2 Days Hiking to Dhulihel & Panauti from Kathmandu

Dhulikhel is located 30 kilometers (18.6 miles) southeast of Kathmandu, with an altitude of 1,550m (5,085ft) above sea level. It is a popular small town, where over 20 Himalayan peaks could be viewed, including the mountains of Annapurna (8,091m/26,545ft), Lhotse (8,561m/28,087ft), Ganesh Himal (7,429m/24,373ft) and Gaurishanker (7,134m/23,405ft). The magnificent Himalayan scenery there can match to Nagarkot. Therefore, it is a very nice place for hiking and trekking, as well as exploring the ancient temples and the beautiful Newari villages.

From Kathmandu to Dhulikhel, you can book a taxi to drive you there, which takes approx 45 minutes along the Araniko Highway and costs around USD25. If you want to experience the local travel service, you can take the local bus from the Ratna Park Bus Station in Kathmandu, also known as the Old Bus Park. The bus leaves for Dhulikhel in every 10-15 minutes and takes approx 1.5 hours on the way.

Upon arrival at the town of Dhulikhel, your independent hiking trip will begin. You will first hike to the Namo Buddha Monastery, which is 13 kilometers (8 miles) to Dhulikhel and takes around 4 hours on the way. The starting point is the Dhulikhel Buspark, from where you could follow the trail to Kavrebhanjyang via Devistan Mandir, until coming to the Araniko Highway, then you will walk along the Namo Buddha road for half an hour, and finally hike through the villages and Fucheche Gumba to reach the monastery. Another hiking route is Dhulikhel - Kali Temple - Villages of Kavre and Phulbari - Namo Buddha.

The Namo Buddha Monastery is one of the three major Buddhist pilgrimage sites in the Kathmandu Valley. The other two are the Boudhanath Stupa and the Swayabhunath Stupa. It is also the holy place where the Buddha, in a previous life as a prince, sacrificed his body in order to feed a hungry tigress and her cubs. If you happen to visit this monastery in the afternoon, you will witness the chanting of the monks at around 15:00. Travelers are attracted to this monastery not only because of its brilliant and artistic architecture, but also for its breathtaking views of the majestic mountains and peaks of the Himalayas, covered with snow. Some will stay here for one night to enjoy both sunset and sunrise views. It is really a nice place, quiet and pure.

There are many food options in the area of the Namo Buddha, so you can have your lunch here. After lunch, continue to hike to the Balthali village, which needs another 3 to 4 hours on the way. You will pass the beautiful villages, observe the traditional lifestyle, enjoy the landscape of the terraced fields, cross the bridge over the Roshi River, and finally climb up through a nice jungle trail for 15 minutes to reach the Balthali Village. Although the hiking trails are all dirt roads with up and down slopes, the enchanting countryside scenery makes the journey rewarding.

There are guest houses, village resorts and mountain resorts in and around the Balthali. You can book one online beforehand for a one-night stay here. After a long hiking day, you really need to have a good rest tonight.

Pay attention to the weather forecast. If it is a clear day, it is worthwhile to get up early to enjoy the splendid sunrise view over the Himalayan peaks. After that, enjoy your breakfast and then start your today's hiking trip.

First, you will visit the Balthali, which is an ethnic village surrounded by terraced fields and dense woods, standing at the altitude of 1,730m (5,675 ft). Then, you will hike for around 40 minutes up to a small hill, where a typical Tamang village called Dada Gaun is located. It is a traditional Buddhist community secluded from the world. People here still keep their ancient traditions and cultures and live side by side with animals harmoniously. You can also visit a local family house to learn more about their life. Continue to walk to Pada Gaun (2,100m/6,889ft), which is a great place to view the whole Himalayan range to the north and the beautiful forest of Mahabharat on the other side. Additionally, if you are a bird's watcher, you can also explore different kinds of birds here.

Afterwards, you will hike from Balthali to the Newari town of Panauti. The whole journey takes around 2 hours. Find the tail back to the bridge over the Roshi River, cross the bridge and then hike through a pine forest. About 50 minutes later, you will cross another suspension bridge, which will lead you to the town of Khopasi. Continue on the main road to Panauti.

Surrounded by green hills and holy rivers, Panauti is one of the oldest towns in Nepal. There are many historic architecture and temples with exquisite wood carvings built in around the 15th century. Wandering around this spiritual town through alleyways, you will feel like you are traversing to the old time as there was very little change here in centuries. The sites we recommend you to visit are the Panauti Durbar Square, the Indreshwar Mahadev Temple - a UNSCO tentative site, the Museum and the Bansha Gopal Krishna Temple. You could also have a late lunch today in Panauti to taste authentic Newari food or the popular Nepali Dal Baht, a dish made of lentils and rice.

After the exploration in Panauti, your independent hiking trip will draw to an end. To return to Kathmandu, which is 36 kilometers (22 miles) away, the following information will help.

By Taxi: 
There are taxies around the bus park in Panauti. Usually, it takes one hour to drive you back to Kathmandu and costs around USD25 per cab.

By Bus: 
Take a local bus at the bus park in Panauti. It is available every 15 minutes and the last one leaving Panauti is at 17:30 (maybe 17:00 in winter). It needs 1.5 to 2 hours on the way and the terminal is Kathmandu's Ratna Park Bus Station. The bus ticket is NPR 80 per person.