Hike. Sarangkot-Kaskikot

TLDR;

• Do it yourself or with a guide.
• Flexible day Hike. Between 1-5 hours, based on how long you want to go.
• Don't forget to carry a bottle of water.
• Maps. The hiking trail really starts from Sarangkot Mountain Lodge, feel free to ask the staff there if you can't find the beginning.
  

Walking through the forest, overlooking the distant green hills.

Sarangkot-Kaskikot ridge extending up to Lumle is a stretch that is the the rainiest place in all of Nepal. That is to say that it's full of nature, which makes it a great hiking trail. Perhaps the most special feature of this trail is that it stays relatively flat but since you'll be walking mostly on the top of the hill (or mountain, as some would like to call), you'll get great views throughout the hike.

If you want to do this hike on your own, which is totally doable, please take a look at the hiking trail map we have built on top of Google Maps. If you use GPS and follow the map, you should be fine. Note that the hiking trail really starts from Sarangkot Mountain Lodge. Upon reaching the lodge, you can ask the staff if you are not able to locate the start of the trail. They'll gladly assist you. If you want to do a guided tour to get the best hiking experience and to support local guide, that's an excellent option too, available for a charge of NPR 2500. Please talk to the receptionist or contact us via email/WhatsApp us to make a booking.

One of the other highlights of this hike, besides the nature, is the historic Kaskikot palace. Although the palace is more like a temple now than a fort, the significance of this place in Nepal's monarchial history is great. The ruler of Kaskikot, Kulamandan Shah is regarded as the founder of the Shah dynasty in Nepal whose last king was Gyanendra Shah until monarchy ended in Nepal in 2008. At the time of Kulamandan shah's ruling, it is believed that Sarangkot used to be one of the major army bases of the Kaskikot kingdom. In fact, the name Sarangkot comes from its history of being the battleground for playing "Sarang" (which is a Nepali word for a kind of sword fighting game).