Chandragiri & Northwest Rim
The quieter northwestern wall of the Kathmandu Valley — Chandragiri, Kakani, and Suryachaur with open Ganesh Himal views.
Trails
2
Best Season
October-December, February-April
How to Get There
Chandragiri trailhead at Thankot (25 minutes from central Kathmandu). Kakani trailhead at Kakani Bazaar off the Prithvi Highway (45 minutes). Both reachable by local bus.
Permit Information
No permits required.
The northwestern rim of the Kathmandu Valley is the quiet counterpart to the crowded eastern Nagarkot ridge. Chandragiri (2,551m) crowns the southwestern corner above Thankot, and the ridge continues north through Kakani (2,073m) toward Suryachaur — a chain of viewpoints looking straight at Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, Manaslu, and Annapurna.
The area mixes forest hiking with traditional Tamang and Chhetri villages, trout farms and strawberry orchards around Kakani, and a modern cable car to the Chandragiri summit. Outside weekends it sees a fraction of the foot traffic of the southern and eastern rims, making it a favourite for residents seeking a quiet Himalayan view close to home.
Trailheads are scattered along the old Prithvi Highway corridor and the Kakani spur road, all within an hour of central Kathmandu by taxi.
Trails in Chandragiri & Northwest Rim
- 01Kakani Viewpoint Hike6 km2.5 hrs→
- ★Chandragiri Hills10 km5 hrs→
Location
Elsewhere in this region
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