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 A 45-minute drive from Kathmandu to Dhulikhel offers the best views
of the north-eastern Himalaya. Dhulikhel is situated at the foothills of the Panchkhal valley, about 21 miles east of Kathmandu on the Chinese-built Arniko
Highway which leads to Tibet. On the way one passes Banepa, another former medieval
city-kingdom that once boasted of diplomatic relations with China's Ming dynasty.
Old Dhulikhel is a close traditional Newar settlement of remarkable architectural consistency
with its four to five-storeyed brick mansions built in an almost Victorian style. Newari woodcraft is
also kept alive at Dhulikhel's resorts such as the Dhulikhel Mountain Resort and Himalayan Horizon.
Both incorporate traditional style of architecture along with modern amenities. The Dhulikhel resorts all
offer panoramic vistas of the snow-capped central Himalaya in contrast to the temperate and lush valley below.
Dhulikhel is also a good base for a number of excursions. Most popular is the all-day hike leading to the sacred Buddhist
pilgrimage site of Namo Buddha. For centuries Namo Buddha has drawn pilgrims to the sacred spot where, according to legend,
Lord Buddha is Said to have sacrificed his own flesh to feed a starving tigress and her cubs. A carved stone slab depicts this
Buddhist tale of selfless compassion and sacrifice. |
