A trading town on the road to Tibet
Dhulikhel grew as a Newar trading town on the route from the Kathmandu Valley towards Tibet, through what is now the Araniko Highway corridor. Merchants passing to and from the high passes stopped here, and the town built temples, rest houses and water spouts with their trade. Its old core, with the temples of Bhagwati and Harisiddhi and its brick lanes, keeps that character.
In the late 20th century, the town changed fast. The Araniko Highway, built with Chinese help in the 1960s, brought trucks and buses past its edge. Kathmandu University set up its main campus here in the 1990s, and Dhulikhel Hospital, founded in 1996 with strong local support, became one of the best known community hospitals in Nepal. Dhulikhel is also the headquarters of Kavrepalanchok district.
The 2015 earthquake damaged parts of the old town and villages around it. Rebuilding has continued since. Meanwhile, the BP Highway, which starts near Dhulikhel and runs south to the Terai, has made the town a junction. Despite the growth, the old core and the views have kept Dhulikhel a favourite short escape for Kathmandu families.
