Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

Patan and Bhaktapur Tour Overview

Patan and Bhaktapur Tour is not only about strolling and viewing the city’s attractions. Your step into these cities gives you the feel of being in medieval times.

Though both Bhaktapur and Patan have gone through various commercialization and industrialization, the artistic monuments, inspiring history, and the traditional local of these two cities never let anything or anyone take away their medieval essence. You can experience all of these by yourself whenever you visit these cities.

Amidst the bustling markets of Patan and Bhaktapur what you admire the most is their age-old architectural temples and palaces.

Each of these architectures is intricately designed and holds religious as well as historical importance. Inhabited mostly by the Newari people, their celebrations, festivals, and even their daily life activities are some of the most alluring factors of these ancient towns. Furthermore, what makes you fall in love with the local Newari People is their traditional Newari attire.

Most of the people visiting Nepal opt to join the Kathmandu Sightseeing Tour. However, to explore the archaic beauty and real history of Nepal, a day tour of the Bhaktapur and Patan is equally worthy.

Thus, to give you a deeper knowledge of the history of Nepal, we have designed this one-day Patan and Bhaktapur Sightseeing tour package.

Leaving Kathmandu city behind and entering into the other two major ancient cities of the Kathmandu Valley, you will get to adore the modern as well as the historic charm of Nepal within a single day.

Why do the Patan and Bhaktapur City tour?

Well known as the City of Living Arts, Patan was once a separate kingdom under the rule of the Malla Kings. Similar to the Patan, the city of Devotees, Bhaktapur was also once an independent Kingdom under the Mallas’s rule.

The ruling period of Malla was well known as the golden era of Nepali architecture. And that was the period during which the whole city of Patan, Bhaktapur, and Kathmandu were filled with wonderfully crafted art and monuments. To better understand the century-old history and to admire then-built historic arts, there is no better tour package than this Bhaktapur and Patan Day Tour.

Listed on the UNESCO World Heritage Site list, Patan Durbar Square in Patan and Bhaktapur Durbar Square in Bhaktapur are some of the pride of the entire nation. Besides, the Durbar Squares there are many other appealing factors present in both Patan and Bhaktapur. The majority of people of Bhaktapur and Patan rely on agriculture and pottery for their survival. Thus, you can witness the ancient cultivation and pottery-making techniques during the Patan and Bhaktapur tour.

Some of the attractions of Patan are listed below.

Durbar Square

Durbar Square is mostly noticed for its archaic beauty, full of ancient Royal palaces, temples, courtyards, and shrines. Located at the square location, the former royal palace of Patan was the residential home of the Kings and Queens in the old days.

But today the Palace houses a fascinating museum. Visiting this museum, you can relish the beauty of several bronze statues and religious objects. In the square, there are three main Chowks namely Mul Chowk, Sundari Chowk, and Keshav Narayan Chowk. Each of these Chowks or courtyards is adorned with several shrines and monuments.

Krishna Temple

Located in the Patan Durbar Square, Krishna Temple was built by King Siddhi Narsing Malla in the year 1637. This strikingly beautiful Hindu temple is built in the Shikhara style.

At this temple, you can observe the fine stonework of the craftsman. The first floor of the temple is embellished with the elegant cravings of the events from Mahabharat. Looking at the second floor you can witness the incredible cravings of the events from Ramayana.

The temple ambiance is mostly crowded by the locals and tourists throughout the year. But, during the festival of Krishnaasthami, you will get to see the special crowd here.

Golden Temple – Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

With the official name Hiranya Varna Mahavihar, the Golden Temple is among the most popular monuments in Patan Durbar Square. As most of the portion of the temple is gilded from golden metal plates, it is called by the name Golden Temple. However, the locals here call the temple by the name Kwa Bahal.

Patan Museum – Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

Patan Museum is located in the portion of the Royal Palace surrounding the Keshav Narayan Chowk. The museum consists of the finest collection of historical old religious arts.

Bhimsen Temple

The three-story pagoda-style Bhimsen Temple is dedicated to one of the five Pandavas of Mahabharata. In this temple, he is worshipped as the god of trade and business. Each of the cravings present in this temple depicts his power and strength. On top of everything, what makes the temple more popular is its three interconnected golden windows. The temple was built centuries ago. But due to various destruction, it has been renovated again and again.

Vishwanath Temple – Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

Vishwanath temple is the elegantly decorated two-tiered pagoda temple in the south of Bhimsen temple. As the temple is dedicated to Lord Shiva, you can see the beautiful lingam inside the main door of the temple. At the east entrance, there are two elephant guards on each side while on the west you can see the statue of Nandi. Nandi is a bull that served Lord Shiva as his mount.

Some of the attractions of Bhaktapur are:

Durbar Square – Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

Holding the stories from history, the tiny space of the Durbar Square houses various masterpieces including several shrines, statues, monuments, and traditional Newari houses. The Fifty-five-window palace located here is the center of attraction of the Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Further, the temples of Gopinath and Kedarnath are some of the popular Hindu shrines located here. Within the Square premise, the presence of a national art gallery lets each visitor witness the structures dating back to the Malla dynasty.

Leading us towards the temple of Taleju, the Golden Gate of Durbar Square is the attraction of this place. Besides, the Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla, Vatsala Devi Temple, Pashupatinath Temple, Siddhi Laxmi Temple, and Taleju Bell are other spellbinding monuments that add extra value to the Durbar Square ambiance.

Due to the strict rule of no vehicles in the Durbar Square area, we should visit the area on foot. Among others, it is the most crowded location in Bhaktapur.

Nyatapola Temple – Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

Erected by King Bhupatindra Malla this five-story Nyatapola temple is the tallest pagoda temple in Nepal. The temple is admired for its ancient artistic and architectural beauty. It is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Siddhi Laxmi. As the temple has survived the two strong earthquakes of the past years, it is today well known for its structural strength.

From the staircases to the rooftop, this temple is artistic in all ways. Further, the woodcarvings and stonework present in this structure depict the creatures and stories of that particular time. Only the temple priests are allowed to enter inside the sanctum door. But you can freely savor the exquisite beauty of the temple from the outside.

Taumadhi Square – Patan and Bhaktapur Tour

Right next to the main Durbar Square, Taumadhi Square is one of the squares in Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Also Known as Taumadhi Tole, the area consists of several old residential buildings and some historical shrines. At the north of this square, you can see the tallest Nyatapola Temple whereas at the east you can notice the beautiful Bhairabnath Temple. Not far away from these temples, there are other two temples namely Til Madhav Narayan Temple and Narasimha Temple.

The wood and stone works of the shrines present in this area are so attractive that many national and international tourists visit this location again and again. Further, the presence of the artistic cafes at the location of Taumadhi Square increased the charm of the place among travelers.

Dattatreya Square

Located at the east of the main Durbar Square, Dattatreya Square is the oldest square in the valley. For your exploration, there are many pleasing heritages inside the Dattatreya Square premises. Some of them are Dattatreya Temple, Bhimsen Temple, Peacock Window, Laxmi Narayan Temple, Pujari Math, and, Brass and Bronze Museum. Visiting the museums here, you will learn more about the historical arts and artifacts of Nepal.

As the square houses several stalls selling traditional arts and handicrafts of Nepal, you can buy any of them as you wish.

Pottery Square

At the south of Bhaktapur Durbar Square, the beautiful area of Pottery Square is located. With various souvenir stalls and shrines, the area has become the dwelling area for the visitors passing here. However, the gem of the pottery square is pottery kilns, open-air potters’ drying area, and of course the artistic clay potteries. While strolling here you can see how potters are designing items out of the clay. It is truly mesmerizing to watch potters working with their potter wheels.

As the craftsmen here pass their skills from generation to generation, you can see most of the potters using the traditional way of designing the pottery.

55-window Palace

The 55-window palace is one of the prime attractions of Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Originally built by King Yakshya Malla, the palace was renovated by King Bhupatindra Malla in the 17th century. As per the name itself, the palace consists of 55 wooden windows on its balcony. Amidst the brick walls, the presence of these 55 artistic windows is a masterpiece of Nepalese historical art.

Peacock window

Also sometimes referred to as the Mona Lisa of Nepal, the Peacock window at the wall of Pujari Math is one of the finest carved wooden windows in the valley. Along with the beautifully craved peacock, the cravings of several other smaller birds are present in this masterpiece. Though the sitting wall of this structure was damaged by the earthquake of the year 2015, there was no severe damage to the wooden architecture itself. As the wall was reconstructed later, you can now see the artistic window at its original designated location.

Golden Gate

Built by King Ranjit Malla, Golden Gate is the entrance of the main courtyard of the fifty-five-window Royal Palace of Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Connecting the two blocks of the Royal Palace, the gate also provides access to the Taleju Mandir and Naga Pokhari.

The gate is one of the last structures of the golden era of Nepalese architectural history. It showcases one of Nepal’s finest metalwork. The side frames of this gate depict the image of the deities, including Kumari, Bhagwati, Vairab, Ganesh, and Kali.

At the top of the entrance gate, there is a figure of a powerful Garuda with some supernatural serpents nearby. Below the Garuda, is a four-headed and 10-armed beautiful structure of goddess Taleju Bhawani. Besides these, there are many other figures on the gate and each of these depicts something exceptional.

Statue of King Bhupatindra Malla

In front of the Batsala Devi Temple, you can see the beautifully crafted bronze statue of King Bhupatindra Malla. Till today, this artistically beautiful statue of King Bhupatindra Malla is dragging the attention of every visitor visiting the Durbar Square Location.

Batsala Devi Temple

The shikhara-style Batsala Devi temple is one of the fascinating architecture at the premise of Bhaktapur Durbar Square. Among many, one of the most spectacular aspects of this temple is the famous barking bell.

Well-known as the Batsala Durga temple, the temple was destroyed by the earthquake of 2015. However, now its renovation has been completed.

Patan and Bhaktapur Day tour Itinerary

Your Patan and Bhaktapur tour will commence around 9:30 in the morning. Before entering the ancient city of Bhaktapur you will first take a drive towards the Patan Durbar square. It will take around 25 minutes to reach Patan from your hotel location. Witnessing several temples and shrines, we will meander through the courtyards of Durbar Square. Clicking some photographs at the Krishna Mandir and its surrounding location, we will leave the Patan area.

From Patan, you will take a drive of around 30 minutes to reach Bhaktapur. Upon reaching Bhaktapur, you will first enjoy a delicious lunch near Durbar Square. After lunch, you will again continue your Patan and Bhaktapur Tour by entering the Durbar Square location. Appreciating the Newari arts and designs and witnessing the locals’ daily activities, you will visit the area for around 3 hours.

Thereafter, with some great memories and the knowledge of deep history, you will return to the hotel.