The Chitwan Chepang Hill Trail, offers a rare combination of cultural and sightseeing experience. One of the most interesting aspects of the trek is getting a glimpse of the Chepangs and other local communities who live in this mid-hill region of Nepal. Accepting the invitation of the villagers to stay in their beautiful homes as guests and sharing their meals is a journey of discovery in itself. The unique culture in this area in addition to natural attractions adds to the charm of the experience.
The newly developed Chitwan Chepang Hills Trail is unique because of one of the most ethnic cultures of Nepal Chepang Culture. Chepangs, belived to be influenced by the Tamangs, speak their own distinct language leading a nomadic life and their primary lifestyle, hunting, foraging for wild roots and fishing and traditional farming near jungles. A Praja Pande (faith healer) might be an interesting figure for cultural tourists to be introduced to. They inhabit the remote and sparse contours of Makamwanpur, Chitwan, Gorkha and Dhading districts. Other ethnic group found in this region largely comprise of Tharu, Musahar, Satarhar,Danuwar,Tamang,Kumal Gurung and Magar. The Chitwan Chepang Hills Trails offers a rare combination of cultural and sightseeing experience. A stay in the beautiful homes of the villagers as guests and sharing their meals is a journey in itself. The unique culture in this area, bird watching and other natural attractions add to the experience.
Accommodation : Besides home-stay facilities in Shaktikhor, Gadi, Chisapanitar, Chitram, Majhbang and Hattibang, resting places, porter shelters with bath rooms/toilets are also available. Tea houses are available in Siddhi, whereas camping site is available in Uppardang Gadi, Hattibang, Chitram and Jyandala. The nearest point where all major tourist facilities are available is Sauraha near the Royal Chitwan National Park or Narayanghat.
Access : -Hugdi Khola/ Bazaar: Drive 82 km from Kathmandu to Hugdi Bazaar between Mugling and Krishna Bheer of Dhading District, on Prithivi National Highway.
-Shaktikhor: Drive 18 km north from Tandi Bazaar of Ratnanagar Municipality, if the visitor is coming from Sauraha or National Park
Chepang Museum: A Chepang Museum has also been established at Shaktikhor with the view to preserve and promote primitive cultures, originalities, costumes, life styles of the people. Different materials used by the Chepangs and relics like catapults used in killing birds, slings and bows used for hunting animals, crushing devices, dhiki and janto (traditional stone tools for beating and grinding grains), pots, wooden containers, drums have been kept in the museum.
Food : Wholesome and organic locally produced agricultural items are available along the Chepang Hills Trail. Millets, wheat, corn, buck wheat Dhido (Nepali food item) and roti, baked corn, soybeans and other beans, dal and rice, gundruk (partially fermented edible leaves), seasonal vegetables and fruits, ghee, milk, honey, curd, other juices, poultry/goat items, edible roots, etc. are available. Other items like Kheer (pudding), sel-roti (fox bread), black dal's phuloura (a type of fried item), crab, tama (bamboo shoots), fish, nettle, etc. are also available on demand.
Jyandala- Siraichuli(1946 m) Chispanitar(1695 m) Gadi(1275 m) .Trek 1 hr to Siraichuli. Trek 4 hrs from Siraichuli to Chispanitar.Trek 1.5 hrs from Chispanitar to Gadi.
Homestay or camping in Gadi
Day 04
Gadi Shaktikhor(355 m). Trek 3 hrs from Gadi to Shaktikhor. Trek 2 hrs from Shaktikhor to Simti
Home-stay in Shaktikhor
Day 05
Drive from Shaktikhor for Kathmandu or Sauraha
Hotel stay in Kathmandu or Sauraha
You need to have two more extra days for arrival and departure.
ITINERARY II: 7 days - 6 nights
DAYS
From and To
Overnight Stay At
Day 01
Kathmandu - Hugdi (309 m) Hattibang (1410 m). 3 hrs drive from Ktm and 4-5 hrs trek.
Homestay or community lodge in Hattibang
Day 02
Hattibang(1410 m) Jautesh- Changa- Dinglang- Jyandala. 3 hrs trek
Homestay or camping in Jyandala
Day 03
(1695 m)
Jyandala- Siraichuli(1946 m) Chispanitar(1695 m) Gadi (1275 m).Trek 1 hr to Siraichuli. Trek 4 hrs from Siraichuli to Chispanitar.Trek 1.5 hrs from Chispanitar to Gadi.
Homestay or camping in Gadi
Day 04
Gadi Shaktikhor(355 m). Trek 3 hrs from Gadi to Shaktikhor. Trek 2 hrs from Shaktikhor to Simti
Home-stay in Shaktikhor
Day 05
Shaktikhor(355 m) Sinti Siddi- Majhbang. Trekto Sinti water fall and sinti cave, Majbhang village. 6 -7 hrs
Homestay in Majhbang
Day 06
Majhbang- Chitram Majhbang/ Siddi/ Shaktikhor. Trek to chitram waterfall and back to Majbhang/Siddi. 4 hrs
Home-stay in Briddim
Day 07
Majhbang or Siddi or Shaktikhor(355 m) Sauraha or Kathmandu.
Hotel stay in Kathmandu or Sauraha
You need to have two more extra days for arrival and departure.
Hugdi (309 m) The Trail commences at Hugdi River , halfway between Mugling and Krishna Bhir in Dhading. You can either take a bus or raft down Trishuli River . The trail takes you on an uphill climb through Gakla Chautara & Khor Bhanjyang which is also a campsite filled with spectacular beautiful views of magnificent Himalayas and landscape, terraced fields with unspoilt biodiversity and rural settlements.
Hattibang (1410 m) Hattibang a major stop on the way offers good scenery of the surrounding mountains and trek through pristine mid-hill forests. Here one can experience Magar, Chepang, and Giripuri culture at the community-run home-stays and community-managed guests house. A tour of village and visit to the community lodge is recommended in Hattibang.
Hattibang offers following:
Chepang, Giripuri and Magar's villages and culture. and their cultural performance.
Elephant Shaped boulders, Scenic beauty of the hills and the mountains.
Community operated guesthouse, Home stay and local cuisine, Small teashops and grocery stores.
Siraichuli(1946 m) Siraichuli (1945m), one of the highest hills of Mahabharat range offers spectacular views of the mountains and magnificent sunrise and sunset views. The view includes a range of Himalayan peaks such as Rolwaling, Gaurishankar, Langtang, Gorkha Himal, Peak 29, Himalchuli, Manaslu, Anapurna range, Dhaulagiri and the Chitwan National Park in the Terai. The trek to the Siraichuli from Hattibang is challenging through rough landscape and vegetation.
Siraichuli offers follwing
Sunrise and Sunset viewing points.
View of Mt. Dhaulagiri , Annapurna , Manaslu, Ganesh and Langtang Himalayas and other surrounding hills, plus the Terai, Churia Parbat, Chitwan National Park and the Rapti and Narayani river basins.
Jyandala Jyandala village on the trail is a Chepang settlement where tourist can have a cultural experience. A tour of village and accommodation at village home-stay is recommended. Next is Chisapanitar, which is a popular bird watching site. More than 250 varieties of bird species are found here. The dense forest in this region is also home to other wild animals.
Uppardang Gadi (1275 m) Another interesting place is Uppardang Gadi (1275m) which used to be the headquarters of Chitwan till early 1962. The remains of a historic fort that defended the surrounding countryside are still there. It is said to have been built by Shartru Bhajan Shah, the oldest son of Bahadur Shah. The area offers spectacular views of Shaktikhor where the trek formally ends. Home-stay facilities are available here where visitors can taste local food and be a part of the local livelihood
Uppardangadi offers following:
Three hundred-year-old fort, built by Shatrubhanjan Shah.
A taste of Chitwan's capital of the pre 2018 B.S era.
Home stay facilities and provisions for tents for camping, organized by the local community.
Gurung and Chepang villages and their cultural heritage.
Beautiful view of the Himalayas and the surrounding hills and Terai.
Shaktikhor (355 m) Shaktikhor, where the trek formally ends gives ample opportunity to visitors for a wholesome cultural experience. Home-stay experience, Cultural shows, Chepang Museum and Visitor's information centre, Caves and waterfalls around Shaktikhor make Shaktikhor a unique experience. Travelling to Chitram waterfall on the next day and stay at Chepang houses in Majhbang village of Siddi VDC is yet another attraction. shaktikhor resort Shaktikhor Offers following:
Tourist information center, Chepang Museum , Kalika Temple , historically significant statue of Lakhan Thapa, Elephant foot boulders
Home stay, small hotels, restaurant, and local cuisine.
Sinti Cave , Bat Cave , Sinti waterfall, fishing, bird watching Public transport, telephone and electricity facilities.
Cultural dances by Chepang, Magar, Gurung and other ethnic groups.
