What To Do In Dulegauda, Pokhara

Where is Dulegauda?

While riding the highway from Kathmandu to the lakeside tourist town of Pokhara, there are countless towns and villages you will be flying through without giving the drab storefronts a second thought. Roughly an hour outside of the city limits of Pokhara, you will find one of these nondescript towns. With a population of just around 7,500 people, most of the businesses and homes straddle the highway that cuts through Dulegauda.

Other than the handful of people hopping on and off the bus, there is little in this small town to catch your attention. The only reason why one would even know this town exists is if you had an interest in Tibetan culture and discovered that a settlement is located on the outskirts of Pokhara. Even if your intentions were to get off of the beaten path in Pokhara, you will discover that there are far more things to do in Dulegauda than what meets the eye. What may have started as a stab in the day will turn into one of the best day trips from Pokhara.

Want to explore some of the Tibetan settlements in Pokhara? Check out Tashi Palkhel here!

A Day Trip From Pokhara

Although it may seem a bit daunting, leaving all of the coffee shops and tourist comforts behind in Lakeside, travelers can easily make a day trip from Pokhara to Dulegauda and be back by the time that pizza is taken from the oven. Being the lifeline of so many small towns and villages, you will find tons of micros and public buses whizzing back and forth from Dulegauda.

To get to Dulegauda from Pokhara you will first have to head to the Old Bus Station in Prithvi Chowk. You will practically have to fight with the ticket sellers and touts not to be thrown on the first bus to Kathmandu. Taking you by the elbow, one of these over-enthusiastic bus drivers will have you on the road and heading towards Dulegauda before you know it. The public bus fare to Dulegauda is 70 NPR (0.60 USD) and will take under an hour to get there depending on traffic. Once you hop off the bus to the dusty streets of Dulegauda, you simply have to head south of the highway and then you will find the many temples and shrines dotting the green misty valley.

If you are wanting to get some great views of Pokhara, be sure to visit the Sarangkot Viewpoint. Read on how to get there here!

Jampaling Tibetan Settlement

One of the few reasons why you may have ever heard of Dulegauda is the fact that this small highway-side village is home to one of the four Tibetan refugee settlements in Pokhara. Known by the name of Jampaling, this neighborhood houses many families, monks, and shrines within its borders. Other than the fact that this camp is a bit far removed from the 3 other communities, it is also made up of Lodrik Tibetans. The term “Lodrik” simply means that while other families fled their homeland, these Tibetans stayed for a decade engaging in guerilla activities before finding refuge in Nepal.

After heading down into the valley from Dulegauda you simply have to cross the suspension bridge over the Seti Khola River and you will find the signs and colorful prayer flags welcoming you to the Jampaling Settlement. What may just seem to be a few corner stores and a tea shop opens up to several dozens of homes all surrounding elaborate temples and enormous stupas.

To see more Tibetan culture in Pokhara, visit the Shree Gaden Dhargay Ling Monastery!

Carrying On Tibetan Culture

Obviously, one of the main appeals of Dulegauda is the fact that it is home to the Jampaling Tibetan Refugee Camp, but is the settlement worth traveling to? Compared to the other three settlements found in Pokhara, Jampaling has its very own charm which makes it stand out from the other Tibetan communities. With steep mountains and dense jungles, you will feel as if you are miles away from the closest city.

One of the obvious attractions of traveling to Jampaling is the fact that many tourists will not have the opportunity to travel to Tibet unless they are willing to fork over a thousand dollars for a tour. In Nepal, you can get up close to the Tibetan culture and talk to the refugees in a more relaxed environment. Hearing their remarkable stories of crossing the Himalayas to Nepal is enough on its own to have you seeking out these old-timers posted up in the tea shops watching time pass by.

If you are wanting to check out the Buddhist side of Nepal read my ultimate guide to monasteries in Pokhara here!

Abandoned Temples

You may have originally made your way to Dulegauda to visit the monks and Tibetans of Jampaling Village, but it is the abandoned Hindu temples standing tall over the jagged rocks with a roaring river tearing through the complex that will really make you fall in love with this off the beaten path destination. Although the temples are well known to locals, the canyon formed by the gushing waters seems like a place that would have hoards of tourists posing on its edge. If only the local tourism board would properly put Dulegauda on the map, these decrepit and eerie temples would be in the spotlight and attracting adventurous travelers to the outskirts of Pokhara.

These decaying shrines and temples are so much more than just a site to gawk at, take a picture, and move on towards the Tibetan settlement. The rickety bridge and steps carved out of the stone offer stunning views of the surrounding countryside and rushing waters below. For certain holidays life will return to the ruins with devotees bringing offerings to the banks of the river. Even during your average days the creepy scenes and dramatic landscape leaves a lot to be explored.

What to find a Buddhist monastery with stunning views of Pokhara? Check out Nayah Gayur Sannagh Chhyoeling.

Pokhara Off The Beaten Path

Many people will take one look down Lakeside and assume they have seen everything that Pokhara has to offer. In reality, this city sprawling along the banks of Fewa Lakes has so much more than what meets the eye. Even if you checked off all of the hikes and temples hidden away in this concrete jungle, the outskirts of Pokhara offers many villages and forgotten holy sights just waiting to be rediscovered. From Tibetan enclaves to Hindu ruins, Dulegauda is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to all the things that can be found off of the beaten path.

Dulegauda may not seem like much as you are flying by on the highway. Little do many of the passengers know that behind the unassuming storefronts, you will find a refuge for Tibetan people and countless Hindu shrines tucked away into the jungle. As Nepal continues to pump new life into its tourism industry, you will slowly begin to see places such as Dulegauda be thrust into the spotlight. But until then, take advantage of the solitude that can be found when traveling off the beaten path.