Changu Narayan: The Oldest Temple in the Valley

Changu Narayan stands on a hilltop north-east of Bhaktapur and is, by almost any measure, the oldest Hindu temple in the Kathmandu Valley. It is also, on most days, close to empty.

Why it matters

In the courtyard stands a stone pillar carrying an inscription dated to the fifth century, in the reign of the Licchavi king Manadeva. It is the earliest documented inscription in the valley and one of the earliest pieces of written Nepalese history.

Around it, the plinths and struts carry stone and wood sculpture of extraordinary quality — the Garuda kneeling before Vishnu, the Vishnu Vikranta relief, the Narasimha figure — as good as anything in the valley, inches from your face with no glass in between.

The finest stone carving in Nepal is standing unguarded on a hilltop, with four other people here.

The walk up

The proper approach is on foot from Bhaktapur, through the village of Changu, which takes about an hour at an easy pace. The path climbs gently through farmland and past a small hilltop shrine, with the temple appearing above the treeline on the last stretch.

A road also reaches the temple and taxis will take you there, but the walk is the better half of the visit.

When to go

Morning light falls on the east face of the temple, where most of the sculpture is. The hilltop also catches the afternoon sun well into the evening, so a late visit is rewarding too.

Combine it with Bhaktapur: walk up in the morning, return for lunch inside the old town.

Allow half a day including the walk. There is a small entry fee.