Town or village
Phidim
The hill headquarters of Panchthar on the Mechi Highway, a Limbu heartland town between Ilam and Taplejung.
Koshi Provinceपाँचथर
Panchthar District
Green Limbu hill country between Ilam and Taplejung, crossed by the Mechi Highway on the way to Pathibhara and Kanchenjunga.
- Province
- Koshi
- Headquarters
- Phidim
- Area
- about 1,253 km²
- Places on Firfirey
- 2
About Panchthar
Panchthar is a hill district in the north-east of Koshi Province, bordering India to the east. Taplejung lies to the north, Ilam to the south and Terhathum and Dhankuta to the west, with the Tamor river on its western side. The land is a series of steep, forested ridges and terraced valleys, rising to higher hills along the eastern border.
The district is part of the historical Limbuwan region and Limbu culture is strong here, alongside Rai, Brahmin-Chhetri and other communities. Cardamom, tea, maize and livestock are the main livelihoods. Phidim, the headquarters, is a busy bazaar on the Mechi Highway. Most visitors pass through on the way to Taplejung, Pathibhara or Kanchenjunga, but the district also offers quiet ridge walks and village stays.
Places in Panchthar
Lake
Timbung Pokhari
A remote high-altitude lake near the Sikkim border in Panchthar, sacred to Limbu and Hindu pilgrims.
Getting there
The Mechi Highway runs north from Birtamod in Jhapa through Ilam to Phidim and continues to Taplejung; Phidim is a long day's drive from the Terai on a mountain road. The nearest airport with regular flights is Bhadrapur in Jhapa.
Best time to visit
October to November and March to April are the best seasons, with clearer skies and comfortable temperatures; the monsoon is wet with landslide risk on the highway, and winter is dry but cold at night.
Other districts in Koshi Province
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.