Travel Notes from Dhulikel, Nepal

9:00:00 AM Pinoy Boy Journals 0 Comments

Same old, same old. Back in 2014, and during my first visit to Nepal, Dhulikel was the destination i chose over Nagarkot. I wanted to experience staying overnight in a mountain retreat outside Kathmandu. The words “less touristy” immediately won me over. 11 years later, it’s still the same hilltop place i know. Still no tourists in sight, and still has some of the worst road conditions you’ll ever encounter within the Kathmandu Valley. The main thoroughfare of Banepa is hot, dusty and chaotic. You need to roll the windows up when bypassing the road. It’s also not recommended to stay there at all unless you’re caught somewhere in the middle of nowhere. But what it lacks in physical beauty, it makes up for its importance if you want to get from Kathmandu to other destinations in the valley rim. You have no choice.

One sharp left leads to a sign “Dhulikel Lodge Resort” so big, it’s borderline cheesy. The place looked the same but the entrance so different. I remember walking towards the lodge resort with my big backpack. Yes, i was a proud backpacker before. My back couldn’t handle it anymore.

There are new rooms being developed, and i am actually staying in a new one found in a new wing. The room may be comfortably big but the view was a little disappointing. The newer rooms are found on the far right of the resort where extensive branches of tree are still undeveloped and a sloping hill covers much of the plains and the mountains views which is a bummer.

I actually wanted to change rooms after checking in but i paid a hefty price for the junior suite. As mentioned before, travel currency nowadays is size of the rooms. It seems these hotels are meant not to be left. I actually did my research and particularly booked higher priced rooms in Nepal because i wanted this trip to be as comfortably luxurious as possible. The locations of these hotels like Hotel Country Villa in Nagarkot and Dhulikel Lodge Resort in Dhulikel is very prime. You don’t have to trek to get a view point at all. Just go outside the balcony of your room and watch the sunrise or sunset, or both. Dhulikel was colder for me and more windy as compared to Nagarkot the previous day. Sadly, i wasn’t able to fully enjoy the balcony seating area because it’s just too damn cold outside. For sunrise, i decided to simply open the window glass door and enjoy the view from inside the room. A huge couch was transformed as an observation seating area for me. It didn’t take too long before the clouds finally roll up, and there’s no view anymore. Small wins! As days pass by, the views of Himalayas are getting better. See, manifesting works. The sunset from the garden area was simply spectacular - actually my most favorite in the whole compound.

During breakfast, i finally saw familiar faces. It’s so nice catching up, and telling them how amazing Nepal is that i had to come back and how fast time flies from 2014 to 2025. They’re so fascinated that i visited again and spent a night again in Dhulikel. The photo i took of us before was such a conversation starter. They begged me to send it to them so they can share with many of their friends. I have a strong feeling, i will be back in Dhulikel. I’ll revisit this travel notes again. But i would like to stay longer, and use Dhulikel as my base.

In one of my many conversations with a random shop seller, he told me how travelers have changed nowadays. More people now have less commitment to actually stay in one place and immerse in local culture. They just come and go, and visit as many places as they can. Although guidebooks are essential tool, one still needs to research and caution themselves. A lot can happen on the road. Sometimes, the best destinations aren’t the ones that are worth remembering. True that.

I wanted to visit the old town of Dhulikel again, but there are some more places that i haven’t been to in my itinerary. I needed to get going. I was chatting with the manager about life in Nepal and the Philippines. I whatsapped our photos from then and now, and how amazing it is to be back. I actually came back to Dhulikel. Not a lot of people can claim that. It was like a homecoming of some sort.

When i was drafting my itinerary, Dhulikel initially wasn’t on the list. I wanted to stay longer in Kathmandu and just do day trips towards the eastern valley and the rim from there. I did this before and found it very convenient. But winter in the mountains is an experience that’ll be worth my while.

Climate change has directly affected Nepal. Gone are days of January winter In Nepal where you need have layers upon layers of clothing. Now, i was actually comfortable with shortsleeved shirts during daytime. The sun was scorching, and 20 degrees during Winter is unheard of. And then it plummets late afternoon and becomes single digit at night.

Dhulikel during sunrise was bitterly cold. And for the first time during the trip, i had to cover my whole face. I had to use heat pack to keep my hands warm amidst my three layer clothing. All is good in the mountains of Nepal.