Shivapuri National Park

Overview

The 159-square-kilometer Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park is located on the northern outskirts of Kathmandu Valley, roughly 12 kilometers from the city center. In 2002, the area was designated as the country’s ninth national park. Prior to its designation as a national park, the Shivapuri Watershed Development Board administered the area, which was later renamed Shivapuri Watershed and Wildlife Reserve.

From Kathmandu, the park is easily accessible. The park attracts visitors who want to go hiking. The park is also crossed by trekking routes to Nagarkot, Gosaikunda, Helambu, and Langtang National Parks. Several Hindu and Buddhist religious sites are located within the park. Pilgrims from the Kathmandu valley and surrounding areas flock to the park’s Baghdwar and Bishnudwar, where the sacred rivers Bagmati and Bishnumatii originate, on Nepalese New Year’s Day, which falls in mid-April. From the park’s northern reaches, visitors can enjoy stunning vistas of the high Himalayas. Similarly, the park’s southern hills provided panoramic views of the Kathmandu valley.