Forest Walk
The Gokarna Forest trail winds its way through the pristine 740 acre Reserve Forest. This is the last preserved natural forest (the wall was built around the forest in 1862 AD) of Kathmandu valley representing what existed over 500 years ago, with trees up to 200 years old. On your walk, you may pass some holy sites of worship such as the Bandevi, Siddhashram Cave, Kanti Bhairav temple, Padamamukteshwor temple, Pingala Yogini, Saptarshi Tirtha, Bhimsen/Saraswati temple, Taleju Bhawani temple and another Kanti Bhairav temple at an old Gokarna village and the reputed Gokarneshwor Mahadev temple. Gokarna is also a sacred place for the Kathmandu valley and where our forefathers worshiped. A walk through this bastion of primitive innocence is a powerful and revitalising experience.
Time: 1 hour approx.
USD 10 per person
Route: Starting from Nag Isthan, you climb into the forest from
behind the 9th tee and follow a wandering route through canopied
hilltops, passing the Bandevi shrine on your way. From here you
have a choice. One is ending up at the 14th tee, descending some
old steps that were used by the elephants to get up and down the
hill and walk back through the golf course to the clubhouse. The
other route takes you to behind the 7th tee and walk back through
the golf course to Nag Isthan.
Time: 2 hours approx.
USD 15 per person
Route:
Starting from the golf clubhouse, you climb into the forest
from behind the 9th tee and follow a wandering route through
canopied hilltops, passing the Bandevi shrine on your way. From
here you have a choice. One route takes Uttarbahini via Thapa’s
clan deity descending steps. The other route takes you to behind
the 7th tee, where you can slip out of a small door in the wall to see
Siddhashram cave and Panchamukhi Hanuman image and visit the
Kanti Bhairav temple and Padmamukteshwor temple on the bank
of the sacred Bagmati river (where the Bagmati river flows North
from the South and is so known as Uttarbahini), just outside
Gokarna Forest and walk back through the golf course to
clubhouse.
Time: 3 hour approx.
USD 20 per person
Route: Starting from behind the Hunter’s Lodge, you descend to the
2nd green and you walk towards the 9th tee. From here you have a
choice. One route takes you to the historical Gokarna village (you
will see temples like Taleju Bhawani and Kanti Bhairav etc) via
Bandevi climbing into the forest from behind the 9th tee and
follows a wandering route through canopied hilltops, passing the
Bandevi shrine on your way. Descending from the village via
Bhimsen/Saraswati temple to Saptarshi Tirtha, Pingala Yogini and
Uttarbahini you can see Kanti Bhairav and Padmamukteshwor
temple on the way, on the banks of the holy Bagmati river. You can
slip in of a small door in the wall, Just inside Gokarna Forest, can
see Siddhashram cave and Panchamukhi Hanuman sculpture and
walk back through the golf course to the Clubhouse or Hunter’s
Lodge as per your choice.
The other route takes you towards the Uttarbahini via the golf course from the 9th tee. The walk takes you past Pingala Yogini nearby a school, Saptarshi Tirtha, on the banks of the Bagmati river. From Saptarshi Tirtha you climb to old Gokarna village via Bhimsen/Saraswati temple or from the entrance gate of the village. And come back to The Clubhouse or Hunter Lodge via Bandevi to golf course.
Time: 4 hour approx.
USD 25 per person
Route: Starting from the Clubhouse you walk towards the 9th tee.
From here you have a choice. One route takes you to the historical
Gokarna village where you can see temples like Taleju Bhawani and
Kanti Bhairav etc via Bandevi climbing into the forest from behind
the 9th tee and follows a wandering route through canopied
hilltops, passing the Bandevi shrine on your way. Descending from
the village via Bhimsen/Saraswati temple you come to the oldest
temple in the Kathmandu Valley, the Gokarneshwor Mahadev
temple where you can see many sculptures and other temples like
Parbati, Gadadhar Narayan, Shiva Meher Bal Bhakteshwor temple
etc, the first gorge of the holy Bagmati river at Gokarna and the
combination of three rivers named the holy Bagmati, Suryamati
and Chandramati, at the well known Uttar Gaya. Then you come
back through Saptarshi Tirtha, Pingala Yogini and Uttarbahinis,
where you can see Kanti Bhairav and Padmamukteshwor temples
on the banks of the holy Bagmati river. Just inside Gokarna Forest,
you can see Siddhashram cave and Panchamukhi Hanuman
sculpture and walk back through the golf course to the Clubhouse
or Hunter’s Lodge as your wish.