Pokhara, set against the dramatic backdrop of the Annapurna range, is a relaxed lakeside city in Nepal where visitors come to enjoy boating on Phewa Lake, stroll along the waterfront, and use it as a gateway for treks into the Himalayas.
Nepal: Chepang Hills Trekking
Trekking in the Chepang Hills is an opportunity to get off-the-beaten-path route taking you through indigenous Chepang communities of Nepal. These people have their own distinct language, and lead a nomadic life.
Most people who come to Nepal to trek usually take trails in the Himalayas, such as the Anapurna Circuit or Everest Base Camp. I had thought that these might be a bit challenging for us at our current level of fitness, so instead I booked us on a 3-day/2-night trek in the Chepang Hills, near Chitwan National Park.
For our time in the Chitwan area, we were staying at Sapana Village Lodge, which had just started to offer trekking trips to the Chepang Hills, so I signed us up!
The night before we travelled we were introduced to Thilo was going to be our guide for the 3-day trek.
Day One
To prepare ourselves for our trekking we headed over to the restaurant to get ourselves a good breakfast to set ourselves up for the day. We were the only ones going so there was no rush, and they were also still loading things in the 4×4 to take to Thilo’s homestay, where we’d be spending our second night.
When we arrived with our things at Sapana Lodge’s front gate the truck’s bed was fully laden, including the two beds we’d be sleeping on the tomorrow night, together with the mattresses they had thrown down from the room over at the employee’s accommodation – which were damp from being left out overnight.
As we were the first people to be going on this trek being offered by the lodge, quite a gathering of people was around to see us off, including the owner Dhurba Giri, his wife and a host of other staff.
With everything finally onboard we set off on the hour-long journey to the starting point of the trek.
We were dropped off with our guide and host for the next two days, Thilo, at the small community of Siddi at the base of the Chepang Hills range.
These hills are home to the Chepang an indigenous Tibeto-Burman group of people from the south-central region of Nepal. Their villages are concentrated within the boundaries of four districts—Gorkha, Dhading, Makwanpur and Chitwan. The Chepang people used to lead a semi-nomadic lifestyle until a couple of generations ago. The Chepang have their own language and, in general, they can also communicate in Nepali. Most of the Chepang are illiterate; The UN reports that around 75% of the total population of the Chepang ethnic group is illiterate and only 1% of women can read and write. So, for this community going forward education is going to be an important factor in their development.
It was not long before we started to climb into the hills. The trail was very primitive and had lots of sections with large steps, which involved scrambling. With my big legs, I just about managed, but Karen struggled from the outset. Thilo was always just ahead of us. He didn’t own any walking shoes, so he was doing this trek in what looked like dress shoes – I don’t know how he did it. We also quickly learned his estimates of time were based on the locals’ abilities to walk among these hills and not semi-fit Westerners – essentially whatever he said, we’d have to double it.
For the next few hours, we climbed higher and higher. These hills are fertile so there was a lot of tree cover, which gave us a lot of shade as we walked. Which was nice. This fertility also means it is a good place to grow crops, and the Chepang have taken full advantage of this and as we got higher, we could see numerous small fields terraced across the hills. It was stunning. Occasionally along the way we’d pass close to a small community where the locals were working in the fields. These proved to be useful distractions and a chance to stop for a break. We needed to take small, frequent breaks to keep us going.
After about three hours we thankfully took a longer break.
The slog continued after lunch, and the heat got worse. Karen was struggling badly with the altitude and heat, so Thilo took her rucksack which helped greatly. We were then offered the chance to take a shortcut, which was steep and involved more scrambling or the road (which was more of a track), which was longer. We chose the latter. Karen was travelling with Thilo and needed to take frequent breaks, but I needed to keep going.
Six hours after we started, I reached our stop for the night, Chauki Dada Hotel & Lodge, hot and exhausted. I was dog-tired, so I sat on a bench and waited for Karen and Thilo to arrive. About fifteen minutes later they rolled into town.
The hotel was the hub of this small community, and it felt like about half of the locals were here milling around. There was also a small shop at the hotel. I bought three bottles of Coca-Cola – which I never do, but I was so thirsty. We had not eaten the packed lunch that poor old Thilo had carried all this way. I ate my sandwich and boiled egg, but Karen was still feeling worst for wear, and gave hers away to a couple of local men who had sat down at our table – probably secretly hoping we’d share our food with them.
After we recovered a bit, we were shown our room, which was very basic. There was one single bed, with a quilt that was the weight of a mattress topper and a second mattress on the floor. Both mattresses were rock-hard. We did have an ensuite bathroom, which was quite amazing. The floor and walls were tiled with the most elaborate ceramic tiles with scenes from the ocean – and the sink also matched the design. This was weird as we were about 1500m above sea level and hundreds of kilometres from the ocean.
None of this mattered as we were knackered, and despite the mattresses that would have befitted a monk’s cell we managed to fall asleep and get a well-earned rest before dinner.
I think we were the only guests at the hotel. When we went downstairs for dinner it was only us and Thilo. It was dark outside, and the steel roller door had been pulled down. There was no electrical service to the village yet, but they did have solar, so we had some light to eat by. It was a single room with a couple of communal tables and a kitchen area in the corner. We sat chatting while the ladies prepared our dinner – which was simple and delicious.
Day Two
It was not the greatest night’s sleep on our rock-hard mattresses, but because we had been so tired, we did manage to get a few hours of fitful sleep. We had expected to feel very achy from the previous day’s hard walking, but we felt surprisingly good.
Today, there was another full day of trekking planned. Thilo was talking two to three hours, but by now we had sussed him out, so it was likely to be five to six hours. To get the best out of the day the plan was to be away by 7:30 to 8:00.
Breakfast was included in the “package” at our hotel, so after throwing our things into our daypacks we headed downstairs to find out what was on offer.
The small sitting area of the hotel’s lobby was already busy, with a host of mostly young people sitting around waiting. Thilo explained that they were likely to be heading off to the local market which was a two to three-hour walk away or about an hour’s drive. Among those waiting were young mothers with their children. As we waited for our food more people gathered, and eventually, they set off in a walking convoy.
Just outside the hotel, there were a group of young men who were excitedly gathered around each other. There was a lot of energy and sounds of joy and frustration coming from them. Oddly, one of the men had a red woollen coat and a hairdo, which reminded Karen of Prince. She went over to investigate and found they were gambling. Apparently, this is a big thing among the young men. They go into the towns and work their butts off and then come back to the villages and gamble it all away, and then go back to the towns to earn more money. A vicious cycle!
There was one man who was throwing down fifteen hundred rupees every shot. The gambling is organised by one man, who goes around the villages to run these sessions – like a portable casino. Karen was bemused by all these young men throwing away their hard-earned money like this. I guess they had dreams of making it big – but I am sure that never happens.
It was soon time to pack up and go
The first part of the day’s trekking involved heading along the road out of the village. It was a gentle climb uphill, with a few steeper sections, but nothing too strenuous to start the day. As we rounded the first big corner we could see our first waypoint of the day, the peak of Siraichuli (1,945 m), about 400m above where we were.
A little further along the road, we came to the local school. We had arrived just before school started so no children were here yet, so we had a chance to look around. There were two buildings, one was for the school, the other for the government. The original school building here was destroyed in the earthquake of April 25, 2015, that struck near Kathmandu. The initial shock was a magnitude of 7.8 and struck shortly before noon local time. About 9,000 people were killed, many thousands more were injured, and more than 600,000 structures in Kathmandu and other nearby towns were either damaged or destroyed. The earthquake was felt throughout central and eastern Nepal, northern India, and Bangladesh, as well as in the southern parts of the Plateau of Tibet and western Bhutan.
As we continued down the road we came into another settlement, and walking down the road were some schoolchildren. I was ahead of Karen and Thilo, so I was the first to meet them, but they seemed a little surprised to see me. The smaller one hid behind the older children – perhaps they thought I was a yeti!
The end of the road was this village. So, we had to climb a long set of steps upwards. At the top was a nice shady spot to rest and enjoy the views.
The climb up to the peak of Siraichuli was a challenge. There was a path, but it was steep in places and involved some scrambling. I reached the top about ten to fifteen minutes ahead of Karen and Thilo. It was a bit misty, but there were, amazing 360-degree views of the Chepang Hills. It was stunning.
When Karen and Thilo arrived, we decided it was time for a break. All Karen could do was lay down. She was struggling with the altitude and the effort of the climb. So, just Thilo and I could manage to eat anything.
After lunch, we followed another trail down from the peak. Thilo and forty of his fellow villagers had built this trail during the Covid-19 pandemic. The idea was that they could use it themselves, but also it could be a way to attract trekkers to their village and do homestays. This is where we were headed. Thilo had persuaded Dhurba Giri, the owner of Sapana Village Lodge, to help him turn his property in his village into a homestay. The plan is to bring tourism dollars to help the community.
The trail from Siraichuli was not as steep as the climb up, but it did follow a ridge, so at some points the trail was only a couple of metres across with steep, long drop-offs to either side. This made me feel a bit uncomfortable at times. The offset of being terrified was that the views were stunning. As we went along Thilo would stop and tell us about the plants growing to the side of the trail. It was a lovely experience, and not having to struggle uphill made it even more pleasant.
After a couple of hours, we reached the outskirts of Thilo’s village which sprawled across the hillside for a few kilometres. We started to pass more homesteads and farms. It had become apparent that Thilo was a real leader in his village, despite his tender age. He had worked with Sapana Village Lodge to bring water to the village and about a month before they got electricity – and he played a hand in this too. The water is pumped up from below in the valley in plastic pipes that run through the hills to the village where there are water tanks, that Thilo and Sapana Village had installed. Thilo had a vision and was working to make real change happen for his village.
Eventually, after about six hours of trekking, we reached Thilo’s homestay. The workmen were still busy as we arrived. The man who’d driven us yesterday was at the homestay and would be driving us back tomorrow, and greeted us with garlands of marigolds.
There will be two rooms eventually for visitors, but only one was finished. It was a simple room, the walls had been painted a vivid yellow, and the smell of paint fumes lingered, as they had only just finished. There were two single beds, the ones that had been in the back of the 4×4 when we’d left Sapana Village Lodge yesterday. Thilo’s sister had sprinkled petals from marigolds on our beds.
And there was working electricity – yeah.
The bathroom was interesting. There was a working western toilet and a shower – but no hot water yet. Karen went to use the sink and was surprised when her feet got wet. They had run out of plumbing materials, so the sink drain was not yet connected to the drainpipe!
We got to see the sunset while Thilo set about the cooking, for us and the work crew, who were spending the night here so they could carry on the next morning.
They were still working on finishing the patio, so we had to have the food brought to our room and we sat and ate it sitting on our beds.
As the shower was not working, we doused ourselves down with cold water and climbed into bed. The blankets made us feel cosy and we soon dropped off to sleep, exhausted.
Day Three
The day before Thilo had suggested we get up early to watch the sunrise, so before going to bed we had set our alarms for 6:00 as the sunrise was scheduled for 6:15. When we’d set the alarm it had seemed a good idea, but when it went off it didn’t seem so. Karen was quickly up, but I was a lot less keen.
Eventually, I dragged myself out of my nice warm bed and quickly got dressed. It was chilly outside, but we’d come prepared.
Thilo had suggested we walk up the hill to get a better view, which is what we did. There was the usual morning mist sitting in the valleys, but as the skies started to brighten the outline of the mountains became clearer. At the top of the hill, we could look from the other side towards the Himalayas, where the morning sun was reflecting a pink colour. It was one of the most beautiful things we had ever seen.
Once breakfast was done, we packed up for our return trip to Sapana Lodge. Our things were loaded into the back of the 4×4. There were two of the men who had been working on the homestay who were travelling back to Sauraha with us. It was a bit of a squeeze, but it was fine!
To say the roads were atrocious would be an understatement, and we have been on many really bad roads on our trips. They were steep, narrow, and unpaved, with many hairpin bends and big drop-offs to the side. The worst thing was that these were two-way, on a road that barely one vehicle could fit. Despite only having to travel about forty kilometres it was going to take us the best part of three hours to get back to Sapana Lodge! Karen gets very nervous with these types of roads, but luckily our driver was very cautious, so she nearly had a coronary about a dozen times along the way.
We made a stop at a small shop along the way to have a pee break and grab some tea, close to some former government buildings. The toilet was very rustic but had the most amazing views of the hills. As we sat waiting for our tea, we noticed a big placard outlining a series of local projects being sponsored by Priyanka Rani Joshi, Miss Nepal 2022. We are both critical of ‘beauty’ queen competitions, but it was lovely to see someone using this platform for good.
After this welcome break, we continued, and eventually, we returned to roads with tarmac that comfortably allowed two cars to pass each other in opposite directions.
We dropped our two travelling companions in Sauraha and continued to Sapana Lodge, where we got the most amazing welcome from the staff of the hotel. It felt like coming home.
In Summary
The Chepang Hills are a good option for people who would to trek in Nepal but are concerned about the challenges of the terrain and altitude of the Himalayas. The scenery is spectacular and the people you meet along the way are delightful. It is off the beaten track so you will not meet many other tourists along the way. The walking is challenging in places, but if things get too tough you can always follow the roads to the villages. We enjoyed our time exploring the Chepang Hills.
We organised our tour through the Sapana Village Lodge in Sauraha, but other companies also offer guided tours through the Chepang Hills.
Planning your visit to Chepang Hills
There are several ways to get to Sauraha, from when you can access the Chepang Hills. The most popular one is to take a bus. Air travel is also an option especially if you are short of time. You can also book a tour package that includes private transport to Chitwan National Park, which is more flexible.
Note that to reach Chitwan National Park, you must first travel to Sauraha, a small town outside the park that serves as a tourist hub with hotels and restaurants.
Getting to Chitwan/Sauraha from Kathmandu
By bus
Duration: 5–7 hours
Traveling by bus is the easiest way to get to Chitwan and there are two options:
Option 1: take a tourist bus that leaves the Thamel end of Kantipath in Kathmandu at 7 am. Hotels or travel agents can help make the booking.
Option 2: take an AC bus operated by Greenline, a local bus company that runs routes to/from Kathmandu/Pokhara. It departs from Kathmandu at 7:30 am. Always ask before planning as its service is intermittent or suspended during monsoon.
By car
Duration: about 5 hours
Private car transfer from Kathmandu to Chitwan can be arranged by travel agents or hotels. It is a more comfortable and relaxing experience than by bus.
By air
Duration: 30 minutes
There are daily flights offered by Yeti Airlines and Buddha Air between Kathmandu and Bharatpur Airport (10 km from Chitwan), from which you can take a taxi to Chitwan/Sauraha. or your hotel in Sauraha can arrange a transfer. During low season, flights are usually postponed until the next day. You can make the booking through travel agents or hotels.
Getting to Chitwan/Sauraha from Pokhara
By bus
Duration: 5-7 hours
Option 1: take a tourist bus to Sauraha at Pokhara’s tourist bus stand. The earliest one leaves at 7:30 am. Bachhauli tourist bus park is the final stop, which is a 15-minute walk from Sauraha. Tickets can be booked with the help of travel agents or hotels.
Option 2: take an AC bus operated by Greenline, which departs daily from Pokhara at 7:30 am. Always ask before planning as its service is intermittent or suspended during monsoon.
By air
Flying is a popular choice for people traveling in Nepal. It is certainly the quickest way to travel across any region of the country. Most of the flights in Nepal begin and end in the capital city of Kathmandu. Except for a few cities, there are no other inter-city flight connections. Biratnagar in the eastern region and Nepalgunj in the west are two other airports that are considered to be secondary hubs. The state-owned Nepal Airlines and numerous other private airlines such as Buddha Air, Yeti Airlines, Sita Air, Tara Airlines, Simrik Air, Shree Airlines and others operate fairly resourcefully in the main domestic routes. Chartering helicopter is also possible for those who are willing to pay the extra bucks and enjoy the Himalayan panoramic vistas.
By car
Duration: about 5 hours
At your request, travel agents or hotels can arrange a private car to transfer you from Pokhara to Chitwan.
The best time to visit the Chepang Hills
Winter is an ideal season to visit Chitwan and the Chepang Hills.
The levels of humidity in Chitwan remain high even during the winter months, December, January, and February. As a result, the mornings in Chitwan during these months are often foggy with dewdrops hanging around in the misty atmosphere. Even though the nights and mornings are particularly cold, the afternoon temperatures stay pleasantly warm, ranging between 20-25ᴼC. Among these three months, January and February are the coldest months with temperatures reaching single digits, sometimes even reaching the freezing point at night.
2. FALL (SEPTEMBER, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER)
In Nepal, fall typically begins in mid-September and lasts through November. During the months of September, October, and November, the temperature in Chitwan is mild and nights are clear. Comparatively, the days in fall are more pleasant than in Summer and spring. Due to the gentle temperature, it’s easy travelling in Chitwan during the fall as you will not sweat a lot and experience a lot of hustle and bustle touring.
3. SPRING (MARCH-MAY)
You might consider travelling to Chitwan during Spring like any other destination to travel in perfect weather with flowers and sun. But, in Chitwan, you might want to think about travelling during Spring again. Humidity is at its lowest in March, April, and May but the temperatures gradually get super hot with each progressing day, with the period from May to early June being the hottest days. The days can get extremely sunny and hot with temperatures that may reach up to 40ᴼC.
4. SUMMER(JUNE-SEPTEMBER)
While the Summer (pre-monsoon) sets in during May, by the time June begins, the south-easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal bring heavy precipitation with extremely high humidity. This is not a good time for trekking.
Where to stay in Sauraha
Sapana Village Lodge
I had booked us into Sapana Village Lodge for four nights on either side of a trekking expedition, that we had also organised through the Lodge.
When we arrived at Sapana Village Lodge, we got a lovely welcome and were taken to the restaurant to get a bit of late lunch while they finished getting our room ready.
This place is amazing! The dining room is mostly outside, on a large deck overlooking some natural, unfarmed pastures with a river running through them. Adjacent to Sapana Lodge is an elephant sanctuary, run by the lodge, and as we sat there settling in, we could see the elephants being taken for some exercise and a play in the river. We were so excited to see the elephants!
For a more detailed review of Sapana Village Lodge click here.
More to Explore
