Trek to Khaptad Region - 10 days

Far west Nepal is an especially exciting place for a naturalist and tourist to visit be­cause of its great variety of rare and unusual plant and animal life. For a va­riety of reasons, this is where there is an es­pecially rich mixture of jungle, foothills and high country fauna and flora. Kha- p­tad National Park, located in Far West Nepal, is defined largely by the KHAPTAD PLATEAU, standing at an elevation of about 3,000 meters. The Khaptad Plateau is charac­terized by extensive grasslands (musk deer habitat) surrounded by densely forested ridges (tiger habitat). Out of the thirty-five dif­ferent types of forest communities recognized in Nepal, sixteen occur in the Khaptad region. Rare species of medicinal plants and oaks, like Quercus leucotricephala and Quer­cus floribund, are found here. The rare bird, called the Black Chinned Yhina, is known only in Khaptad National Park. Over 260 species of birds, Common Langur, Himalayan Black Beer, Musk Deer, Barking Deer, Yellow Throated Marten, Ghoral, Leopard, Wild Dog, Wild Boar, and occasionally a Snow Leopard are reported in this park.

With its spectacular topographic setting, dense alpine forests and rich plant and animal life, Khaptad National Park is one of Earth's hid­den treasures. Yet, few people have visited this region of rich natu­ral and cultural history. Khaptad is also an ancient center for culture and religion. It is thought that the Aryan horsemen, who entered Nepal through Man-asa­rovar and Kailas, settled here.

The dense forest cover makes deci­phering the ancient history of this region a challenge. For the Nepal­ese, the religious significance of Khaptad was greatly enhanced about a half century ago when the Great Scholar Khaptad Swami chose Khaptad for his meditation. Today in the Khaptad region, Nepalese people accept the primitive realities of the Himalayan topographic set­ting and their rigorous daily life with a grace that others may scarcely understand. We invite you to join us in a unique ad­venture, enjoyed by only a very few, exploring hidden treasure in the remote and serene place known as Khaptad in Far Western Nepal.

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