Dhankuta

Area Code: 026
Dhankuta runs along a ridge at 1150m. The bus station is at the bottom of the ridge. Dhankuta is the administrative headquarters for eastern Nepal. Dhankuta is a laid-back town and is mainly pedestrian only.

The surrounding area is totally hill. There are several places to stay, but most foreigners don’t, but stay in the more interesting nearby Hile.
The Dhankuat Museum, at the top of the Bazaar, has some archeological and cultural exhibits of eastern Nepal. Open daily except Saturday. Admission Rs 10. To get to the museum you walk up the bazaar to Bhim Narayan Chowk which is a four-way intersection with a statue. Take the paved road to the right for 300m and the museum is a white building on the left. The sign is only in Nepali.

There are some good viewpoints in the area, but you can’t see the Himalayas. If you are walking downhill you come to a fork. The right fork goes down to the bus station and the left fork go to a good viewpoint 40 minutes away, where you can get good views of the mountains. After following the trail for about 15 minutes the trail goes to the left, at this point you go over a bard wire fence. You then bear left and come to a small shrine, from where there are good views.

It takes two hours to walk to Hile by taking the short cuts off the road. You can walk to the Rai village of Santang in about 45 minutes, where women weave beautiful shawls.

Where to Stay and Eat
There are some decent budget places on the main street.
Naulo Lodge (20481) is a basic cheap place.
Hotel Parchaya (20425), near the police station, is a pleasant, friendly place with clean rooms with common bath for Rs 80 for a double and Rs 150 for a four bed room. It has good views. To get here you go north up the hill and when you reach the big pipal tree in the middle of the road, this hotel is on the right.
Hotel Suravi (20204) has rooms with common bath for Rs 100/175 and Rs 200/350 with bath. It has a good restaurant.
Pucchae, next to the Hotel Parchaya, is a good restaurant.

Travel
There are great views on the road between Dhankuta and Dharan Bazaar. There are buses to Dharan Bazaar (3 hr, Rs 50), Hile (Rs 14), and Basantapur (3 hr, Rs 65, 7 am to 3 pm).

Copyright ©2001 John Howley and Spiritual Guides