The often-overlooked hill town of Gorkha is an hours' drive from the Prithvi Highway, and worth the journey to learn about this town's prestigious history as the cradle of the nation. Set on a small hill at an altitude of 1000m, with views of the Manaslu range to the north, Gorkha is the ancestral home of Nepal's royal family. The small kingdom of Gorkha was originally founded by King Drabya Shah in 1560 AD and was the birthplace of King Prithvi Narayan Shah who unified Nepal in the 18th Century. Under Prithvi Shah's remarkable leadership the now-famous Gorkha (Gurkha) soldiers conquered the whole country, and then ruled the nation from the Kathmandu valley. Gorkha remains a pilgrimage destination for the Newars of the Kathmandu Valley, who honour the Shahs as living incarnations of the Hindu Lord Vishnu. The main attraction is the impressive Gorkha Durbar, the former palace of the Shahs, and there are several historic temples scattered around the old town.
In modern history Gorkha has two strong associations: first with the Gurkhas, an infamous fighting force co-opted with great success by the British Indian Army, and secondly as the very epicentre of the devastating 2015 earthquake. Remarkably, Gorkha has bounced back strongly and little evidence of the earthquake remains. We encourage a couple of days exploring here, taking in the great history of the region, and enjoying some of the best day hikes in the country.
Our Hotels in Gorkha
