Valley or region
Bheri Valley (Jajarkot)
The deep valley of the Bheri river through Jajarkot, with terraced hills, river villages and suspension bridges.
Karnali Provinceजाजरकोट
Jajarkot District
A steep middle-hill district on the Bheri River, with an old royal town at Khalanga and quiet farming villages away from any tourist trail.
- Province
- Karnali
- Headquarters
- Khalanga
- Area
- about 2,230 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 3
About Jajarkot
Jajarkot lies in the middle hills of Karnali Province, with Dailekh and Surkhet to the west, Salyan and Rukum West to the south, and Dolpa to the north. The Bheri River and its tributary the Thuli Bheri run through the district in deep valleys, and the land rises from low, warm riverbanks to high forested ridges in the north. Khalanga, the headquarters, sits above the Bheri.
The population is largely Hindu, with Chhetri, Thakuri, Brahmin, Dalit and Magar communities, and most households depend on farming, livestock and seasonal migration for work. Jajarkot was once a small hill kingdom, and its old durbar in Khalanga recalls that past. The district was hit by a damaging earthquake in late 2023 and reconstruction has continued since. It sees few tourists, and visitors are mostly those travelling through or on development work.
Places in Jajarkot
Temple, monastery or heritage site
Jajarkot Durbar
The old palace of the former rulers of Jajarkot, in the district headquarters of Khalanga.
Town or village
Khalanga (Jajarkot)
The hill bazaar headquarters of Jajarkot, above the Bheri river and home to the old Jajarkot palace.
Getting there
Jajarkot is reached by road from Birendranagar in Surkhet, following the Bheri valley, usually a long day's drive or less depending on conditions. Surkhet and Nepalgunj have the nearest airports with regular flights, and roads also link the district with Rukum West.
Best time to visit
Autumn and spring are the most comfortable seasons, as monsoon rain often damages the hill roads with landslides, while winter is dry and pleasant by day but cold at night on the higher ridges.
Editorial draft: the district overview is being checked. Headquarters and Nepali names: nepal-places dataset (MIT). Area and map position computed from the district boundaries of the Government of Nepal, Survey Department, via OCHA.