Overview of Nagarkot

This village of Nagarkot is just a small collection of houses and guesthouses 20 mi/30 km east of Kathmandu. Although it barely exists, its location, atop the mountains ringing the Kathmandu Valley, gives it a unique perspective. On clear mornings October-May, you can see Mount Everest from Nagarkot. Though far off in the distance, the world's highest peak is still impressive—especially if you're not getting any closer and want to go home saying you've seen Everest. (No guarantees issued—dawn is your best chance to spot the mountain, but if it's a foggy morning, you'll be out of luck.) Visitors pass through Sankhu, 12 mi/20 km from Kathmandu, to reach the Vajra Jogini Temple, actually a complex of Hindu temples. See carvings of Hindu deities and a stone once used for sacrifices en route to the top of the hill, surrounded by trees. Two and three-tiered pagoda temples house shrines, and monkeys roam the buildings.