Temple, monastery or heritage site
Devighat
A riverside pilgrimage site at the confluence of the Tadi and Trishuli rivers, a short way from Bidur and below historic Nuwakot.
Bagmati Provinceनुवाकोट
Nuwakot District
Historic hill district north-west of Kathmandu, home to the old palace at Nuwakot and the Helambu trail stops of Kutumsang and Tharepati.
- Province
- Bagmati
- Headquarters
- Bidur
- Area
- about 1,197 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 5
About Nuwakot
Nuwakot lies north-west of the Kathmandu Valley, in the middle hills drained by the Trishuli and Tadi rivers. Rasuwa lies to the north, Dhading to the west, Kathmandu to the south and Sindhupalchok to the east. The land climbs from warm river valleys around Bidur to cool forested ridges in the east, where the district meets the edge of Langtang National Park.
Tamang, Brahmin, Chhetri and Newar communities make up much of the population, and farming dominates. Nuwakot was an early capital of Prithvi Narayan Shah during the unification of Nepal, and its palace complex remains the main historic sight. Travellers come for Nuwakot's palace and temples, the viewpoint at Kakani, and the trekking route through Kutumsang and Tharepati towards Helambu and Gosaikunda.
Places in Nuwakot
Viewpoint · 2,030 m
Kakani
A quiet hill station just outside the Kathmandu Valley in Nuwakot, with Himalayan views, strawberry farms and memorial parks.
Temple, monastery or heritage site · 963 m
Nuwakot
A hilltop fort town above the Trishuli valley, where Prithvi Narayan Shah built a seven-storey palace during the unification of Nepal.
Trek stops
Getting there
The Pasang Lhamu Highway runs north-west from Kathmandu over Kakani to Bidur in a few hours by road, with Nuwakot bazaar a short climb above the valley. Kutumsang and Tharepati are reached on foot along the Helambu trail or by rough roads from the Sindhupalchok side. Kathmandu has the nearest airport.
Best time to visit
October to April is the most pleasant, with clear views from Kakani and the trekking ridges; the Trishuli valley is hot before the monsoon, and the June to September rains make roads and trails slippery.
Treks in Nuwakot
A short trek that starts on the edge of Kathmandu at Sundarijal and follows forested ridges to Tharepati (about 3,650 m), then visits the Hyolmo villages of Melamchi Gaon, Tarkeghyang and Sermathang before a drive back.
- Days
- 7 days
- Maximum altitude
- 3,650 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
Editorial draft: the district overview is being checked. Headquarters and Nepali names: nepal-places dataset (MIT). Area and map position computed from the district boundaries of the Government of Nepal, Survey Department, via OCHA.