Kathmandu is a fascinating, crowded city, sometimes even infuriating. But if you really want to experience its secret surroundings, you have to put aside a couple of days and explore lesser-known sights. If you are a newcomer to Nepal, you’ll likely stay in the tourist quarter of Thamel. From there, you can easily visit Durbar Square or the sacred sites of Pashupatinath and Boudhanath. However, when the constant buzz of the city becomes overwhelming, cycling in Kathmandu toward the peaceful Swayambhunath and Ichangu Narayan temples offers a refreshing escape.

On my third day in Kathmandu, I rented a bike in Chhetrapati Paknajol, a neighborhood close to Thamel. The shop owner handed me a mandatory helmet and a sturdy chain to lock the bike whenever I stopped. The first three hundred meters felt like pure chaos—I almost felt like I was cycling through hell. Taxis, rickshaws, uneven roads, and pedestrians moving unpredictably nearly discouraged me. Still, I pushed on, realizing that cycling in Kathmandu requires patience, alertness, and a bit of courage.

At Chhetrapati Chowk, I turned right and made my way toward the Bishnumati River. To cross the busy street, I had to dismount and carefully walk the bike to the other side. It took nearly ten minutes to navigate through the traffic. Once across, I continued more calmly along Swayambhunath Marg. Although I was drenched in sweat while pedaling uphill toward the parking area near the Buddhist complex, I began to truly appreciate the experience of cycling in Kathmandu, where every challenge is rewarded with a sense of achievement and discovery.

The path up to Ichangu Narayan. Photo: Iuliana Marchian.

Swayambhunath, or the Monkey Temple, is a Buddhist architectural complex, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is located on a hilltop and has a large, white, and imposing stupa. Monkeys live there, and when I got there, they were running all over, entering the shrines and eating the offerings (flowers, fruit, or rice), or scratching themselves and each other. They seemed aggressive if anyone tried to get close to them, but they were sweet if you just wanted to look at them.

After I left Swayambhunath, I cycled to the busy, crowded, and confusing Ring Road of Kathmandu. At Amideva Buddha Park, where three imposing Buddha statues are a good landmark, I crossed the street and asked for directions to Ichangu Narayan. A shop owner pointed me to a bumpy dirt road and wished me ‘good luck.’

The path was constantly uphill, and I often had to get off the bike because the road was too steep. The road passed through small villages, and at a bend, I had an overwhelming panoramic view of Kathmandu. An old Nepali couple, with whom I walked for a while, smiled at me with understanding and tried to show me something down in Kathmandu. However, we weren’t able to communicate more than that. But I was happy that they nodded when I  pointed up the road and asked ‘Ichangu Narayan?’ I left behind the urban murmur, asked for directions at every crossroads, and soon I found myself cycling along a country road, flanked on one side by green rice paddies. The road was not steep anymore; it passed traditional Nepali houses and small shrines, and eventually I reached Ichangu Narayan.

Ichangu Narayan Temple. Photo: Iuliana Marchian

Ichangu Narayan is a small village near Kathmandu, not more than five kilometers from Swayambhunath, and it is situated at the back of a valley, dotted with rural households and agricultural plots of land. In the center of the village, I found the temple compound in an old courtyard with many ancient Garuda statues. The temple is dedicated to Bishnu in his incarnation as Narayan, and it is built of wood in the pagoda style, with rafters and reinforcements carved with deities, and later on, colorfully painted.

When I got there, the Ichangu Narayan temple seemed deserted. A couple of Nepalis came to worship: they rang the bell to let God know they were there, made a tikka on the forehead with red paint from the statues, and walked quickly clockwise around the temple. I was the only tourist, and I liked that the place had a serene and peaceful atmosphere, suitable for a picnic break after a steep cycle. If the ride up to the temple was demanding, the way back was an easy freewheel, and I reached the city in less than one hour, more quickly than I expected.

Visiting both Ichangu Narayan and Swayambunath is a good combination for a cycling day, or even a half-day trip, near Kathmandu. Swayambunath is a Buddhist stupa, situated on a hilltop, and is a tourist spot, whereas Ichangu Narayan has a Hindu Temple, and is located in the middle of the Nepali countryside.

Top image by Graham Bland.