Dhulikhel

Dhulikhel: The Place Where Tigers Play 

By Sarah Dean

 

You can never really grow tired by the sight of mountains. It is something about their majestic size and the rise or swallowing of the sun behind them that makes them magical and captivating. Our hub in Dhulikhel, Nepal, is one of those places. You can see a panorama of mountain peaks, offering magnificent views of the Himalayas. From here you can see over 20 Himalayan peaks, this includes, Mt. Annapurna (8,091m), Mt. Lhotse (8,516m), Mt. Ganesh Himal (7,429m), and Mt. Gaurishanker (7,134m). 

The town is located 1550m above sea level, south of the Himalayas, and is known as a major town in connection to the Kathmandu Valley trekking trails. Dhulikhel means the "place where tigers play" as "Dhu" in Nepal means tiger and it is certainly a great tourist attraction, surrounded by six World Heritage Sites.  

 

 

Dhulikhel has over 500 years of history, which dates back to when it was an important trading route to Tibet. It is a Newari town which makes it a great area to visit to experience authentic Nepalese culture. Newar people are the historical inhabitants of the Kathmandu Valley and are the creators of its historic civilisation. 

You can visit the Tibetan border to have hot spring bath or take short treks to many places, such as Nagarkot and Namo Buddha. 

 

Namo Buddha 

Namo Buddha is a monastery and is known to be one of the most sacred sites for Buddhists around the world. It is a beautiful place with prayer flags and breathtaking designs in and outside. Namo Buddha received its name from the historical stories told. It is believed that a prince gave his life, his bones buried in the local village in a stupa. 3500 years later, Gautam Buddha visited the village and led three tours around the stupa declaring that he was a reincarnation of the prince. So, in his name, the village was renamed to Namo Buddha meaning homage to Buddha. 

 

 

Selfie Stone and Kali Temple Hike through 1000 Steps 

Just a short hike to the hilltop of Dhulikhel, you’ll find the Kali Temple. The temple is for Goddess Kali, who is an epitome of destruction and power. Close to the temple you can find the famous ‘selfie stone’ which is famous for tourists to capture their adventure. They pretend to hang off what appears in the photos as a rock ledge, but really if they let go, they would return to the earth quite quick. Here is one of our volunteers having a great crack at it!

 

 

Visiting Kathmandu 

About an hour away from Dhulikhel is Nepal’s capital city Kathmandu. Nepal’s captivating capital has many must see places, which you can tick off your list on a weekend trip from your volunteering.  

The Thamel markets are worthy of getting lost in and have been a main attraction of the area for the past half century. You’ll find colours, narrow streets and come out with various trinkets and stories. Everyone experiences something different walking through the neighbourhood sized markets. These markets continue into the night, so if you’re looking for some night life there is no shortage here.

  

 

But if you want to avoid the hustle and bustle of the city, you can quite easily connect with nature here too. Just outside the city you can explore UNESCO World Heritage Site of Bhaktapur. Wander through the Nyatapola Temple, Durbar Square, and Taumadhi Square. They are quite easily made a day trip as you travel on foot.  

Nepal’s Chitwan National Park is also close by which is a fantastic place to get away from the city. The national park is home to a range of rare animals which you may be able to site on tours. Experience tranquillity at its finest.  

 

 

If you’re looking to experience a more spiritual side to the city, you should visit Boudhanath stupa. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site and back in the 50s it became the site of Tibetan Buddhism when refugees from China immigrated into Kathmandu.  

 

Taking yourself to Nepal could be one of the best decisions you ever make. The culture, history and geography all beautiful and captivating. Volunteering in Nepal will leave you with ample amount of time to check out these amazing tourist attractions! If you don’t want to miss your chance to encounter Nepal in 2021 be sure to share your interest with us now!!