Kalinchowk Bhagwati and Kuri Village Tour is a 2-day private trip from Kathmandu to Kuri village and the Kalinchowk Bhagwati temple in Dolakha district. You sleep one night in Kuri, take the cable car up to the temple at 3,842 m at dawn, and drive back to Kathmandu. It is graded Easy to Moderate: the effort is the long road and the cold, not the walking. It costs from USD 595 per person (Budget, couple). The price per person is the same for a private trip and a group of the same size, and it falls as the group grows.
Kalinchowk and Kuri tour at a glance
| Duration | 2 days, 1 night in Kuri, Kathmandu to Kathmandu |
|---|---|
| Maximum altitude | 3,842 m / 12,605 ft (Kalinchowk Bhagwati temple). Kuri is lower, about 3,200 to 3,450 m, depending on the source |
| Grade | Easy to Moderate. Long road day, cold night, optional 1 to 1.5 hour walk up instead of the cable car |
| Best months | December to February for snow, October and November for clear air |
| Group size | 1 to 20, always private |
| Permits | No trekking permit; any entry fee that applies is included |
| Start dates | Any day |
| From price | USD 595 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 665, Luxury USD 735 |
Why I built it this way
Kalinchowk Bhagwati is a temple on a high ridge in Dolakha district, about 132 km from Kathmandu by road, with the last 18 km an off-road climb to Kuri village. In winter the ridge is under snow, and the cable car takes you from Kuri to the temple in about six minutes. Many Nepali families come for the snow and the temple.
I built this as a private trip because the road is the hard part. A private vehicle with a driver who knows the climb to Kuri is worth more than any hotel. The honest warning is altitude: you go from Kathmandu to a night in Kuri in one day and wake the next morning at the temple at 3,842 m with no acclimatisation. Go slowly, drink water, skip alcohol, and tell me before you book if you have a heart or lung condition or if children are coming.
If you want a longer walk with views instead, look at our Chisapani, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel Trek, 4 Days. Every booking helps pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum.
Best time to go, month by month
These notes are general and they are not forecasts. Snow usually falls between December and February.
| Month | What it is like | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January | Snow on the ridge, very cold nights. | Best for snow, dress warm |
| February | Snow likely and cold. | Best for snow |
| March | Snow melting, clearer days, cold at the temple. | Good |
| April | Clearer days, rhododendrons lower down. | Good |
| May | Warmer, hazier, pre-monsoon cloud. | Possible, start early |
| June | Monsoon: landslide risk on the road. | No |
| July | Monsoon. | No |
| August | Monsoon. | No |
| September | The rains ease late in the month. | Late September only |
| October | Clean air after the rains, no snow yet. | Good for views |
| November | Dry, clear and cold. | Good |
| December | Snow starts, cold nights. | Good for snow |
Snow usually comes between December and February. For snow, book those months and ask me about the road the week before.
Starting dates for 2027
You choose your date. These are the windows I would pick for 2027. Festival dates are the expected ones and are confirmed each year. The temple is busier on festival days and weekends.
| Window in 2027 | What to expect | My advice |
|---|---|---|
| January to February 2027 | Clear and cold, quiet trails. | Best for snow |
| March to May 2027 (Holi expected 22 to 23 March) | Spring: warmer, hazier afternoons. | Good, snow thinning |
| June to mid September 2027 | Monsoon: wet paths, cloud and leeches. | No |
| Mid September to December 2027 (Dashain expected 6 to 10 October, Tihar 29 to 31 October) | The clearest views of the year, and the busiest weeks. | Best |
We check the Charikot to Kuri road 48 hours before departure. If it is not open, we move your dates free of charge.
Permits and costs
No trekking permit is needed for this trip. We have not confirmed whether a conservation fee applies on this ridge, and if one does, we pay it and it is included in your price.
| Permit or fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Trekking permit or TIMS card | Not needed | This is a road trip |
| Cable car ticket | About NPR 1,000 for a foreign visitor | Included. Fare to be confirmed with the operator each season |
| Park or conservation fee | None found | Included if one applies |
The price per person falls as the group grows, and a child pays the same as an adult. Private or group, the price per person is the same. Here is the full table. These prices hold for 2027.
| Group size | Budget | Standard | Luxury |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 guest (solo) | USD 840 | USD 920 | USD 1,325 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 595 | USD 665 | USD 735 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 305 | USD 375 | USD 450 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 245 | USD 310 | USD 385 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 195 | USD 265 | USD 335 |
Not included: international flights, your Nepal visa (USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, paid in cash on arrival), Kathmandu hotel nights, travel insurance, tips, personal spending, hot drinks and snacks on the road. You pay a 10% deposit to book and the balance in Kathmandu. We take US dollars or euros, in cash or by card, and card payments carry a 3.5% bank charge. We cannot take Nepali rupees from foreign guests.
Getting there and getting back
We collect you from your Thamel hotel early in the morning and drive east through Banepa, Dhulikhel and Charikot, about 132 km. The last 18 km is an off-road climb to Kuri, so the vehicle must be a good one and the driver must know the road. Allow most of the day: we usually reach Kuri in the afternoon after a lunch stop. The drive back takes a similar time, and we reach Kathmandu in the evening.
We check the road 48 hours before departure. In snow, chains or a 4x4 may be needed, and we plan for it. Visa on arrival is USD 30 for 15 days or USD 50 for 30 days, and your passport must be valid for at least six months.
Safety and altitude
Altitude is the point to take seriously. You sleep in Kuri, then go to 3,842 m the next morning, with no acclimatisation. Headaches are common. Walk slowly, drink water, eat lightly, skip alcohol, and tell your guide at once if you feel unwell, because we go back down. Children, older guests and anyone with a heart or lung condition need a word with me first.
The cold is the other risk. Nights in Kuri are cold even outside snow season. The cable car is a real mountain lift: it can stop in strong wind. Buy travel insurance at home that covers travel to 4,000 m.
What to pack
- A warm down jacket, hat, gloves and thermal layers
- Waterproof boots with good grip for snow and mud
- Sunglasses and SPF 50 sun cream
- A headtorch for the dawn start
- Water, snacks and any personal medicines
- Respectful clothes for the temple
Budget, Standard or Luxury
All three tiers go to the same places on the same days. What changes is the vehicle, the hotel and the meals.
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Private car or van, sized to your group | Private car or van, sized to your group | Private van, Hiace or 4x4 sized to your group |
| Hotel in Kuri | Simple shared room | Private room | Best available private room |
| Meals | Not included | Meals on both days | Meals on both days with soft drinks |
| Guide | Licensed English-speaking guide | Licensed English-speaking guide | Licensed English-speaking guide |
Read before you book
- Chisapani, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel Trek, 4 Days
- Sundarijal Hiking, 1 Day
- Kathmandu Temples in One Day: Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and Durbar Square
- Kathmandu, Nagarkot and Dhulikhel Tour, 5 Days
The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
