- Length
- 8 days
- Highest point
- 3,300 m
- Difficulty
- Moderate
- Best months
- Mar–Jun, Oct–Nov
- Starts
- Silgadhi, Doti (fly Kathmandu–Dhangadhi)
- Group size
- 2–10 People
- Sleeping
- Tea House / Camp
Walk the grassland plateau of far-west Nepal — 22 flower-strewn meadows, the Khaptad Baba ashram, Tribeni and Sahasra Linga, with total solitude and Saipal–Api views.
- Walk the 22 patans — Khaptad's flower-strewn grassland meadows at ~3,000 m
- Visit the ashram of the revered hermit-saint Khaptad Baba
- Tribeni — the sacred three-river confluence and temple complex
- Climb Sahasra Linga (~3,300 m) for Saipal and Api panoramas
- Carpets of wildflowers and rare medicinal herbs in spring and monsoon
- Rich birdlife and wildlife in a little-visited national park
- Total solitude — one of Nepal's least-trodden trekking regions
- Authentic far-west culture in Doti, Bajhang and Achham
The climb, day by day
Day 1Arrive Kathmandu (1,400 m)1,400 m
Arrive in Kathmandu and transfer to your hotel. Evening briefing on the far-west logistics — the Dhangadhi flight, the drive to Silgadhi and the Khaptad National Park entry permit. Khaptad is one of Nepal's most remote and tranquil parks, so expect a real wilderness adventure rather than a busy teahouse circuit.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- –
- Meals
- –
- Night
- Hotel
Day 2Fly Kathmandu–Dhangadhi, drive to Silgadhi (1,350 m)1,350 m
Early flight from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi in the far-western Terai (about 1 hr). From the airport we drive north into the hills to Silgadhi, the headquarters of Doti district and the trailhead for Khaptad. It is a long but scenic road day through subtropical lowlands and terraced hillsides.
- Distance
- ~210 km drive
- Walking
- ~8–9 hrs drive
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Guesthouse
Day 3Trek Silgadhi to Jhigrana (2,100 m)2,100 m
The walking begins. We leave Silgadhi and climb steadily through villages and oak forest to the small settlement of Jhigrana. The day gains good height and offers the first glimpses of the ridgelines that ring the Khaptad plateau.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- ~6–7 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Tea House / Camp
Day 4Trek Jhigrana to Bichpani (2,750 m)2,750 m
A forested ascent through rhododendron and pine brings us to Bichpani, just below the rim of the plateau. As the trees thin, the first open meadows — the famous patans — start to appear. Camp or simple lodge for the night.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- ~6 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Tea House / Camp
Day 5Trek to Khaptad plateau & Khaptad Baba ashram (3,000 m)3,000 m
A short, beautiful climb lifts us onto the grassland plateau itself. We reach the park headquarters area and the ashram of the late Khaptad Baba, the hermit-saint whose meditation gave the region its spiritual reputation. The afternoon is free to wander the rolling patans dotted with wildflowers and medicinal herbs.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- ~3–4 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Tea House / Camp
Day 6Explore plateau — Tribeni & Sahasra Linga (3,300 m)3,300 m
A full day to explore Khaptad's 22 patans and pilgrimage sites. We visit Tribeni, the sacred three-river confluence and temple complex, and climb to Sahasra Linga at around 3,300 m — the park's highest point and best viewpoint, where on clear mornings the snow peaks of Saipal and Api stand on the northern horizon. Birdlife and total solitude are the rewards.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- ~4–5 hrs exploring
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Tea House / Camp
Day 7Descend to Jhigrana / Silgadhi (1,350 m)1,350 m
We leave the plateau and retrace our route down through Bichpani and Jhigrana, descending steadily back to Silgadhi. A long downhill day through forest and farmland, with a comfortable bed and a celebratory meal at the end.
- Distance
- –
- Walking
- ~7–8 hrs
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
- Night
- Guesthouse
Day 8Drive to Dhangadhi & fly to Kathmandu (1,400 m)1,400 m
Morning drive back down to Dhangadhi for the flight to Kathmandu. Depending on flight times the connection may require a flexible buffer, common on far-west routes. Transfer to your hotel on arrival; trip ends.
- Distance
- ~210 km drive
- Walking
- ~8–9 hrs drive
- Meals
- Breakfast
- Night
- –
The price includes
- Airport transfers in Kathmandu and Dhangadhi
- Domestic flights Kathmandu–Dhangadhi–Kathmandu
- All ground transport (Dhangadhi–Silgadhi return by private vehicle)
- Khaptad National Park entry permit
- Licensed, English-speaking trekking guide
- Porters to carry main baggage
- All accommodation — hotels, guesthouses and tented camps on trek
- All meals on trek (breakfast, lunch and dinner)
- Camping and kitchen crew and equipment where required
- Government taxes and service charges
You pay separately
- International airfare to and from Nepal
- Nepal entry visa fee
- Travel and medical insurance (mandatory)
- Meals in Kathmandu and Dhangadhi not specified
- Personal trekking gear and equipment
- Drinks, snacks, hot showers and battery charging on trek
- Tips for guide, porters and crew
- Personal expenses and anything not listed under Included
- Costs arising from flight delays, weather or events beyond our control
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.