Nuwakot, which literally means nine forts, is a small hilltop town and one of the most unique places to visit in Nepal. Nuwakot in the Nuwakot district of Bagmati province is located on the bank of Trishuli and Tandi Rivers. The central attraction of Nuwakot is the fortress which is also known as Nuwakot Durbar. The Durbar complex has immense historical and cultural significance as it used to be a trade gate between India and Tibet, via Kerung. The Nuwakot hill fort alongside other eight forts Malakot, Simalkot, Bhairabkot, Belkot, Kalikot, Salyankot, Dhuwankot, and Pyaskot in its surrounding area all located on hilltops, collectively named as ‘Nawakotta’. It was an important trading hub for the Malla kings of the Valley. Located just 75 km, Nuwakot is one day drive west from #Kathmandu, the capital of Nepal.
The town has many beautiful boutique hotels and homestays. Restaurants serve authentic Nepali food at reasonable prices. Tourists can also stay at Trishuli Bazar and hike up to Nuwakot. Less popular than Pokhara and Nagarkot, the town is one of the best places to visit in Nepal. A historic town that was the capital of the Valley in the days before the unification of Nepal by Prithvi Narayan Shah, and for more than 1,000 years, the hilltop had served as a lookout and fort guarding the western entrance to Kathmandu Valley. Nuwakot has featured in several prominent moments of Nepali history.
The Nuwakot fort was a target for conquest by neighboring kingdoms, including the Kingdom of Gorkha. The founder of modern Nepal, Prithvi Narayan Shah captured the hill fort on September 26, 1744. The Malla king Jaya Prakash Malla tried to win back Nuwakot the following year after Malla forces under Kasi Ram Thapa defeated the Gorkha army at Naldum. However, the Gorkha army was able to repel the attack and secured Nuwakot as a permanent fort under Gorkha control.
Nuwakot became the key staging ground for the eventual conquest of all three Malla kingdoms in the Kathmandu Valley including Kathmandu, Patan, Bhadgaon, which fell between 1768 and 1769. Prithvi Narayan Shah died in Devighat village near Nuwakot, located at the confluence of the Tadi and Trishuli rivers. The Chinese forces under General Fu-Kang-an nearly captured Nuwakot in the Nepal-China conflict of 1792. The fort was also the location of meeting between British envoy Captain William J. Kirkpatrick and acting Regent Bahadur Shah in 1793, shortly after the war with China ended.
The current seven-story Nuwakot Durbar and surrounding complex were expanded in the 18th Century by Prithvi Narayan Shah to support the growing trade routes linking Kathmandu with India and Tibet. Built-in the Malla style, the architecture of the complex is divided into the main palace, the Bhairab Temple, as well as other temples and shrines. Some of the temple complexes and buildings were damaged in the 2015 Nepal earthquake. Kakani is a popular tourist place and picnic spot near Nuwakot. Also called “City of nine hills” Nuwakot, is famed for many Hindu temples including Bhairavi Temple, Jalpa Devi Temple, Dupcheshwar Mahadev Temple, Chimteshor Mahadev, Bandevi Temple, Panchakanya Temple, IndraKamala Temple.
Blessed with natural beauty and rich history Nuwakot is one of Nepal’s best-hidden secrets. Away from tourism activities, visitors can have a real taste of Nepal and witness the spectacular sunset and sunrise from Kakani hilltop. Nuwakot palace square which was built by the then king has become the center of attraction for tourists visiting this pristine hill town. This straight out of the dream town also practices its own customs, which keep both locals and tourists entertained. A couple of popular festivals like bullfighting and sindure jatra. For all the tourists traveling to Nepal, Nuwakot is a must visit as little Nepal within Nepal.
