Kathmandu Spirituality and Culture Tour: A Deep Dive into Nepali Traditions and Philosophy

Immerse yourself in the rich spirituality and vibrant culture of Kathmandu on this deep dive tour. Explore ancient temples, witness Hindu and Buddhist practices, and discover the hidden gems of Nepal’s capital city.

Duration: 8 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Kathmandu Durbar Square - The tour starts with walking through old Kathmandu discovering the hidden courtyards that exhibit medieval spiritual and cultural practices. Witness the Vastu architecture and imprints of important historical incidents on the life and spirituality of people along the important trans-Himalayan trading route. Learn about Gurkhas and Hippies. Discover the lifestyle and spiritual practices that remained aloof from the invasion and unrest its neighbors went through.
  • Patan Durbar Square - Drive to Patan or Lalitpur, the city of fine art. The name aptly fits its identity as the art and craft from Patan made it to India, Tibet and China during the medieval time. Majority of people in Patan still are artisans and devout Buddhists claiming to be descendants of Buddha. Over 150 active ancient and medieval monasteries are evidence of Patan being the oldest existing Buddhist city. Walk through the monastic city and visit some of the exquisite monasteries dating back to the 8th century.
  • Pashupatinath Temple - Watch the Hindu ways of life and learn about Shiva visiting the temple complex of Pashupatinath. This is where you can visit Hindu ascetics (Shadu) and watch open cremation, astrologers and devotees. Learn about Hindu path of Karma (action or deed), Bhakti (devotion), Jñāna (wisdom) and Yoga (union of consciousness). This is a great place to learn about joint family and society based on Hindu ‘karma’ system. Metaphors of Hindu Tantra depicted in erotic carving and worship of phallus. Learn about the Vedic astrology and philosophy.
  • Boudhanath Stupa - Drive to the Boudhanath area, known as ‘Little Tibet of Kathmandu’. About 60 Tibetan Buddhist monasteries and the largest Nepalese Stupa continuously attract pilgrims from far flung Himalayan villages throughout the year. This is a great place to learn about Tibetan Buddhism, life of monks and the Himalayan lifestyle and culture.
What's Included
  • Bottled water provided
  • Guidance from an expert guide
  • Air-conditioned vehicle for comfort
What's Not Included
  • Tips
  • Lunch
  • All fees and/or taxes
Additional Information

The tour gives you a glimpse of the cultural life and spirituality of Nepal in general. Walk through the medieval town designed with principles of Vastu Sastra (science of architecture) and see the imprints of historical incidents in the architecture and culture. Visit Lalitpur (Patan), the city of fine art and find out why it is known as one of the oldest existing Buddhist cities in the world. Watch the Hindu ways of life from Karma (deeds) to Bhakti (devotion) at the temple complex of Pashupatinath. Learn about Hindu ascetics (Sadhu) and the philosophy behind cremation and reincarnation. Dishaphore the metaphoric Tantric erotism behind the cosmic consciousness, that is Shiva. Feel the ‘Little Tibet in Kathmandu’ at Boudhanath Stupa. Learn about Tibet and Himalayan lifestyle and feel the positive vibration with hundreds of pilgrims chanting ‘Om Mani Padme Hum’. It will be egoistic to say that we know. But we guarantee the experience is an opportunity to learn and grow.

Location
Kathmandu Durbar Square
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(37 Ratings)
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Rostyslavb2021
Jul 7, 2024
Great experience - We are from Canada and had only 1 day to stay in Kathmandu after the Tibet tour. We decided to take a Life and Spirituality tour. That was amazing.Our guide Indra was very knowledgeable, friendly and helpful. He showed us so many very interesting places around Kathmandu with such a detailed explanation. No way we could find those places without him . It took us almost 8 hours but it looked like we spent a few months. Incredible experience. We can highly recommend it to everyone!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Irinasialini
Jun 18, 2024
Kathmandu, 5-days experience - I came to Nepal from China for 5 days. I decided to stay in Kathmandu. As I am interested in religion, spirituality and nature, I decided to divide my stay in 2 parts - 3 days in different parts of the capital and two walks/hikes around Kathmandu. I am a solo female traveler, so on my first visit of Nepal I decided to book a private tour with i Tour Nepal. The whole tour was organised very nicely, logically hence everything went smoothly. I was picked up from the airport on my arrival and taken to the hotel. Next day my private guide Rabi picked me up from the hotel and by private car took me to explore historical centre of Kathmandu. Rabi is a very knowledgeable, well-educated guide who understands the needs and interests of his clients. We were able to explain very clearly difficult concepts connected to Buddhism, Hinduism and Tantrism. He explained symbolism of the painting and carvings. It wasn't just sightseeing tour, it was an educational experience. On another day Rabi took me to two other significant parts of Kathmandu. It was a walking tour with stops at market places, museums, local lesser places and ceramic workshops. Rabi took great care of me - answered all the questions, modified the tour according to my preferences and needs and just made me feel home in Nepal. Other two days were walks/hikes around Kathmandu with another local guide. It was a pleasant walk. All in all, I can wholeheartedly recommend this travel agency and Mr Rabi particularly for those who want to know Kathmandu better and enjoy trouble free stay in Nepal.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caroline_of_ct
May 4, 2024
Just the city giude we were hoping to find! - I'm a foreigner living in Kathmandu, and in April 2024 my family and friends came here for my wedding. I was struggling to find a personal recommendation for a tour guide, but luckily I met Rabi dai of iTour Nepal Privaye Day Tours! I felt so lucky that I found such a knowledgeable and professional guide to show the city's best sights to my overseas visitors. Rabi was easy to communicate with, and he's just a really nice guy. If I ever come across someone looking for a city guide in Kathmandu, I'll be sure to send them Rabi dai's details! Many thanks for giving us such a great tour 🙏
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Fillianl
Mar 30, 2024
A fruitful day - I made the reservation relatively late, but my guide still arranged the itinerary for me and responded to messages immediately. In addition to visiting the important sightseeing spots in Kathmandu, I also gained a wealth of knowledge during the trip, including the religion in Nepal. Thoughts and their culture, architecture, history and life, the guide is very patient and gives detailed explanations. You can ask him for advice on spiritual and religious issues, and you will have a very fruitful day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
J2221asjimw
Feb 20, 2024
Truly spiritual experience - Tour guide Mr Ripu was amazing, he was kind and generous,and gave us a amazing spiritual experience walking through those wonderful site of Kathmandu.
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Dineshree_m
Jan 1, 2024
Good trip - My guide was very informative and had a vast knowledge on each of our stops.He was friendly and patient which made the trip enjoyable and easy going.
Review provided by Viator
Sightseer52806335222
Nov 25, 2023
Excellent experience! - What an excellent experience. A full, full day with lots of walking - not the usual. Very small group - it's very personal - and what a wonderful man in Robbie. Well spoken, good English and a great smile - he walked us into alleys and into temples and into Buddhist life and Hindu life, and spoke of where they have come from and how they have come to be what they are today. It was a full day - although he is flexible - and we enjoyed it very, very much. This is a great alternative to the usual mass tour. Very highly recommended. Robbie - wherever you are, and whatever you take on in life, we wish you and your family God's blessings, peace and happiness. We are very grateful.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Randy_s
Nov 13, 2023
Incredible experience. - My host was impressive. His command of Hindu and Buddhists traditions, as well as his ability to convey/relate them made for one of the best tours I’ve ever been on. I have been traveling the world for 9 months investigating worldly spiritual beliefs so I came with a vault of questions that were met with rich, substantive answers. This tour is engaging, enriching, and game be a newfound respect for not only Eastern cultures, but any subcultures within. Normally, I don’t last more than 10 minutes in a museum before clocking out and even the museum portion brought earlier portions of the tour to life and the. Neighborhoods were great. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Serena
Nov 5, 2023
10/10 - An amazing experience, the guide was very insightful. I saw and learnt far more than I had anticipated. Very pleased.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Troy_b
Nov 3, 2023
Explained complicated concepts with ease - Really enjoyed this tour. Our guide Ripu was articulate and explained the spirituality of the two faiths in comprehensible way. We had to cut the schedule short due to a scheduling error on my part and Ripu was very accommodating.
Review provided by Viator
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up to 12 guests
1 Adult
September 2024
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