Hiking Groups & Day Trips from Kathmandu

Most of them are. The valley-rim classics — Shivapuri, Nagarjun and Chandragiri — are half-day walks on well-worn trails that a reasonably fit first-timer can finish without any climbing experience. Each listing spells out the distance and rough difficulty, so you can skip anything that reads as a longer trek and start with a gentle 3–4 hour loop. Going with a group also means you're never navigating alone.

Casual community hikes are often free or just cover shared transport — a few hundred rupees for a jeep or micro to the trailhead. Organised day trips with a guide, permits and lunch usually land somewhere around Rs 1,000–2,500 per person. Note that Shivapuri and Nagarjun sit inside the national park, so a small entry fee applies on top. The exact cost and what's included is listed on each event.

Almost every group leaves early — meet-ups are typically 6–7 AM so you're on the trail before the heat and back in the city by early afternoon. Bring at least a litre of water, decent grip shoes or trainers, a light layer for the ridge-top breeze, sunscreen and some snacks. During monsoon add a rain shell and expect mud. The meet-up point and start time are on every listing.

The go-to routes ring the valley: Shivapuri Peak from Budhanilkantha, the forest trails of Nagarjun above Balaju, Chandragiri on the southern rim, plus favourites like Champadevi, Phulchowki and Nagarkot-to-Dhulikhel. Longer day trips sometimes push out to Namobuddha or Kakani. This page pulls together whatever group hikes and day trips are coming up next.