Ichangu Narayan Temple

Around the Kathmandu Valley

About 3km northwest of Swayambhunath, Ichangu Narayan is one of several important temples dedicated to Vishnu in his incarnation as Narayan, the ‘eternal man’. Built in the two-tiered pagoda style, the temple was founded in around AD 1200 and its courtyard is dotted with ancient Garuda statues and other Vaishnavite symbols. The complex was shaken by the 2015 earthquake, but most structures have been stabilised and repaired.

Microvans (route 23) go to Ichangu Narayan (Rs 25) about every half hour from Kathmandu's Ratna Park or New Road Gate (near the Nepal Airlines office). They stop at the Aadeswor Temple, from where you have to walk about 2km to the temple. A taxi from Thamel to Ichangu Narayan costs Rs 500.

Suggest an edit to this attraction

Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Hanuman Dhoka
3.21 MILES
Kathmandu's royal palace, known as the Hanuman Dhoka, was originally founded during the Licchavi period (4th to 8th centuries AD), but the compound was…
Golden Temple (Kwa Bahal)
5.29 MILES
This unique Buddhist monastery is just north of Durbar Sq. It was allegedly founded in the 12th century, and it has existed in its current form since 1409…
Golden Gate
10.84 MILES
The magnificent Golden Gate is a visual highlight of Durbar Sq. Set into a bright red gatehouse surrounded by white palace walls, the fabulous golden…
Boudhanath Stupa
6.04 MILES
The first stupa at Boudhanath was built sometime after AD 600, when the Tibetan king, Songtsen Gampo, converted to Buddhism. In terms of grace and purity…
Itum Bahal
3.15 MILES
The long, rectangular courtyard of the Itum Bahal is the largest bahal (Buddhist monastery courtyard) in the old town and remains a haven of tranquillity…
Nyatapola Temple
10.91 MILES
You should be able to see the sky-high rooftop of the Nyatapola Temple long before you reach Taumadhi Tole. With five storeys towering 30m above the…
Garden of Dreams
3.3 MILES
The beautifully restored Swapna Bagaicha (Garden of Dreams) remains one of the most serene and beautiful enclaves in Kathmandu. It's two minutes' walk and…
Swayambhunath Stupa
1.9 MILES
The Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the crowning glories of Kathmandu Valley architecture. This perfectly proportioned monument rises through a whitewashed…

View more attractions

Nearby Around the Kathmandu Valley attractions

1. Nagarjun Hill

1.07 MILES

Now formally part of Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park, Nagarjun Hill, also known as the Rani Ban (Queen’s Forest), is west of the main park, beside the…

2. Buddha Amideva Park

1.55 MILES

This compound frequented by Tibetan pilgrims contains three enormous shining golden statues of Sakyamuni Buddha, a four-armed Chenresig and Guru Rinpoche,…

3. Natural History Museum

1.82 MILES

Below Swayambhunath, on the road to the tourist parking, this neglected museum offers a faded but quirky collection of exhibits, including varnished…

4. Western Stupa

1.85 MILES

If you follow either path leading west from the main stupa, you will reach a smaller stupa near the tourist parking. Just behind is a gompa surrounded by…

5. Swayambhunath Stupa

1.9 MILES

The Swayambhunath Stupa is one of the crowning glories of Kathmandu Valley architecture. This perfectly proportioned monument rises through a whitewashed…

6. Stupa Platform

1.91 MILES

The great stupa is surrounded on all sides by a veritable sculpture garden of religious monuments. Several buildings were destroyed by the earthquake and…

7. Great Thunderbolt

1.92 MILES

At the top of the eastern stairway is an enormous, brass-plated dorje (thunderbolt), one of the core symbols of Tibetan Buddhism. Known as a vajra in…

8. Eastern Stairway

2 MILES

There are two ways to approach Swayambhunath Temple, but by far the most atmospheric is the stone pilgrim stairway that climbs the eastern end of the hill…

View more attractions

placement: superzone
path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],

targeting:

{
  "url": "nepal/the-northern-western-valley/attractions/ichangu-narayan-temple/a/poi-sig/1172140/1327509",
  "destination": "Around-the-Kathmandu-Valley",
  "continent": "Asia",
  "country": "Nepal",
  "region": "Around-the-Kathmandu-Valley",
  "position": "superzone"
}