Gorkha district

Gorkha district, a part of Gandaki zone, is one of the seventy-five districts of Nepal, a landlocked country of South Asia. The district, with Gorkha as its district headquarters, covers an area of 3,610 km² and has a population (2001) of 288,134.

The famous Manokamana temple is in the Gorkha district

A 25 kilometer road off the main highway connecting Pokhara andKathmandu brings you to an ancient Gorkha - the untouched and captivating town of Nepal! Some 300 years ago, Nepal was divided into 50 tiny states, and Gorkha was one of them. King Prithivi Narayan Shah, the founder of `Shah Dynasty' which runs Nepal today, unified Nepal into one kingdom. His Gorkha palace resides on top of a hill at an altitude of 3281 feet (about 1000 meter) The King would watch-over his people as far as his eyes could see from the tallest palace in the very center of Nepal! Gorkha is also the home of Gurkhas - the legendary brave warriors who fought with knives against guns.

Gorkha is a picturesque hill- town that has a rich ancient history of its own. The palace is situated on a smallmountain at the height of 3500 feet and offers a magnificent sightseeing of the Himalayan Peaks. King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who unified the Kingdom of Nepal during eighteenth century and got an upper hand over the Ranas, was born here. Actually king Drabya Shah founded this kingdom in the year 1560 and since then, the place has acted as the den for the Shah dynasty. In the war of throne with Ranas, the Gorkhas had the last laugh as the Gorkha soldiers succeeded in conquering the Kathmandu valley. The capital of the Nepal was shifted to Kathmandu since then. But this beautiful township has always remained as the center of attraction for many Nepalese as well as foreign visitors.

Among the sites to visit, Gorkha Durbar tops the list. This historical palace is a one-hour walk from the downtown Gorkha. The palace is strategically located over a fortified hillock. On the southwestern side of palace lies the temple of Goddess Gorakhkali. A cave that claims to shelter the statue of Gorakhnath, the Tantrik sage, adjoins it. The place is picture-perfect to have a view of Mansalu and Himalchuli peaks of Himalayas. Nevertheless, the best place to have a view of the palace and peaks is Upallokot, a viewpoint made on a pedestal over the hill at the height of some 5000 feet.

Places to Visit and Things to do in Gorkha

Gorkha Palace:

Visit the Gorkha palace here to begin your sightseeing of the region.Climb the palace steps from the bottom of the hill, all the way to the top, climbing about one thousand seven hundred steps (1700), in about two hours. That's some hiking to do! If you get tired sit down on a step or think how much easier the trip down will be! You will be glad you got to the top. On a clear sky day, you can view Himalayan range including spectacular view of Manaslu and Himalchuli Mountains, and panoramic views of the valleys.

Also view the palace building, one of Nepal's historical landmark, some buildings have interesting wood carvings portraying various romantic scenes. Also viwe the temple of Goddess Gorakhkali residing on the west side of the palace. To view sunrise from the palace, climb very early in the morning.

 King Prithivi's Birthday Celebration

On King Prithivi's birthday, which is a national Nepali holiday known as Prithivi Jayanti , various celebrations are held throughout Nepal, one of which is held in Gorkha bazaar located at the foot of the hill. So if you happen to visit Gorkha on that day, observe that event as well. Prithivi Jayanti is on 27th of January 2005 (1st of Poush 2060, according to Nepalese Annual Calendar).

The King's statues are found in many places in Nepal which many visitors find of interest to observe. Many places are dedicated to his name, for example Prithivi Chok (Cross Road) in Kathmandu, Prithivi Chok in Pokhara, Prithivi Chok in Bharatpur, and the Highway connecting Kathmandu with Pokhara and then to Baglung is called Prithvi Highway. Photos and Portraits of the King have his right-hand's first finger pointing up, signifying that Nepal is one kingdom (or in Nepali, the meaning is `We all come together as one'). His statues have that characteristic.

 Dashain Jamara Procession

During Nepal's popular festival Dashain, Jamaras are brought from the Gorkha palace to the modern Narayan Hiti Palace in Kathmandu. The King Prithivi Narayan Shah had moved the capital of Nepal from Gorkha to Kathmandu, and he is the founder of the Shah dynasty. Jamaras from Gorkha are used by the Royal family as a blessing from the King and above! On the Dashain Fulpati Day, there is a Royal Army parade, Fulpati procession to Gorkha Durbar and other activities of religious and cultural interests which visitors may find interesting to observe. 

Popular Trekking from Gorkha

If you seek to trek from Gorkha, there is no where a better place to taste some of Nepal's hillside experience than from Gorkha. You can chose to trek from Gorkha to Kathmandu or Gorkha to Pokhara, However, the most popular trekking from Gorkha is from Gorkha to Pokhara, which is of 10 days. First day, arrive at Gorkha Bazaar, complete sightseeing of the Gorkha palace, then from the second day onwards start trekking from Gorkha - Luitel - Hirmantar - Tarughat - Besisahar - Ghattekhola - Gharpokhari - Rupatal - then arrive Pokhara on the 10th day, then extend a few days of trekking or sigtseeing in and around Pokhara.

It was said, that if anyone was seeking justice, no ruler was as fair and just as the King of Gorkha. The Gorkha kingdom was established in the year 1560, by the legendary King Drabya Shah. From the year 1604 to 1641, the Shah dynasty would become famous and rule over Gorkha. Today, the reminders of this era stand proudly in the form of the Gorkha Royal Palace, the Gorkha Bazaar and Gorkha Durbar.

The Gorkha Royal Palace was the birthplace of Prithvi Naraya, who was born in the central palace named Dhuni Pari. Prithvi Narayan Shah is known for gathering his Gorkha soldiers and battling to unify all of Nepal by taking control of the Kathmandu. After his amazing victory, in the 18th century, Kathmandu became the capital of Nepal.

To tell someone that the Gorkha Palace is located in the east side of the Gorkha Durbar would be deceiving. Most visitors are more than awestruck when they look up at the palace on the hill and the approximately one thousand seven hundred steps that lies between them and palace. The climb to the Gorkha Palace might be challenging, but the view is rewarding and the way down is a lot easier. Most of the palace remains the same as in the days of Ram Shah, but kings and rulers that followed did make a few minor changes during their reigns. Restoration work to this beautiful sight in Nepal has kept the palace in excellent condition, and although it is not always open to visitors, especially not the second floor, much can be seen through the latticed windows. The architectural style of the palace is known as Newari-style, and when peering through the windows visitors will be able to see the throne of Prithvi Narayan. Also visible is the “eternal flame” that has been burning for many years, as it was lit straight after the uniting of Nepal, at the hands of Prithvi Narayan. The detailed woodwork and spectacular carvings make the Gorkha Palace a treasured piece of history and a popular sight in Nepal.

On clear days or early mornings, the view from the palace is just short of a visual miracle of nature. The panoramic views of the rolling green landscapes, snow capped Himalayas and the town below is spectacular. From this vantage point visitors will be able to see the Goddess Gorakhkali Temple, the Himalchuli Mountain, Manaslu Mountain, Annapurna and Ganesh. It is a view and a moment in time that visitors are unlikely to forget.

How to reach Gorkha?

Gorkha, located midway between Kathmandu and Pokhara, can be reached from either cities by taxi or public bus. For accommodation and dining, there are hotels, guest houses and restaurants located in Gorkha to satisfy your preferences. Transporation Cost should not cost you $2 to $3 by bus, about $20 by Taxi from Pokhara, and about $30 by Taxi from Kathmandu, and accomodation is relatively inexpensive here.