Tours/Kathmandu/Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group
Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group
5.0(78)Kathmandu3 hours
VIATOR5.0(5)TRIPADVISOR5.0(73)
+10 photos
At a glance
Duration
3 hours
Price from
$15 / person
Rating
5.0 / 5 · 78 reviews
Languages
EN
Group
Small group, up to 5
Cancellation
Free cancellation
Meeting point
Your guide will be available 15 minutes before each meeting time with a sign "Meeting Point - Amazing Kathmandu".
Pumpernickel Bakery is centrally located in Thamel and has excellent offerings, including great coffee, all-day breakfasts, delicious cakes, gluten-free and vegan diets.
The private walking tour is NOT sold out, you can book for 1 person and can come with more people. The private tour with transportation is for max 3 people because of the vehicle limitation.
Also here you book for 1 person.
Your guide will contact you with 24h after your booking and we have 100% refund policy with cancelations.
This small group tour of max 5 participants focuses on the myths and legends of Swayambhunath and the origin of the Kathmandu valley. While enjoying the glorious ancient architecture that you will pass during this tour, your knowledgeable and helpful local guide will lead you through the neighborhoods of Swayambhu and Saraswotithan. Highlight of this tour is Swayambhunath Temple, one of the holiest Buddhist stupas in Nepal, on a hilltop in the center of Kathmandu.Your guide will give you a better understanding of the place, especially when religious ceremonies are taking place.
Tour Options
Private Tour Swayambhunath
Duration: 3 hours
Private With Transportation
Vehicle with dedicated driver
Pick up from your hotel
Walking Tour at Swayambhunath
Itinerary
15 min
This will be our meeting point, in the heart of Thamel. It takes approximately 30 minutes to reach Bhagwan Pau.
Pass by
It is said that in the 13th century when Licchavi King Gunakamdev made Kathmandu city, he established eight Matrikas in the shape of Khadga. And this temple of Indrayani / Luti Ajima is one among them. On the Way we also go through the story How Indrayani got the another name Luti Ajima and the story of other Matrikas.
Pass by
Bijeshwori Temple is considered sacred to both Hindu and Buddhist followers. It is a significant pilgrimage for Tibetan Buddhists since the temple is affiliated to Buddhism. Some of the Hindu disciples also regard the place as a sacred Shaktipeeth. More during tours.
Admission included20 min
Bhagwan Pau as name for the feet of Lord Buddha is at the bottom of Swoyambhu hill, from where the main entrance which consists of 365 stairs begins. We will take a rest for a while, drink water and prepare ourselves to climb the 365 stairs to get to the top of the hill and explore SwayambhuNath Stupa.
Admission not included40 min
This is our main attraction. Swayambhunath, self originated one. We will explore this neighborhood and know about origination of Swayambhunath as well as kathmandu valley, also go through lore and legends about Manjushree, Basics about Buddhism like prayer flag and five elements, four noble truths, eightfold paths and thirteen steps to nirvana.
We will explore the various Shrines, Temples and stupas around the Swayambhu premises encircling the stupa itself.
Admission included5 min
You will explore the unique Nepalese pagoda style architecture of the Temple and our experienced tour guide will tell the story how the demon named Harati became Mother Harati and why people around the valley worship her.
Pass by
World Peace Pond is located on the western side of the Swayambhunath Temple . A brass statue of a Buddha standing on a Lotus flower is right in the middle of the pond. The words on the wall, written in English and Nepali, say May Peace Prevail On Earth.
Admission included15 min
A small temple dedicated to Maha Manjushree in Swayambhu Hill. We will go through legends about how Kathmandu Valley is turned into a city from a great lake and enjoy a panoramic view of western side of Kathmandu valley. From here we will climb down the swayambhu hill and go towards Amideva Buddha Park which houses 3 big Buddha Idols.
Admission included20 min
Amideva Buddha Park, featuring the 3 gigantic idols of Amitabha Buddha (Amideva) 67 Feet in center, Chenrezig and Padmasambhava 64 Feet in two sides. We will walk around this park and share the story of Siddhartha Gautam, who later became Gautam Buddha , Avalokitesvara and The Precious Master.
This is the last place we stop at before going around the Swoyambhu Hill towards Bhagwan Pau and back to Meeting point, where our tour ends.
Pass by
Shova Bhagawati is a holy shrine devoted to the goddess Bhagwati on the bank of the Bishnumati River in Kathmandu, Nepal. This temple is one of the four major Bhagwati temples in Kathmandu built in the Licchavi regime. More about religion and history during the tour.
30 min
From Bhagwan Pau we will walk back to Kathmandu Eco Hotel, Thamel, our Meeting point. If any travelers want to explore around the Swayambhu and want to walk back to the meeting Point on their own, they can end the tour at any point.
Highlights
English speaking guide
What's included
Included
English speaking guide
Not included
Coffee and/or Tea
Entrance fee Swayambhunath is 200 Rupees (about US$1.50) in cash paid directly to Temple authorities
Traveller Ratings
5.0
78 reviews
5
77
4
1
3
0
2
0
1
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Important Information
Service animals allowed
Public transportation options are available nearby
Not recommended for travelers with spinal injuries
Not recommended for pregnant travelers
Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
Travelers with severe asthma and knee problems are not advised to join the tour.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group take?
Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group lasts about 3 hours. The itinerary has 11 stops.
How much does Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group cost?
Prices start at $15 per person for this Kathmandu experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 3 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
Can I cancel Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group for free?
Yes. Cancel at least 1 day before the start for a full refund. Later cancellations are non-refundable.
Where does the tour start?
The meeting point is Your guide will be available 15 minutes before each meeting time with a sign "Meeting Point - Amazing Kathmandu".
Pumpernickel Bakery is centrally located in Thamel and has excellent offerings, including great coffee, all-day breakfasts, delicious cakes, gluten-free and vegan diets.. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
What languages is Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group offered in?
The experience is available in EN.
Is this a private or a group tour?
It is a small-group experience with a maximum of 5 participants.
Will my booking be confirmed immediately?
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Is Monkey Temple - Swayambhunath Tour - Private/Small Group worth it?
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 78 verified reviews; it is run by Amazing Kathmandu Tours. Most-mentioned highlights: English speaking guide.
Reviews(78)
S
S4195BYveronicat
September 6, 2026
An amazing tour and time with Sandip!
I honestly couldn’t recommend taking a tour with Sandip enough! Within minutes of meeting him, I knew I was going to have an amazing time. It genuinely felt less like I was on a guided tour and more like I was exploring Kathmandu with a friend.
Sandip is incredibly knowledgeable and so passionate about Buddhism, and the history & culture of Nepal. He has an amazing personality, a great sense of humor, and made the entire experience so enjoyable. We walked through the city while he shared the history of Kathmandu, stopped for a drink along the way, and then prepared ourselves for the stairs up to Swayambhunath Temple!
Once we reached the top, we took some time to sit and talk while Sandip explained the history of the temples, the meaning behind the symbols, and the significance of everything around us. And just a heads up—there will be a quiz later, so make sure you have your listening ears on! 😂
I absolutely loved this experience and had such an amazing time. I feel incredibly grateful that I got to experience Swayambhunath with Sandip as my guide. His knowledge, humor, and passion made the experience truly special, and I would 100% recommend him to anyone visiting Kathmandu! You will not regret it!!
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Namaste Veronica and thanks for your fantastic review. Wow, Sandip clearly found his perfect tour companion! Exploring Kathmandu with a friend for a day is exactly the experience we hope to create, and your review captures that beautifully. We’ll make sure Sandip reads this, although his quiz may become even harder now!
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
K
KSANRaleigh_NC
August 2, 2026
Swayambhunath Temple
Great tour, learned so much! You will not be disappointed if you visit
Operator response
Namaste and thanks for your review. Great to hear you learned so much at Swayambhunath. There is a lot more to the Monkey Temple than the monkeys and the views!
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
3
308drewr
August 2, 2026
Monkey Tempke
We had a great tour with Sandip! He was a lot of fun and showed us so much on our tour. He was so knowledgeable and passionate about the history. I would highly recommend booking this!
Operator response
Namaste Drew and thanks for your review. Wonderful to hear you had such a great time with Sandip. His passion for Nepal’s history combined with plenty of fun is exactly the experience we love to offer.
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
S
Storyteller813579
August 1, 2026
Highly recommend this tour!
We had a wonderful day with Sandip. Our meeting spot was easy and our walk to the temple was really nice. We stopped for a beverage before climbing the stairs and then Sandip gave us a thorough background of the temples and the meanings of many things we had been wondering about. He flexed the tours based on our interests and we ended up learning a lot.
He was also very funny and made us feel comfortable the entire day.
We highly recommend this tour!
Wear good shoes - close to 10,000 steps from the meeting spot to up and down the steps at the temple - and 365 steps to reach the top. The monkeys are also adorable!
Operator response
Namaste Mikki and thanks for your review. Sounds like you and Sandip had a fantastic day! We love tours where interests lead the way, with plenty of stories, laughs and, at Swayambhunath, quite a few steps and monkeys.
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
R
rhyleyb2026
July 6, 2026
Positive experience
Very thorough and positive experience! My guide, Santosh, was excellent!
Operator response
Namaste Rhyley and thanks for your review. Great to hear you had such a positive experience with Santosh and enjoyed exploring Swayambhunath together.
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
J
Jemma L
July 4, 2026
I had such an amazing day with Sandip!
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I had such an amazing day with Sandip! From the moment we met, he made me feel welcome and shared so much knowledge about Nepal, Buddhism and the history behind the places we visited. It felt like exploring with a friend rather than being on a tour.
Sandip was kind, patient and happy to answer all of my endless questions! 😄 He made sure I experienced the real Kathmandu, and I came away with memories I’ll treasure forever.
If you’re visiting Nepal, I can’t recommend Sandip highly enough. Thank you for such a wonderful day. I’ll definitely be booking with you again when I’m back! 🙏🇳🇵✨
1 people found this helpful
Operator response
Namaste Jemma and thanks for your review. Exploring Kathmandu with a friend rather than feeling like you're on a tour, that's exactly what we aim for. Sandip will love reading this! We look forward to seeing you again in Nepal.
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
A
A1123ZCelizabethd
May 25, 2026
Kathmandu Monkey Temple and Pashupathinath
Great experience- v knowledgeable guide who explained very well what I was looking at!
Operator response
Namaste Elizabeth and thanks for your review. Great to hear your guide helped make sense of everything you were seeing. There is so much history, symbolism and culture behind Kathmandu’s temples!
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
S
Stephen_E
May 21, 2026
Good Tour.
Great tour, the animal life is interesting and the site itself also very nice. Just be aware if you have trouble climbing steps this is not for you. However, if you can walk up a lot of steps it is well worth it.
Operator response
Namaste Stephen and thanks for your review. Swayambhunath is such a fun mix of monkeys, local life and incredible valley views, especially once you conquer those famous steps 😄 Happy to hear you felt it was worth the climb.
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
C
Connie B
May 14, 2026
Hire Sandip! Great guide Fun and informative
This was a fabulous experience walking our way to the temple. Sandip provided great information enjoyable and knowledgeable !
Operator response
Namaste Connie and thanks for your review. Love hearing you enjoyed the walk up to Swayambhunath with Sandip. The Monkey Temple always feels extra special when the stories, energy, and climb all come together. Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
1
144cates
May 2, 2026
Outstanding view- monkeys are sweet and nurturing.
Loved all the Monkeys, the temples, the prayer flags. Vendors were friendly and helped us to make a good purchase. The view from the vista was outstanding!!
Operator response
So great to hear, Swayambhunath has that perfect mix of energy, views and playful monkeys. Sounds like you really soaked it all in, from the temples to the buzzing local vibe.
Please share your Nepal experience with friends and family, we'd love to welcome them here.
Cheers,
Menno
Amazing Kathmandu Tours
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