Swayambhunath Half Day Tour

Swayambhunath means self-incarnated, but the famous temple is most well as Monkey temple. Hundreds of holy monkeys call this famous location home and can be seen swimming, playing and enjoying the food offerings brought to them by the visitors. The history of Swyambhunath starts before the settlement of the valley had even begun. According to the legend, the Bodhisattva Maha Manjushree had the vision of the lotus at Swyambhunath and traveled there for prayer from great China.

Later he realized the great potential in creating a settlement in Kathmandu so he then cut the hill of Chovar with his mighty sword to create a gorge, from where all the water from the valley drained. Once a lake, now the valley became accessible for human settlement. Swayambhunath now a UNESCO world heritage site consists of various shrines and temples dating back to this ancient period.

It lies just three kilometers west of the city center and can be seen from most hills or heights in the valley. The Stupa is one of the holiest Buddhist sites in Nepal but is often visited by Hindus with the utmost respect. Thus, Swayambhunath has been melting pot between Hinduism and Buddhism, a beacon and example of the beautiful relationship between the two most popular religions here in Nepal.