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Introduction:
Bethanchwok, located on the southern hills of Kavrepalanchwok, is believed to be the highest peak of the Mahabharat Range. Located at an altitude of 3000m from the sea level, it boasts different views of the hills and Himalayan ranges. Some places of Makwanpur and Janakpur can also be seen from Bethanchowk. Hilltops in Nepal are one of the best place for sightseeing in Nepal many offering views of Tibetan peaks on the North and Indian plains in the south. Bethanhowk is one of them.
Actually, this whole mountain is called Bethanchowk Narayanthan, named after the small temple, Narayanthan, enshrined at the hilltop. Narayanthan is crowded with devotees during the Fagu Purnima every year. The peak is usually known as Narayanthan rather than Bethanchowk. People also refer it as the King of the Hills. The suitable month for visit is Mangsir according to the villagers.
How to get there?
According to the locals of Kavre, there are several trails to reach Narayanthan, one from Dhungkharka, one from Kavre and another one from Makwanpur. We went from Dhulikhel. Dhungkharka is about 25 kms away from Dhulikhel and 55 kms from Kathmandu. From Dhungkharka, it takes about 5-6 hours of uphill hike to reach the top of Bethanchowk.
Must Have Stuffs:
The essentials are season dependent. They vary according to the season you are going there. As we visited on the month (Jestha), below are the must have accessories for the hike.
- Hiking shoes or comfortable sports shoes.
- Wind cheaters, Thermo coat and down jackets (in winter).
- (40-50) L Bag.
- Dry foods, instant energy provider such as chocolates.
- Min a couple liters of water per hiker.
- Mats, blankets and sleeping bags (mandatory).
- Lighter or matchsticks and kerosene (if possible), for overnight stay or camping.
Disclaimer:
This is not a mainstream hike trail. So, the luxury of accommodation and good foods on reaching the destination isn’t available. Instead, this can be termed as camp fire in a the middle of nowhere, on a hill surrounded by the jungles all around and no human settlements nearby. A complete “into the wild” experience.
Hiking shoes on, backpacks ready and with aspirations to delve deep into the wilderness, me along with my friends decided to hike Narayanthan and stay overnight at the hilltop. We were thirteen in number. Narayanthan Hiking can be completed in a day but we made it a two days trip as we planned to stay overnight at the top. We all were very excited about our hike as we escaped the hustling bustling urban life.
