If you are the one who wants to experience heaven on earth, that too without much hassle then a visit to Kalinchok is a must. Kalinchowk lies in Dolkha, about 132 kilometers from Kathmandu.
You can reach here, by local buses available at Buspark in Kathmandu. The buses leave early in the morning, with few shifts starting from 6 am. Many private companies or local travel and tours also provide packages for Kalinchok temple. Kalinchok is famous as pilgrimage site having the shrine of Kalinchok Bhagwati. Hills surround the village on all sides in Kalinchok. A six-hour drive from Kathmandu via Kuri bazaar and Charikot followed by a five-kilometers long hike will get you to Kalinchowk.
Charikot, Headquarter of Dolkha, is about 132 kilometers from Kathmandu, and Kalinchowk is about 18 kilometers from Charikot. Local vehicles are not available but can be reserved to reach Kuri. From here Kalinchowk temple is about 1 hour hike for regular hikers and can take up to 2 hours for others.
If you take a local bus from Kathmandu then you are going to have to stay at Charikot the first day. Or if you can walk fast then walk to Kuri on the same day, or else you should take rest at Charikot. Then take all the time you can and travel to Kuri the next day. While in Charikot, you don’t have to worry about places to stay. In case of Kuri there are few hotels there and staying shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Moreover, in winter time after a snowfall, you can get a lovely sight in Kalinchok. Kalinchowk is said to be one of the safest routes in Nepal to experience snow. While going the uphill trip, you will be welcomed by the aroma of different herbs, plants and wild flowers. Trekking route from Ghyang hill to Kalinchok is a famous route. Once you reach the top, the scenery will give an awe moment. On a clear day, you can get drenched in the stunning view of mountain ranges like Ganesh Himal, Shisha Pangma, Langtang and Gauri Shankar from the temple. And the sight will lead you to the slogan that “Heaven is myth but Nepal is real” is a bonafide slogan, literally.
Don’t Forget To Have following Things For the trip
- A pair of gloves, goggles.
- Two pair of socks.
- Warm clothing such as Thermal Coat in winter season.
- Down Jackets and windcheater if possible.
- Trekking shoes if possible.
- Medication for altitude sickness such as Garlic, Timur, ginger.
- A thermos if possible for hot water and high calorie foods and snacks.
- During seasons other than winter, you can normally hike with the comfortable outfits.
Caution
Don’t travel on 2 wheeler. The road from Jiri to Kalinchowk is under construction and the road is very dusty and bumpy.
