is the Char Narayan Pilgrimage suitable for older pilgrims?

Yes, for most older pilgrims. Every Char Narayan temple is reached by private vehicle and the Kathmandu Valley sits at about 1,400 metres, so altitude is not a concern. There are stone steps at Changu Narayan and steep steps at Bishankhu Narayan.

What is the best time for the Char Narayan Pilgrimage?

October to November and March to May bring the best weather for the Char Narayan Pilgrimage. The tour runs year round on any date a group asks for, and the June to September monsoon can slow the roads.

Why is Changu Narayan important?

Changu Narayan is widely regarded as the oldest Hindu temple still in use in the Kathmandu Valley. Its courtyard holds King Manadeva’s pillar inscription of 464 CE, the oldest dated inscription found in Nepal, and it has been part of the Kathmandu Valley World Heritage Site since 1979.

What is the entry fee at Changu Narayan?

As of September 2026 the Nepal Tourism Board lists the Changu Narayan entry fee at NPR 300 for foreign nationals and NPR 100 for SAARC nationals, and Indians enter free. Sama Yatra confirms current entry fees in your quotation.

Can we arrange a puja at the Char Narayan temples?

Yes. Sama Yatra can arrange a puja at any of the four Char Narayan temples, subject to temple and priest availability. Special puja, abhishek, priest services and offerings are quoted separately.

Do Indians need a visa for the Char Narayan Pilgrimage?

Indian citizens need no visa for Nepal. Other SAARC citizens receive a free visa of up to 30 days on a first visit in a visa year, and everyone else pays USD 30 for 15 days, USD 50 for 30 days or USD 125 for 90 days, as of September 2026.

What is the booking and cancellation policy for the Char Narayan Pilgrimage?

Sama Yatra takes a 30% deposit to confirm a Char Narayan booking and the balance is due before arrival. Bookings cannot be cancelled, but the journey can be postponed for up to two years at the same cost.

Traveller Reflections

The first reflections are still being written.

We publish what travellers tell us in their own words, once they have travelled. Nothing here is borrowed or invented.

The Four Narayan Shrines of the Kathmandu Valley in 2 Days.Plan your Char Narayan Pilgrimage.

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