Nagarkot and Dhulikhel Day Trip From Kathmandu by Car

You do not need a week to see the Himalaya from Nepal. Nagarkot and Dhulikhel, two hill towns on the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley, both offer wide mountain views on clear days, and both are close enough to visit in a single outing with a rental car.

Distances and driving time

Nagarkot is about 32 km from central Kathmandu and takes 1.5 to 2 hours, most of it through Bhaktapur and then up a winding hill road. Dhulikhel is about 30 km east along the Araniko Highway and takes around 1.5 hours. The two are linked by a hill road, so you can visit both in one loop.

Going for sunrise

Nagarkot is famous for sunrise over the Himalaya, with a view that on clear mornings stretches from the Annapurnas in the west towards Everest in the east. Getting there for dawn means leaving Kathmandu in the dark, so many visitors drive up the afternoon before and stay one night. If you do drive before dawn, go slowly; the hill road has sharp bends and little lighting.

A suggested loop

• Leave Kathmandu early and stop in Bhaktapur for its Durbar Square and pottery square
• Continue up to Nagarkot for lunch with a view
• Take the hill road across to Dhulikhel, or detour to Namobuddha, a hilltop Buddhist monastery
• Return to Kathmandu along the Araniko Highway before evening traffic

Best time to go

October to December gives the clearest mountain views. Spring brings rhododendron blossom but more haze. In the monsoon the mountains usually hide in cloud, though the hills themselves are lush and green.

Which car to take

A hatchback or sedan handles both roads comfortably in dry weather. For a family or a group with luggage for an overnight stay, a compact SUV is more relaxed on the climbs.