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• Good experience and beautiful views, but unclear itinerary and some added expenses

  Sidney C,Aug 15, 2022

  - Review from Viator

  3.00

  The taxi and guide were very punctual picking us up right at 4:30, however, there were some navigation issues and we missed the sunrise by about twenty minutes, so the pick up time should have been earlier. After going to the viewpoint, we were taken to a hotel with a very scenic view overlooking Kathmandu valley. We arrived at the hotel around 6am and were given coffee, but then sat for about 30 minutes before being offered breakfast. We were asked when we wanted to start our hike and we said 7am, but we didn't end up leaving the hotel until 7:30am. There was a lot of sitting around and waiting and confusion about what was happening or what the plan was. We then drove another 30 minutes to the start of the hiking trail and began to hike at 8:00am. It took us about 90 minutes to reach the temple, maybe longer if you have a slower pace. However, it was more of a walk than a hike. The first half was in a forest and was very pretty. The second half was through some smaller villages, which was also interesting, but not a nature hike if that's what you are looking for. It was nice however that there were stores for water or snacks along the way if you need. Once we reached the temple, we had to pay 350 rupees each (as of August 2022) to get inside, which was not included in the tour price. The temple itself was interesting to see, but is currently under construction and supposedly will be for the next 4 to 5 years, according to the guide, so there was a lot of scaffolding that somewhat obstructed the building. You can probably only spend 5-10 minutes walking around the temple, but there are also some small tourist and souvenir shops in the town if you want to browse. At this point it was just before 10am and we waited a bit before taking the 10:30am local bus back to Bhaktapur. It didn't bother us and we quite liked getting an authentic experience of Nepali public transport, but good for others to know that it's quite crowded and not the most comfortable ride. We arrived in Bhaktapur around 11:00am and then our guide lead us to the Durbar Square at which point we parted ways. Also good to know that if you want to go into the Durbar Square, the entry fee for foreigners is $15 which was also not included in the tour price. Lastly, we got our own taxi back to our hotel, which was another 1000 rupees. Overall, it was a fun experience and the views were amazing, however you're mainly paying for the transport from your hotel to the view point, and a guide to lead you from the hotel to the temple, without any additional commentary. This would be ideal for people that are more independent and just need someone to show them the way. But also good to note that this might explain the cheaper price for this tour compared to others that offer similar experiences, as well as the fact that transportation back is not included. Everyone was kind and respectful and despite our not fully understanding the itinerary, we had a great time.