Khaptad National Park Trek — 8 Days

Hidden in the far-western corner of Nepal, Khaptad National Park is one of the country's most serene and least-trodden trekking destinations. Spread across the districts of Bajhang, Bajura, Achham and Doti, the park is built around a rolling grassland plateau sitting at roughly 3,000 metres — a landscape utterly unlike the rocky high passes of the Everest and Annapurna regions. Here the trail rises gently through oak and rhododendron forest onto open meadows the locals call patans, where wild horses graze and medicinal herbs and wildflowers carpet the ground each spring and monsoon.

The plateau's spiritual heart is the ashram of the late Khaptad Baba, a revered hermit who meditated here for decades, and the nearby pilgrimage sites of Tribeni — a sacred river confluence — and Sahasra Linga, the park's highest point at around 3,300 metres. On clear mornings the snow walls of Saipal and Api rise to the north. Wildlife includes Himalayan black bear, leopard, barking deer and more than 270 bird species. Because Khaptad sees only a trickle of visitors, you can walk for hours without meeting another trekker.

The Route

The trek begins with a flight from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi in the Terai, followed by a long drive up to Silgadhi, the hill town that serves as the trailhead in Doti. From Silgadhi the path climbs through Jhigrana and Bichpani to reach the plateau and the Khaptad Baba ashram, with a full day to explore the patans, temples and viewpoints before retracing the route down to Silgadhi and flying back. Trails and exact altitudes in this remote region vary between operators and seasons; the figures here are approximate and confirmed locally before departure.

Who It Suits

Graded Easy to Moderate, Khaptad is ideal for trekkers who want genuine wilderness and cultural depth without the demands of high-altitude passes. The walking is gentle but the region is remote, with basic camping and simple lodges, so a sense of adventure and self-sufficiency goes a long way.