Tokha
In Nepali: टोखा
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Tokha is an old Newar settlement below Shivapuri that has kept its brick houses, courtyards and temples while the city has grown up around it. It is best known for making chaku, a sticky molasses sweet eaten at Maghe Sankranti in January.
Visit the Chandeshwari and Tokha Ganesh temples, watch sweet-makers at work in winter, and walk on up into the Shivapuri forest. Tokha is a good half-day escape from the crowds of Thamel.
What to see and do
Walk through the old core with its brick houses, temples and ponds, see the Chandeshwari and Ganesh temples, and in winter visit households making chaku — a thick, sweet molasses paste. The town's jatra festivals bring chariot processions.
Good to know
Tokha is quiet and residential; respect people's homes. It combines well with a walk to Budhanilkantha or into Shivapuri.
Quick answers
- Where is Tokha?
- Tokha is in Kathmandu district, Bagmati Province, in the Pahad belt of Nepal.
- What is the altitude of Tokha?
- About 1,400 m (4,593 ft) above sea level.
- How much does it cost to visit Tokha?
- Tokha is in or right next to Kathmandu, so it is an easy day visit. Budget for a taxi there and back (about NPR 600–1,500, US$5–11) and meals (NPR 1,000–2,500, US$8–19 per person). If you stay in Kathmandu, rooms cost about NPR 1,500 / US$11–NPR 4,500 / US$33 a night.
- How many days do I need for Tokha?
- Half a day to a full day is enough; it is a short ride from central Kathmandu.
- Do I need a permit or ticket for Tokha?
- No special permit or ticket is normally needed.
- When is the best time to visit Tokha?
- December–January for chaku making
- How do I get to Tokha?
- About 30 minutes north of central Kathmandu. It is about 4 km (straight line) from Kathmandu.
- What is Tokha called in Nepali?
- टोखा
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