Koshi Highway
कोशी राजमार्ग
The eastern hills' road, with the pioneering British-built Dharan–Dhankuta section.
- Code
- NH08
- Length
- ≈160 km
- From
- Itahari (Sunsari)
- To
- Hile / Basantapur (via Dhankuta)
- Opened
- 1980s (Dharan–Dhankuta)
- Built with
- United Kingdom (Dharan–Dhankuta)
- Status
- Operational
- Provinces
- Koshi
The Koshi Highway branches north from the East–West Highway at Itahari, climbing through Dharan and Dhankuta toward Hile and Basantapur in the eastern hills.
Its Dharan–Dhankuta section, built by the British in the 1980s, was a landmark of mountain road engineering in Nepal.
From plan to highway
- 1980s
Dharan–Dhankuta built
British (ODA) engineers build the pioneering Dharan–Dhankuta mountain road.
- Later
Extended
The route is extended toward Hile and Basantapur, opening the eastern hills.
The Koshi Highway highlighted, from OpenStreetMap road data.
More highways
Mahendra Highway (East–West Highway)
Nepal's longest and most important road — the Terai spine that ties the country together east to west
Tribhuvan Highway (Tribhuvan Rajpath)
Nepal's first highway — the original road link between Kathmandu and India
Araniko Highway
The road to Tibet — Nepal's historic overland link to China
Koshi Highway — frequently asked questions
How long is the Koshi Highway?+
The Koshi Highway (NH08) is approximately 160 km long.
Where does the Koshi Highway go — what does it connect?+
It runs from Itahari (Sunsari) to Hile / Basantapur (via Dhankuta), passing through Koshi Province.
When did the Koshi Highway open?+
It opened in 1980s (Dharan–Dhankuta). It was built with assistance from United Kingdom (Dharan–Dhankuta).
Is the Koshi Highway open and what is it known for?+
Status: Operational. It is known as The eastern hills' road, with the pioneering British-built Dharan–Dhankuta section.
Sources & data note
Length, route and dates are approximate, from the Department of Roads and standard references. The mapped route is real road geometry from OpenStreetMap, matched by highway code.