Kailali: Dhangadhi, Ghodaghodi Lake and the road from Kathmandu

Kailali is the most populous district of Sudurpashchim and the home of Dhangadhi Airport^3,4,6. Its geography runs from Terai plain to hill country². This page covers the whole district; the other districts are in the districts hub, and the neighbour to the west is Kanchanpur.

Where it is

Kailali is part of Sudurpashchim Province in the Terai plain¹. The district covers 3,235 square kilometres, with Dhangadhi as its headquarters¹. It is a mix of plains and hilly terrain, with 40.35% of the land mountainous². Nepal News gives 688 km west of Kathmandu for the district and 750 km for Dhangadhi itself².

Ghodaghodi Municipality sits in the central part of Kailali and borders Bardagoriya Rural Municipality to the east². Bhajani Municipality lies in the central south². Mohanyal Rural Municipality is in the hills, at 1,100 to 1,700 m above sea level². Gauriganga Municipality ranges from 165 m to 944 m². Kailali was part of the Kalabanjar Kingdom in ancient times².

Local units

Kailali has 13 local levels: six rural municipalities, six urban municipalities and one sub-metropolitan city². The District Coordination Committee lists municipalities Godawari, Gauriganga, Ghodaghodi, Tikapur, Bhajani and Lamkichuha⁹. Its rural municipalities include Kailari, Chure, Janaki, Joshipur, Bardagoriya and Mohanyal⁹.

Getting there

Dhangadhi Airport is a public airport owned by the Government of Nepal and operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal⁴. It stands at 210 m above sea level⁴. For Ghodaghodi Lake, a flight to Dhangadhi followed by a short drive is a convenient option⁸. See flights to Dhangadhi for the air side, and Kathmandu to the far west by road for the long bus route.

By road, Lamkichuha Municipality is connected to the East-West Mahendra Highway². Janaki Rural Municipality is about 10 km south of Lamki Chowk on the East-West Highway². Kailari Rural Municipality is 27 km east of Dhangadhi². Bardagoriya Rural Municipality is 50 km east of Atariya². Godawari lies 7 km north of Attariya².

The bridge over the Karnali River is a vital link between the far west and the rest of the country².

The Mahakali Highway then runs north towards the hills, as covered under Baitadi; for the next hill district see Dadeldhura.

When to go

Kailali averages 1,840 mm of rain a year². In winter, temperatures run from a minimum of 5°C to 19°C, and in summer from 19°C to 46°C². Dhangadhi’s average maximum is 45°C and its minimum 7°C².

Festivals mark the calendar. Every year in Magh, Kailari holds a Maghi fair at the Ban Devi Temple and the Aparampara Temple².

What to see

Dhangadhi

Dhangadhi is a sub-metropolitan city and the district headquarters, divided into 19 wards⁶. It was established in 1976 as a municipality⁶. It is the biggest city in western Nepal and the largest sub-metropolitan city in the country⁶. It lies at 109 m above sea level². Dhangadhi had 198,792 people in the 2021 census⁶. It is one of the major cities of Sudurpashchim, with Mahendranagar, Dadeldhura and Patan⁶. It is known as the City of Cricket⁶. Bhada Village in Dhangadhi is famous for its Tharu lifestyle and culture².

Ghodaghodi Lake

Ghodaghodi Tal is a Ramsar site in western Nepal⁵. It lies in Kailali at 205 m in the Siwalik Hills, and was designated on 13 August 2003⁵. It is a natural freshwater oxbow lake, with thirteen associated lakes and ponds⁷. The area is a wildlife corridor between the lowland and the Siwaliks⁷. Animals include the Eurasian otter, Bengal tiger and red-crowned roofed turtle⁵. The lake is a crucial habitat for migratory birds, and visitors can go birdwatching⁸.

The distance from Dhangadhi is reported two ways. Nepal News gives 60 km east of Dhangadhi and 37 km west of Karnali Chisapani²; Tourism Info Nepal gives about 40 km, with regular buses⁸.

Temples and other sites

Kailali’s religious sites include Shivpuridham, Godawari Dham, Shree Kartikeya (Mohanyal) and Behadababa². The Godawari temple is home to the tallest Bajrangbali Hanuman statue in Nepal, 52 feet high². The sacred Godawari River irrigates Godawari Municipality².

Garva Durbar is the only Rana-era palace in Nepal’s far west, reached after a 6-hour walk from Choumal². Khanidanda in Chure Rural Municipality offers views of the surrounding hills, plains and the Api Himal². Tikapur Park covers 5 hectares and is famous for its 80 varieties of roses². The Mohana River in Bhajani is home to the endangered dolphin².

Population and history

Kailali held 904,666 residents in 2021, 433,456 male and 471,210 female, the highest of Sudurpaschim’s nine districts³. The 2021 census report and Wikipedia agree on the total^3,1. For 2011, the CBS national report records 775,709 people at 240 per km2¹⁰.

Tharus and Rana Tharus are the largest single community, at 38%¹. Khas people make up 55% and hill Janjatis, mainly Magars, 5%¹.

The Sugauli Treaty forced Nepal to cede large tracts of the western Terai, including Kailali⁶. In 1860 the British returned Kailali, Kanchanpur, Banke and Bardiya to Nepal under Jung Bahadur Rana⁶. Dhangadhi began as a small border settlement and customs post for trade with India⁶.

Permits and park fees

One national rule covers every protected area in Nepal.

A park entry permit must be obtained to enter protected areas, and entrance fees must be paid¹¹.

The rule is on the Nepal Tourism Board’s park entry-fee page¹¹. It also lists the lake on its Ghodaghodi Lake Area page⁷. Fees by park are in national park fees, and Shuklaphanta National Park is covered under Kanchanpur.