Dhulikhel's position on the eastern rim of the Kathmandu Valley makes it an excellent base for excursions that are harder to reach from Kathmandu itself. Panauti is the obvious first choice — a beautifully preserved medieval Newari town 11 km to the south, rarely visited by tourists, with an extraordinary confluence of rivers and some of the finest old temples in Nepal. Banepa, just 4 km down the highway, has a busy bazaar and the Chandeshwori Temple set dramatically at the mouth of a narrow gorge. For longer days, the Sindhupalchowk valley to the north opens up Helambu and lower Langtang approach routes.