Pharping, Dakshinkali and Asura Cave Day Tour is a 1-day cultural tour for visitors to Kathmandu who want to see where Buddhist and Hindu worship share one hillside. It visits the cave where Guru Rinpoche is said to have meditated, the monastery beside it and the Dakshinkali temple of the goddess Kali, about 23 km from the city. It is easy: short walks, no climb. It costs from USD 105 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.
Pharping and Dakshinkali day tour at a glance
| Duration | 1 day from your Kathmandu hotel and back, about 45 minutes each way by road |
|---|---|
| Highest point | Pharping hillside, below Champadevi Hill (2,278 m). No climb |
| Grade | Easy. Short walks and steps. No technical skill |
| Best months | October to May, clearest in October and November |
| Group size | 1 to 20, always private |
| Permits | No permit needed |
| Start dates | Any day |
| From price | USD 105 per person, Budget, couple. Standard USD 150, Luxury USD 190 |
Why I built it this way
Pharping is a small Newar town on the southern edge of the valley where two faiths share one hillside. Tibetan Buddhists treat it as a major pilgrimage place. About 1 km south of the town is the Dakshinkali Temple, one of the main Hindu temples of Nepal, dedicated to the goddess Kali.
This is the culture day, not the hike. If you want to walk up Champadevi Hill from here, that is our Champadevi Hill and Pharping Day Hike. If you want a day of temples inside the city, see our Pashupatinath and Boudhanath Day Tour. I send people here when they are tired of crowds and want to see how the valley's faiths live side by side.
Dakshinkali is a working temple, and animal offerings can be part of worship there. I will tell you honestly what you may see, and if you would rather not, we choose another hour or skip it. We visit with respect, leave shoes outside where asked and do not photograph people at prayer without asking. Read Pharping and Champadevi Hill Day Hike from Kathmandu: Caves, Monastery and Valley View first. Every booking helps pay the teacher's salary at our Nagarjun Learning Center in Saldum.
Best time to go, month by month
These notes come from our guides on the Pharping hillside. They are not forecasts.
| Month | What it is like | My verdict |
|---|---|---|
| January | Cold mornings, 0 to 5 C, often clear views. | Good, pack warm layers |
| February | Dry and clear, cold at the start of the day. | Good |
| March | Warmer, rhododendrons starting, haze by midday. | Good, start early |
| April | Rhododendrons in bloom, hazy afternoons. | Good, start early |
| May | Hot lower down, pre-monsoon storms and cloud by mid-morning. | Early starts only |
| June | Monsoon: cloud, mud and leeches. | No |
| July | Monsoon. | No |
| August | Monsoon. | No |
| September | The rains ease late in the month. | Late September only |
| October | Clean air after the rains and the clearest views. | Best |
| November | Dry, clear and cool. | Best |
| December | Dry and clear, cold mornings. | Good, pack warm layers |
October to May is a good window, with the clearest air in October and November. In the monsoon the lanes are slippery and the hills are in cloud.
Starting dates for 2027
This is a day trip, so you choose your date. These are the windows I would pick for 2027. Festival dates are the expected ones and are confirmed each year. Temples are busier on festival days.
| Window in 2027 | What to expect | My advice |
|---|---|---|
| January to February 2027 | Clear and cold, quiet trails. | Good |
| March to May 2027 (Holi expected 22 to 23 March) | Spring: warmer, hazier afternoons. | Good |
| 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 confirm the start time the evening before.
Permits and costs
No permit and no TIMS card are needed for this tour. Small entry fees and donations at the cave and monastery are included.
| Permit or fee | Cost | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Permit or TIMS card | None needed | Pharping and Dakshinkali are outside any national park |
| Cave and monastery entries | Small fees or donations | Included |
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 165 | USD 225 | USD 320 |
| 2 to 4 guests | USD 105 | USD 150 | USD 190 |
| 5 to 8 guests | USD 55 | USD 90 | USD 115 |
| 9 to 12 guests | USD 40 | USD 75 | USD 100 |
| 13 to 20 guests | USD 35 | USD 70 | USD 95 |
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 and any offering you choose to make. 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 Kathmandu hotel in the morning and drive about 45 minutes south to Pharping. The same vehicle takes you to Dakshinkali and back to your hotel. We check road conditions 48 hours before departure.
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
This is an easy day with short walks and steps, and there is no altitude concern. The risks are slippery steps after rain and crowds at the temples. Your guide leads, keeps the group together and carries a first aid kit with a pulse oximeter.
Cover your shoulders and knees at temples, take off your shoes where asked, and ask before you photograph people. Buy travel insurance at home that covers day hikes.
What to pack
- Comfortable shoes that slip on and off easily
- Clothes that cover shoulders and knees
- A sun hat, sun cream and water
- A light rain jacket in uncertain weather
- A little cash for butter lamps or offerings if you wish
Budget, Standard or Luxury
All three tiers visit the same places. What changes is the vehicle, the guide and lunch.
| Budget | Standard | Luxury | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle | Private car or van sized to your group | Private car or van sized to your group | A comfortable air-conditioned private vehicle |
| Lunch | Not included | Lunch with tea or coffee | Lunch with all non-alcoholic drinks |
| Guide | Licensed English-speaking heritage guide | Licensed English-speaking heritage guide | Licensed English-speaking heritage guide |
Read before you book
- Pharping and Champadevi Hill Day Hike from Kathmandu: Caves, Monastery and Valley View
- Kathmandu Temples in One Day: Pashupatinath, Boudhanath, Swayambhunath and Durbar Square
- Patan, Bungamati and Khokana Day Tour
- Champadevi Hill and Pharping Day Hike
The Everest Holiday is a family company founded in 2016, from three generations of guiding in the Himalayas.
