Districts
Bagmati Province
Dhading धादिङ
Ganesh Himal trek, hill farmland
Dhading spreads west of the valley from the Trishuli lowlands up to Ganesh Himal, with its headquarters at Dhadingbesi. The Prithvi Highway crosses its southern edge, while the north offers the off-beat Ganesh Himal and Ruby Valley treks. It is farming and trailhead country between Kathmandu and Gorkha.
About Dhading
Dhading stretches from the tropical Trishuli river valley floor up to the high ridges and snowfields of Ganesh Himal — a range whose highest peak reaches 7,422 metres — on the border with Tibet. The district's northern reaches form the basis of the Ruby Valley Trek, a ten-to-twelve-day loop that crosses three passes through Tamang villages and past three sacred Ganesh Himal lakes, with panoramas of Langtang, Manaslu and Annapurna as rewards. Dhadingbesi, the headquarters at roughly 600 metres, sits about 89 km from Kathmandu.
The Trishuli river that forms Dhading's southern boundary is one of Nepal's most accessible rafting runs, with put-in points easily reached from Kathmandu. The population is predominantly Tamang and Gurung in the mid-hills, with Brahmin and Chhetri farming communities in the lower valleys. The Prithvi Highway grazes Dhading's southern edge, making the district a logical detour between the capital and Gorkha or Pokhara. The Ruby Valley and Ganesh Himal routes remain quiet compared with the big commercial treks, which is much of their appeal.
At a glance
- Headquarters
- Dhadingbesi
- Known for
- Ganesh Himal trek, hill farmland
Getting there
Dhadingbesi, the district headquarters, is about 89 km from Kathmandu along the Prithvi Highway, then a turn-off north — roughly two to three hours by bus or private vehicle. The Trishuli river rafting put-in points are reachable in about 1.5 to 2 hours. The northern trailheads for the Ruby Valley and Ganesh Himal treks require onward local transport from Dhadingbesi.