Gorkha Hiking

Gorkha is situated in the western part of Nepal. The main attraction at Gorkha is the the16th century royal palace. Gorkha Hiking is all about the hike to the palace. Also of interest is the temple of the most powerful and popular god, Kalika. This is decorated with ancient art and architecture. Three mountain ranges, the Manasalu, Annapurna, and Ganesh Himal which include more than 40 mountains, surround the area. Here you can see the culture of the western ethnic groups.

Trip Facts

Trip Name: Gorkha  Day Hike / Gorkha Hiking

Duration: 1 day

Country: Nepal

Destination: Gorkha

Max. Altitude: 2140m

Min altitude: 850m

Group size: Any

Trip type: Hiking 

Grade: Easy

Best Season: all around the year

Trip Highlights of Gorkha Hiking

• Visit Gorkha Palace, the birthplace of King Prithvi Narayan Shah
• Explore the Gorkha museum where various ancient art and architecture are preserved.
• Visit several religious sites near Gorkha Palace such as Kalika temple, Gorakhnath temple, 
• Witness the stunning view of the Himalayas as well as natural landscapes 
• Explore Siranchowk, a historical place in Gorkha.

Gorkha is popular as the land of warriors and is one of the historical places in Nepal. It is in Gandaki province and is the fourth largest district by area. It covers an area of 3610 km. sq with a total population of 2,71,061. Besides, Gorkha is a district with ethnic groups. People of every caste reside here. Gorkha is a place where the actual history of unification begins in Nepal. Gurkha Palace in Gorkha is one of the prime places to visit in Gorkha. Besides, Gorkha is rich in religious and historical sites.

The trek to Gorkha is one of the wonderful experiences to get a glimpse of Nepalese history as well. This is one of the best hikes in the hills of Nepal where you will experience the historical importance as well as natural landscapes. The hike lets you explore historical sites such as Gorkha Palace. 300 years ago, Nepal was not a single nation. It was divided into 50 tiny nations and Gorkha was one of them. King Prithvi Narayan Shah was the one to unify those small kingdoms into a single Nepal. He unifies small kingdoms including the Kathmandu Valley and chooses Kathmandu as the capital of Nepal despite being from Gorkha.

Because of the contribution made by king Prithvi Narayan Shah, Nepali is known as Gorkhali. The Gorkha Palace is at the top of the hills where king Prithvi Narayan shah said that he could watch over the kingdom from the top.

Gorkha Hiking

Gorkha is full of natural scenarios with panoramic hills offering the wonderful scenario of the snow-capped peaks.  The hike is a comfortable one with a mesmerizing view of the Himalayan peaks. Similarly, the hike lets you explore several religious and cultural sites in Gorkha such as Gorkha Palace, Kalika Mandir, Goraknath temple, etc. You can learn about the typical Nepalese village life during this hike.  Similarly, you can hike up on one of the best places in Gorkha, Siranchowk. Besides, the hike is suitable for people of any age group of people and you do not need any kind of extreme preparation for this hike. Therefore, beginner hikers with moderate fitness levels can complete this trek.

A day hike to Gorkha includes the places like Gorkha Palace, Kalika temple museums, and a village in Gorkha. The hike starts with the Gorkha bazaar. From the bazaar, we will hike for an hour to Gorkha Palace,  the birthplace of great King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who started the unification of Nepal. The palace is also famous for the beginning of Hindus’ main festival Dashain. Besides, A palace from Gorkha offers a stunning view of the valleys beneath and the mountain with a clear sky above. From Gorkha Palace, we will visit Kalika temple which is in the Western part of the palace. Later,  Gorakhnath Temple on the southwest side of the palace. We will then continue our hike to Siranchowk, the birthplace of brave warrior Amar Singh Thapa.

Last but not the least, we will end the day hike with a visit to the Gorkha museum. The Museum has a wide range of collections of weapons by King Prithvi Narayan Shah.

Major Attractions of Gorkha Hiking

Gorkha Palace

The palace is situated at the top hill from where one can have a magnificent sunrise and sunset view. It is a historical landmark that was built by Ram Shah in the 6th century. Likewise, a palace is the birthplace of great King Prithvi Narayan Shah, who started the unification of Nepal. However, the palace is completely fortified by three Feet thick walls and floors with wooden beams. The palace reflects ancient art and Architecture. The palace has religious importance as well. There are various temples inside the palace. 

Kalika Temple

Kalika temple lies in the western part of the Palace. The temple was built during the 17th century. The temple has wooden carvings of various birds and animals. However, being a Hindu temple only Hindus are allowed inside the temple. Before entering the temple one must remove leather items and shoes. It is believed that Goddess Kalika indicated her presence in the form of stone lying under the ground of this hill about 300 years ago. Therefore, a small temple was built in the name of Goddess Kalika

Museum

One of the other prime attractions of Gorkha is the museum. The museum is at the premises site of the palace, in a typical Newari-style in 1835. Likewise, Museum has a beautiful courtyard with carved windows and doors. There are several historical items, art, and crafts preserved in this museum. Besides, it has a wide range of collections of weapons by King Prithvi Narayan Shah.

Siranchwok

Siranchowk or sheath kit is another important historical, cultural and natural place in Gorkha. One can see the whole range of the Himalayas from Siranchwok as well as there is a temple, Shreenath Mandali which is a famous pilgrimage site. Besides, it is the birthplace of brave warrior Amar Singh Thapa, the general of the Nepalese force who fought bravely in the Anglo-Nepal war.

Itinerary

• Enjoy the early morning breakfast in Gorkha town
• Get ready to hike to the palace in Gorkha. The historical palace is an hour’s walk from Gorkha Bazaar. The palace is also famous for the beginning of Hindus’ main festival Dashain. Besides, A palace from Gorkha offers a stunning view of the valleys beneath and the mountain with a clear sky above.
• From Gorkha palace visit Kalika and Gorakhnath Temple. Kalika is in the Western part of the palace whereas Goraknath lies on the southwest side of the palace.
• Then continue your hike to Siranchowk, the birthplace of brave warrior Amar Singh Thapa.
• Explore the museum in Gorkha Bazar where you can explore a wide range of collections of weapons by King Prithvi Narayan Shah.

Includes and Excludes

Includes

• Private transport with departs
• Pick up and drop off to the desired location
• Gasoline and car parking
• Breakfast
• All government taxes 
• Tourist guide

Excludes

• Lunch and dinner
• Personal expenses such as phone bills and additional shopping
• Any alcoholic beverages as well as soft drinks
• Tips and gratitude for the drivers

Conclusion 

Therefore, this short hike to a religious place in Gorkha gives you a wonderful opportunity to explore the historical places in Gorkha along with several religious sites. As everybody wants to once explore the place where the great king Prithvi Narayan Shah was born and start the unification campaign. Besides, the hike provides a wonderful opportunity to experience the Gorkha bazaar where people of every ethnic group reside here.