The Hidden Gem of Gorkha: Gorkha Gaun

With the same monotonous schedule, dust, and pollution, Kathmandu city was getting a bit too much for me. While I badly needed to get away from the noisy city, Gorkha was never in my list of places to visit. I had been to Gorkha on a school trip and had never looked back ever since. But since we only had the chance to see the Prithvi Narayan Shah museum, I wanted to check the place out one more time.

Researching about the places to stay and visit, I landed at ‘Gorkha Gaun Resort’s’ website. The resort was exactly what I was looking for, a tranquil and serene environment. However, my worries were on how to reach the place, for a person who has never been to Gorkha alone, it was a bit worrisome. However, I got help from my friend to score a bus ticket which saved me from the hassle.

It is not everyday that I get to travel, and when I do I like to take it all in, while taking a flight would have been easier, I wanted to take a bus. I love how they stop at a few places to eat, and just enjoy the view. To see passing places, and just enjoy the rush of wind when the window is open is more my thing than just looking at the clouds.

After a 45 min wait at the bus park, we were ready to leave. All thanks to the traffic jam and some unfortunate events, it tooks us around 5 hours to reach Laxmi Bazaar, from where the resort is only a short hike away. But all of it was worth it when I reached the resort.

Far away from the main road, and the hustle and bustle of the city, Gorkha Gaun was exactly what I needed. Sadly I could not enjoy the view of the mountains around the resort due to the weather, but the green, the tranquility and the serene environment made it enough. Gorkha Gaun Resort stood true to the name with its 17 little mud cottages, along with a restaurant, staff corner, laundry cottage, and power hut. It was a small gaun (village) within a village in Gorkha. The resort generates 90% of its electricity from solar power and the materials used for building the cottages were brought from nearby places.

“There were a lot of difficulties, from people in the village not letting the business flourish to the natural disasters affecting it, but that did not stop us from building what we believed in. From the very beginning we have had ambassadors from different countries coming in for staycation to some politicians as well. And with the COVID lockdown finally lifting up, things are finally looking good as well. Hopefully from now on it is only up for the business aspect of the resort,” explains Kumar.

While there is still a long way to go, Kumar is looking forward to what comes and has made plans to keep the resort not only natural but nature friendly as well. He explained how their next step is to try water recycling and also give a hand on rainwater harvesting.

Not only did Gorkha Gaun Resort serve their guests with authentic local delicacies along with conventional modern food options but they have also built employment opportunities for the villagers there. Kumar, himself, trains the staff on the dos and don’ts in the hospitality business. He says that it is important to give back to the place that has given him so much as well.

“If things go as planned we also want to build an organisation that helps children with education and villagers as well if they are facing any problems,” says Kumar.

After the conversation, I had time to take a rest and then it was time for dinner. I was mesmerized by the view, as the sun went down, the houses in the Gorkha town started turning their lights on. And it almost looked like the stars were not only in the sky but down there as well.

The other day, I was ready to come back home, while I did not have a chance to travel much in Gokha but I was more than happy that I chose to stay at Gorkha Gaun Resort, a perfect getaway from the noisy city, and best way to enjoy the local side of Gorkha.