Gorkha Tour takes to the ancient kingdom of Gorkha, which was founded by king Drabya Shah in 1560 A.D. It came into notice during the reign of descendant king Ram Shah (1604-1641 A.D.). During Ram Shah’s reign, Gorkha was renowned for justice.
A Nepali saying used to be and is very popular “Go to Gorkha if you don’t get justice anywhere else”. King Prithivi Narayan Shah, a descendant of Ram Shah, unified the quarrelling states to make a greater Nepal in 1768 A.D. Then, he shifted the capital to Kathmandu from Gorkha.
Today, Gorkha is a quiet and scenic town with historical significance. Spread over an area of around 3,600 sq. km., it lies around 25 km off the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway from Aaanbukhaireni. This quaint town is a favorite attraction for those interested in Nepal’s modern history. It might be interesting to note that the legendary warriors called “the Gurkhas” are named after “Gorkha”.
Major Attractions of Gorkha Tour
Gorkha Bazaar
Gorkha Bazaar (1,135m) is the administrative headquarters of the district. It is located nearly 25 km north of Aanbukhaireni on the Prithvi Highway. It is the main trading centre of the entire district. People from all over the district come to this town to travel to the main cities of the nation.
Gorkha Palace
Located at 1,380m, Gorkha Palace is the fort, temple and palace of the ancient Shah Kings. It is around an hour’s walk from the bus station of Gorkha Bazaar. It is a perfect paradigm of Newari art and architecture out of the Kathmandu Valley.
Nowadays, the palace has been changed into a museum that has preserved the tools used in the rule of PN Shah. The observation of the tools and other important aspects of the Shah dynasty make this day tour more meaningful. This is famous for 1,500 steps well maintained to promote Nepalese tourism.
Gorakhnath Cave and Gorakhkali Temple
Another attraction of Gorkha Tour is Gorakhnath Cave built by carving a solid rock. It is a sacred cave temple just around 10 meter’s distance from the palace. Likewise, Gorakhkali Temple lies on the west side of the palace. There is a legend associated with these two shrines.
Before the initiation of the Unification Campaign by PN Shah, he saw an interesting dream. The Goddess Gorakhkali gave her the hint to make his state into a larger one. Then, the following day, PN Shah took the blessing from Gorakhnath Baba and began the unification campaign. Finally, he was successful in making a greater Nepal.
Upallokot
About 20 minutes’ distance from the Gorkha Palace lies Upallokot (1,520m). It is the best vantage point of Gorkha Tour. From this place, you can have the breathtaking vistas of the Gorkha Palace, Gorkha Bazaar and the snowy peaks around. Mt. Manaslu (8,163m), Himalchuli (7,893m), Ganesh Himal (7,227m), Annapurna (8,091m) are some of them.
Extension of Gorkha Tour
Gorkha Tour is one of the famous day tours of Nepal. You can extend this tour to many other tours and treks as well. You can do Manaslu Base Camp trek, Ruby Valley trek, Annapurna Circuit trek, Gorkha-Pokhara trekking, etc. Moreover, Honey Hunting tour around the high hills of Lamjung is another option you can do.
FAQs:
1. Where is Gorkha Tour?
Gorkha Tour lies in a historical place of Gandaki Provice. It is historically important site as the modern Nepal was built by PN Shah, the king of Gorkha. The ancient palace that also used to be a fort and temple, has been converted into a museum nowadays. It lies around 25 kilometres north from Aanbukhaireni on the Prithvi Highway.
2. What are the major attractions of Gorkha Tour?
There are many places of interest you can visit during Gorkha Tour. Some of them are Gorkha Bazaar, Gorkha Palace, Gorakhnath Cave, Gorakhkali Temple and Upallokot. These are the natural and cultural sites worthy of visiting during this day tour.
3. Can I extend Gorkha Tour?
Yes, you can. You can extend Gorkha Tour to trekking in different regions and day tour to different historical or religious sites. Manaslu Base Camp trek, Annapurna Circuit trek, Ruby Valley trek and Gorkha-Pokhara trekking. You can extend it to Manakamana Heritage tour, Bandipur Day Tour and many more.
4. How can I begin Gorkha Tour?
Gorkha Palace lies around 142 km west from Kathmandu and 106.5 km east from Pokhara. You can drive to Gorkha Palace alongside the Prithvi Highway either from Kathamndu or Pokhara. It takes nearly 5 hours from the Capital City and 4 hours from the Lake City Pokhara.
