Anaikot View Tower: A perfect weekend getaway

Weekends are meant for the revival of the soul. Weekends come with the excitement and leave with freshness. Who wouldn’t want to make their weekend special? As a travel enthusiast, making something exciting always involves some kind of trip for me. In hectic days, a short weekend trip can be a savior of the life entangled with the routines. We were looking for a short weekend trip that could give us an escape from the concrete jungle into the wild. We found a perfect nearby destination, Anaikot, Kavre. After getting to know about this place, our short weekend trip to Anaikot began one early Saturday morning.

Why visit Anaikot? 

Anaikot is a hilltop situated in Kavre district, just next to Kathmandu. So this can be one of the best places to visit nearby Kathmandu. Anaikot is a small marketplace that lies in Panchkhal municipality of Kavre. But what we’re talking about here is the Anaikot view tower. The view tower has turned this place into a place worth visiting. Moreover, it has made this place discoverable. It has brought spotlight upon this wonderful place with wonderful views all around. The view tower gives the panoramic views of the mountains all around with beautiful rolling hills below.

Our journey for Anaikot began as a weekend escape from the city. We were planning to get there on bike. We were eight people, on four bikes. We started off from Bhaktapur. The route to Anaikot goes through several small villages of Kavre. Our first stop after we left was supposed to be at Nala. Nala is a small village that extends from western part of Kavre to Bhaktapur. Nala is also famous for the Nala gumba, a beautiful monastery residing on a silent hill of the region. From Nala, there is a road extending to reach upto Banepa. You can catch that road and a few kilometers ahead, there is another road reaching out for Anaikot. That is the road to be taken.

As soon as you move ahead on the road to Anaikot, the road starts to get bumpy. So make sure that your vehicle is in good condition if you’re planning to go on on. If you are planning to hike, everything is perfect. The further you go, the greener everything gets. There are small villages all around with old houses and temples scattered all over. As you move further into the deeper forest track, the chirping of birds and the cold air makes everything feel fresh and beautiful. It takes about 2/3 hours to reach Anaikot from Nala if you’re on bike. If you are planning a hike to Anaikot, a whole day is needed.

Anaikot view tower is located at the top of Anaikot hill. The view tower is six storied and the views of whole Kavre, Bhaktapur and also some parts of Kathmandu. The view from the top really makes you feel overwhelmed with the beauty of everything around us that we always miss out to realize. The dense forests below and the hills all over is quite a view to see. Also, if you manage to get on a clear day, you can see vast mountain ranges of the eastern region. The whole Langtang region is seen distinct and clear from here. It is said that even Mt. Everest can be seen from here on a clear day. The shiny mountains all around and the dense forests below is really a majestic thing to see from Anaikot. This place can also be a great place for camping and small picnics. This place is mostly isolated and you can enjoy the nature in total silence.

After getting overwhelmed into the beauty of nature for few hours, we decided to go back. Though our souls felt home there, we had to get back. But this is the thing about travelling, even if you get back home, you bring a little part of the new place with you in your soul. You keep it with you forever and get mesmerized with the beauty at times.