Nepal is a country with a rich cultural heritage and a long history. When you visit Nepal, you are likely to see many of the country’s famous temples. As a foreigner, there are a lot of options to learn about Hinduism and temples in Nepal and places like Pokhara, Ilam, Chitwan, or Butwal. You could also engage in thrilling trekking adventures or tours while visiting these temples. Nonetheless, you may need a more comprehensive description of the best temples in Nepal to assist you in your trek. 

Located in the Western Development Region, Lumbini Zone, Rupandehi District, Butwal is a sub-metropolitan city in Nepal, an urban center for an agglomeration that is rapidly growing. It is the administrative capital of the Lumbini Zone. The growth and development of Butwal make the city a wonderful destination for foreign explorers. Located on the Tilottama River, 161 kilometers south of Pokhara and 265 kilometers west of Kathmandu, the city is nestled in the valley of the Tinau River. The city is named after Batauli Bazaar, one of the oldest neighborhoods in the town on the west bank of the Tinau River.

The town of Butwal is located at the crossroads of two major highways running through Nepal, the Mahendra Highway and the Siddhartha Highway. It is connected to Kathmandu by road and air (via the Siddhrthanagar airport). Nepal’s fastest-growing cities are those that excel in the areas of education, roads, marketing, health and safety, communications, trade, and banking.  

History of Butwal

Butwal was a loose town in the Lumbini region that served as a trading post bridging the Indian plains with the hilly areas of Lumbini. As a result, Butwal represented a historical link between Nepal and India. However, Butwal became a point of contention during the 1814-16 Gurkha War. During the British East India Company’s rule of Awadh and the Shah Dynasty’s invasion of Terai, the British captured Awadh from its hereditary rulers.

Back then, Butwal was merely a settlement on the bank of the Tilottama River (also known as Tinau) when King Tribhuvan fled to India during the revolution against the Rana dynasty in 1950. With the completion of the Siddhartha Highway in 1968 connecting Sunauli to Pokhara via Butwal, as well as the Mahendra Highway running through all of Nepal’s Terai in 1970, Butwal is one of Nepal’s most urbanized areas.

While you visit Nepal, visiting this city full of culture and beautiful location is a must. Butwal has several places worth visiting. They are:

Devdaha

Devdaha, Lord Gautam Buddha’s mother’s home, located 13 kilometers east of Butwal, is Nepal’s most historically significant and attractive sacred site. It offers a place of spectacular natural beauty with a clean environment.

Jitgadhi

Jitgadhi consists of the gorgeous Narayan temples, which were established during the Angol-Nepal War (1864 B.S.). Furthermore, Hanuman temples, Shivalayas of Hanumagngadhi, Jalabinayak Mahadev temples, Siddababa temples, Nuwakot, and others are popular Butwal tourist attractions.

Manimukunda Sen Park

Manimukunda Sen Park is remarkable from both a natural and archaeological viewpoint as the winter home of the Palpali Sen clan exists. It is here that one can admire the magnificent palace and royal residence of Manimukunda Sen, an ancient Palpali king with six huge chambers, administrative functions, and picturesque grandeur of Butwal, Siddharthanagar, and other neighboring villages of Rupandehi district.

In 1991, the archaeological department of His Majesty’s Government initiated a program to manage the park. However, Butwal municipality formed the Manimukunda Sen Park Conservation Council to implement the park’s development program and make it a tourist attraction.

Butwal Hill Park

Historically, this area is meaningful to the Gurung people because Gurung ancestors are buried here. The hill provides views on both sides of the city and divides the city into two sections.

Aap Khola

When there is a drought, people flock to this river to swim and collect water. From here, you can even see the holy Manakamana Temple.

Murgiya Jharbaira

In this area, there are secondary schools, rice and oil mills, temples, and a great deal of natural beauty. In the town’s center is a temple dedicated to Goddess Durga as well as a temple dedicated to Lord Shiva (Parmeshower Bolbam Dham), which is known to have received blessings from Lord Shiva Shankar.

Sainamaina

The Sainamaina outdoor museum has a fascinating history, archaeological site, and eco-tourism perspective. It is located in the Samgrama site, which was one of the Shakya Raj’s Grama villages in Butwal. Awadh’s kingdom was at the mercy of the British when Begum Hazrat Mahal of Awadh brought her warriors and porters to this area in response to the disruption caused by the British. So it became known as Saina Maina. It is an amazing site full of old ruins and antiquities, such as statues of dancing saints, ruins of a castle, and a well.

The weather in Sainamaina is moderate and warm most of the year. It can range from 20 degrees Celsius to 27 degrees Celsius during summer. The temperature can drop to an average of 12 degrees in winter.

Siddha Baba Temple

On the hills surrounding Butwal Municipality, there is a temple named Siddha Baba Temple. Devotees believe that if they bring pigeons to the temple, he will grant their wishes. Huge crowds of worshippers flock to this temple on Saturdays. Thus, there are several microbus services available on Saturday.

Global Peace Park

Global Peace Park in Butwal is a relatively new place that is also described as a symbol of peace. It attracts many international celebrities, tourists, and models due to its inherent beauty and perfection. While visiting Butwal, Global Peace Park is a must.

Banbatika Forest Resort

In addition to its attractive and gorgeous animals, Banbatika Forest Resort has lots of decorative elements as well. This is a nice place to have a picnic and celebrate many different occasions. Banbatika is a wonderful tourist destination with an assortment of wildlife, including anacondas, white mice, ostriches, deer, leopards, and rabbits, among others.

Muktidham, Nayagoan

Located on the city’s outskirts, the recently built Muktidham temple at Nayagoan is reminiscent of Muktinath’s Vintage Temple in Mustang.

Nearby Places of Interest in Butwal

In addition to the Industrial Region, there is the Charange district, known for its natural beauty, just a few meters from the Butwal gate (the gate through which Butwal City begins). Furthermore, some other places that will impress you while in Butwal are mentioned below.

• Butwal’s traffic chowk, which is better known as the center of the city.
• Golpark is a residential area located beneath the shade of the mountains.
• Amar Path is an area where you can shop for food, clothes, furnishings, etc.
• Located at the intersection of Siddartha Highway and Mahendra Highway, Rajmarga Chauraha means Rajmarga Crossroads.
• Devinagar, which is a Residential area featuring an ANFA football stadium.
• Deepnagar is also a residential area that lies at the foot of the Siwalik range.

How do you get to Butwal?

There are around 100 buses that travel from Butwal to Kathmandu, as well as buses that travel to Pokhara, Dang, and other important cities. The most common mode of transportation is buses. Until 2003, most of the fleet was made up of old, large buses, but operators have introduced newer, smaller buses since then. People are transported to hilly areas by older Jeeps.

Within the city, Short-distance urban transportation is provided by Rickshaws. Throughout the city, motorcycles are a common mode of transportation. The number of registered motorcycles in 2008 increased dramatically from 1,200 in 1999. Thus, transportation is easily accessible in Butwal.

After you’ve enjoyed the thrilling and joyful experience, you can choose whether to visit other beautiful places in Nepal or head back home. No matter what you choose, we hope you have a fantastic time.

Finally, when you decide to visit the gorgeous city, hope you have a great time. Furthermore, you can count on hospitality as well as the beauty of the city to impress you as you explore Butwal. We here at Pokhara Info can arrange for a tour of Butwal city if you are interested.

Nepal offers heavenly experiences without visiting heaven, making it a top destination for tourists, adventurers, and nature lovers alike. Additionally, the district of Kaski in Nepal, along with its Pokhara valley and the nearby hills and villages, offers some amazing places to explore. Furthermore, would you like to experience an exciting journey on a short and easy trek in the Himalayas? Then the Sikles village might be the one for you.

As you trek through the Sikles trek area, you’ll see rhododendron forests, beautiful mountain ranges, and diverse landscapes. Sikles trek is one of the more interesting trekking destinations in the Annapurna area and quite unpopular compared to similar destinations. On the Trek, you will probably get to see Annapurna and Lamjung Himal up close after crossing 2,000 meters. You will also learn about the culture, tradition, lifestyle, and handicraft production of Huwu village and Khapuche Lake.

About the Region

Located in the Kaski district, Sikles village is a well-conserved village that lies on a hill at the height of 3,000 meters. It is one of the region’s earliest and largest ‘Gurung’ settlements. Furthermore, the villagers of Sikles village are mainly of Gurung ethnicity and consider themselves to be Nepal’s second-largest Gurung village. Sikles is famous primarily in the Kaski district in Nepal. People visit Sikles for the warm and welcoming Gurung community, the beautiful trekking trail, and the greenery along the way.

During the Dashain and Tihar festival, the local youth are not allowed to play Nepali drums, perform folk songs, or dance until the festival is over. If not, it is believed that the god will get angry, avalanches will thunder down from the mountainsides, and something terrible will happen to the village.

And the Trek to this beautiful place takes you to the largest Gurung village in the Annapurna region of Nepal, which is located above Madi Khola at an altitude of 1,981 meters. It is also one of the biggest Gurung villages in Nepal, along with Bhujung and Ghale gaun.

Necessary Permits and Accommodations

A permit is not mandatory for the Trek to Sikles village in northern Kaski. Still, the Trekkers Information Management System or TIMS card can be very useful on similar treks in Nepal.

Compared to other trekking destinations, the Trek to Sikles is relatively short. So, even on an exciting adventure like this, you will not be away from your own bed for too long. You will stay in small homestays and tea houses while on the Trek.

Favorable Time for the Trek

Despite the lack of altitude in the Sikles Trek, trekking is possible throughout the year. However, trekkers prefer to visit the village during the Spring and Autumn seasons. Sikles Trek is best enjoyed during the spring and autumn seasons. The spring season begins in March and lasts until May, whereas the autumn season begins in September and ends in November. There isn’t a lot of heat or cold during these months. Instead, the days are sunny and hot, and the nights are chilly. The skies are also clear, so you can see the best scenery.

The Sikles trek is least popular during the off-season from December to February. Similarly, visitors prefer to avoid the monsoon season as well.

Distance From Pokhara

The distance between Pokhara and Sikles by road is 36.7 km, which takes approximately two and a half hours to drive. The straight-line distance between the two locations is 17 km. You can only reach Sikles by road, and it takes two to five hours to get there.

Preparing for the Sikles Village Trek

As described earlier, the Trek to Sikles Village is quite short compared to other trekking routes in Nepal. Moreover, it reaches a height of 2000m, which may not seem like much to experienced travelers, but it is quite a change for first-time trekkers.

Additionally, explorers taking part in the Trek often walk for several hours daily. Thus, people with lung diseases should either avoid such activities or take precautions before taking part in them since high altitudes can be difficult to adapt to. Furthermore, these high altitudes may cause people to experience altitude sickness.

We recommend bringing the items listed below with you on your Trek for mild to cold weather at high altitudes. We brought these items with us on our first Trek to Sikles Village.

• Warm clothes, including jackets, sweaters, and thermal wears
• Water bottles and thermos
• Backpack
• Portable fire stoves
• Well-fitting gloves, socks, and shoes or boots
• Trekking sticks
• First aid kit
• Moisturizers and lip guard
• Energy bars

However, do not worry if you forget the items mentioned above. They provide great assistance during the Trek, but they’re not mandatory. And, if you decide to take them along with you at the last moment, trek shops with these items are available at the starting point of the Trek, though they are likely to cost more than usual there.

Itinerary and the Trek itself

The Sikles village trek can be done in two to six days, depending on how fast you and your group hike. The distance to the Sikles Village from Pokhara is below 20 KM. However, getting there can take some time due to the difficult road conditions. Now, if you are not from Nepal, you must apply for a Nepali visa and travel to Kathmandu. After traveling to Kathmandu, you can then travel to Pokhara via a tourist bus or flight. From there, we can begin our trip.

Note

The itinerary mentioned above is the general plan arranged by Pokhara Info. The above itinerary is only a guideline; it might change due to availability of lodging and campsites, fluctuating weather conditions, unforeseen political, trail, and environmental, or any other factors beyond our control. After consulting with the group, your trek leader will decide the best way to reach a final decision if this occurs.

If the itinerary is unsuitable for you, please let us know, and we will customize it. We will be able to make changes to the itinerary if clients want to do so.

Finally, every place has its own culture, non-verbal norms and values, government policies, and other factors that make traveling to a new place potentially nerve-wracking, no matter how many times you’ve done it. But remember to enjoy the Trek to the beautiful village of Sikles despite the difficulties you might face.