Dhulikhel (elevation 1550m) is a town of about 10,000 people on the eastern fringe of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. The town lies on the intersection of the Arkino Highway to Tibet (74km) and the B.P Highway to the Eastern Terai.

Dhulikhel skyline

Understand

There are good views of the Himalayas from Dhulikhel, possibly as good as those from Nagarkot, with one important difference: Dhulikhel is a real Newari town and has a village square lined with temples, not just infrastructure to accommodate tourists looking for good views.

Get In

• Buses from Kathmandu's Ratna Park bus station will take about two hours and cost less than NPR100. These buses pass through Bhaktapur on the way.
• Taxis from Bhaktapur will likely cost more than NPR1000. Expect to pay at least twice that from Kathmandu.
• Dhulikhel is on the Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking Trail. This trail starts in Sundarijal, a short bus or taxi ride from Kathmandu, and continues on to Chisapani (2,150m), 5.5h and then to Nagarkot (2,163m), 5-7.5h. Expect to hike between 4-7h between Nagarkot and Dhulikhel.

Get around

Dhulikhel is a small place, easily explored on foot.

See

• 1 Kali Temple. A Hindu temple located at the top of the hill in Dhulikhel providing a good viewpoint. This is a popular spot for locals on weekends. 
• Shiva Temple. A Hindu temple located at the bottom of a gorge somewhat over 2km south east of the village square. 
• 2 Narayan Temple. A Hindu temple to Vishnu near the centre of town 

Do

• Hiking - about 6h will get you to Namobuddha and back to Dhulikhel. The route starts in the same direction as the walk to the Kali Temple. The route is well signed. Once you arrive in Namobuddha, you might want to visit the Tibetan monastery on the hill above the town.

Buy

There is a Nabil Bank ATM in the centre of town at the junction of BP Highway and the Araniko Highway.

There is no place to change currencies in town.

Eat

There are few independent places to eat in town. Most people will choose to eat at their hotel or lodge.

• Newa Kitchen (close to the bus stop). Offers International and Nepali menu items. Dishes from NPR80-300. 

Sleep

• Panorama View Lodge, Dhulikhel Height, Dhulikhel-1, Kavre, Nepal (Follow the road through Dhulikhel, there is a sign at the bottom of the dirt road that leads to the top of the hill and the lodge), ☏ +977 11-680786. Check-in: 2pm, check-out: 12pm. Located near the top of the hill in Dhulikhel on the dirt road up to the Kali Temple. There is a restaurant with local and western foods which is popular for passing Nepali people on weekends. There are seven rooms, four downstairs with balconies, three upstairs next to the rooftop area. Clean bathrooms with hot showers. On a clear day there are views of the Himalayas towards Everest, otherwise still impressive views over the valley below. Room price includes breakfast; price can be bargained lower without breakfast. Rooms from NPR1000. 
• Shiva Guesthouse (close to the Shiva Temple). Rooms from NPR300-700. 
• Nawaranga Guest House (On the road towards the Post Office). Also has a restaurant. Rooms with shared bathroom NPR200-250. 

Go next

If you are hiking the Kathmandu Valley Cultural Trekking Trail, you can continue from Dhulikhel to Namobuddha and from there on to Panauti. The hike to Namobuddha will take approximately 3h and an additional 2.5-3h to reach Panauti. This village has several temples and is considered a particularly sacred spot being at the junction of two rivers as well as a third invisible river, the Padmabati.

• Namobuddha is a 3h hike from Dhulikhel. The town has a large stupa which is one of the three most important pilgrimage sites for Buddhists in Nepal. The Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Monastery sits on the hilltop overlooking the town.
• Panauti
• Banepa
• The Arniko Highway can be followed a further 75km to the Tibet Border, passing the towns of Barabise, Tatopani, and Kodari