Manakamana Temple Tour
A journey shaped by the landscapes, people and experiences of Nepal.
Offered by Nexus Travel & Tours Pvt. Ltd.
NEPAL · TRAVEL EXPERIENCES
Discover the journey
Manakamana Temple is a temple dedicated to Goddess Bhagawati, one of the reincarnations of Goddess Parvati. The word Mana means ‘heart’ and Kamana means ‘to wish’. It is believed that one can fulfill their wishes by worshipping in this temple. The temple is situated in Gorkha district about 140 km southwest of Kathmandu. The temple sits on a mountain ridge at an altitude of 1302m. A scenic cable car ride directly takes you to the top to the temple from Kurintar, the nearest point on Prithivi Highway. The temple is an impressive built in Pagoda style and is surrounded by hills covered with magnolia and birch forests. The temple is particularly vibrant during the festivals of Dashain (Sep-Oct) and Nag Panchami (July-August) when devotees make animal sacrifices. Visitors can enjoy beautiful views of Annapurna and Manaslu Himalayan ranges from the temple. The legend of Manakamana Goddess dates back to the reign of the Gorkha king Ram Shah during the 17th century. It is said that his queen possessed divine powers, which only her devotee Lakhan Thapa knew about. One day, the king witnessed his queen in Goddess incarnation and Lakhan Thapa in the figure of a lion. Upon mentioning the revelation to his queen, a mysterious death befell the king. As per the custom the queen committed SATI (ritual immolation) on her husband’s funeral pyre. Before her sati the queen had assured Lakhan Thapa that she would reappear in the near future. Six months later, a farmer while ploughing his fields cleaved a stone. From the stone he saw a stream of blood and milk flow. When Lakhan heard an account of this event, he immediately started performing Hindu tantric rituals at the site where the stone had been discovered thus ceasing the flow of blood and milk. The site became the foundation of the present shrine. According to tradition, the priest at the temple must be a descendent of Lakhan Thapa.
Journey at a glance
Day 1: Drive from Kathmandu to Kurintar takes about 4 hrs then take cable car from Kurintar to Manakamana Temple. Return to Kathmandu the same day. — After breakfast, take an early morning drive from Kathmandu to Kurintar along Prithivi Highway. Take in the beautiful scenery of green hills, rivers, villages and distant snow mountains. After reaching Kurintar, take a 10 minutes cable car ride that will take you up to Mankamana Temple. Enjoy the scenery of sprawling valley below and sparkling mountain peaks in the likes of Annapurna II, Manaslu, Lamjung Himal, Baudha Himal etc. Have lunch at one of the many restaurants near the temple. Afterwards take the cable ride again back to Kurintar and from there drive back to Kathmandu.
Day-by-day itinerary
Day 1Drive from Kathmandu to Kurintar takes about 4 hrs then take cable car from Kurintar to Manakamana Temple. Return to Kathmandu the same day. —
Confirm daily arrangements with the provider.
What's included in your experience
Included
- Transportation from Kathmandu to Kurintar by Deluxe Tourist Bus
- Lunch & breakfast during the trip
- Cable Car fee
Not included
- Personal nature expenses
- Tips
- Lunch and dinner in Kathmandu
- Entrance fees while sightseeing
Essential trip information
Accommodation
Hotel
Fitness & eligibility
3
Meeting point
Kathmandu
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