Where is Dakshinkali and Pharping?

Dakshinkali and Pharping is in Kathmandu district, Bagmati Province, in the Pahad belt of Nepal.

What is the altitude of Dakshinkali and Pharping?

About 1,400 m (4,593 ft) above sea level.

How much does it cost to visit Dakshinkali and Pharping?

Dakshinkali and Pharping is in or right next to Kathmandu, so it is an easy day visit. Budget for a taxi there and back (about NPR 600–1,500, US$5–11) and meals (NPR 1,000–2,500, US$8–19 per person). If you stay in Kathmandu, rooms cost about NPR 1,500 / US$11–NPR 4,500 / US$33 a night.

How many days do I need for Dakshinkali and Pharping?

Half a day to a full day is enough; it is a short ride from central Kathmandu.

Do I need a permit or ticket for Dakshinkali and Pharping?

No special permit or ticket is normally needed.

When is the best time to visit Dakshinkali and Pharping?

Saturdays for Dakshinkali; Dashain

How do I get to Dakshinkali and Pharping?

About 1 hour south of Kathmandu by road. It is about 17 km (straight line) from Kathmandu.

Dakshinkali and Pharping

Name: Dakshinkali and Pharping
Address: Kathmandu, Bagmati Province, NP

Temple & shrine Pahad1 min readUpdated: October 2026

In Nepali: दक्षिणकाली र फर्पिङ

Dakshinkali and Pharping, Kathmandu — Photo: Wikimedia Commons

A goddess temple in a forest ravine where sacrifices are offered, and nearby Pharping's caves of Guru Rinpoche.

Dakshinkali, at the southern edge of the valley, is one of the most important temples of the goddess Kali. On Saturdays and Tuesdays, and above all during Dashain, devotees bring animals for sacrifice at the shrine at the bottom of a wooded gorge.

The village of Pharping just above is a major Buddhist pilgrimage place: Guru Padmasambhava is said to have attained enlightenment in the Asura and Yanglesho caves here, and monasteries and prayer flags cover the hillside. The Shesh Narayan temple and its ponds are also nearby.

What to see and do

At Dakshinkali, watch the rituals from the viewing area above the shrine, then walk up to Pharping to visit the Asura cave and Yanglesho (Shesh Narayan) cave, the Pharping monasteries and the pretty Shesh Narayan temple with its ponds. The drive passes Chobhar and the Bagmati valley.

Good to know

Saturdays are extremely crowded at Dakshinkali. Animal sacrifices take place; if this may upset you, visit Pharping only. Non-Hindus may not enter the inner shrine.

Quick answers

Where is Dakshinkali and Pharping?: Dakshinkali and Pharping is in Kathmandu district, Bagmati Province, in the Pahad belt of Nepal.
What is the altitude of Dakshinkali and Pharping?: About 1,400 m (4,593 ft) above sea level.
How much does it cost to visit Dakshinkali and Pharping?: Dakshinkali and Pharping is in or right next to Kathmandu, so it is an easy day visit. Budget for a taxi there and back (about NPR 600–1,500, US$5–11) and meals (NPR 1,000–2,500, US$8–19 per person). If you stay in Kathmandu, rooms cost about NPR 1,500 / US$11–NPR 4,500 / US$33 a night.
How many days do I need for Dakshinkali and Pharping?: Half a day to a full day is enough; it is a short ride from central Kathmandu.
Do I need a permit or ticket for Dakshinkali and Pharping?: No special permit or ticket is normally needed.
When is the best time to visit Dakshinkali and Pharping?: Saturdays for Dakshinkali; Dashain
How do I get to Dakshinkali and Pharping?: About 1 hour south of Kathmandu by road. It is about 17 km (straight line) from Kathmandu.
What is Dakshinkali and Pharping called in Nepali?: दक्षिणकाली र फर्पिङ