Highlights

• Cultural trekking trail along the Mahabharata hilly ranges

• Explore the indigenous Chepang cultures and traditions

• Mesmerizing journey through the less explored community trail

• Unobstructed and clear view of Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, as well as 14 districts out of 77 districts in Nepal

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail lies in the Mahabharata range in central part of Nepal, taking us to a maximum altitude of 2300m.  Mahabharata is a subtropical hilly range that runs along east-west direction in Nepal. The trek connects three districts; Dhading, Makawanpur and Chitwan. The route follows Chadragiri Hill – Toplang – Sita Paila – Manakamana – Pokhari Chaur – Leeti Dovan – Rani Jharana – Dakaha – Bhumichuli – Jhandachuli – Sanu Bolne – Thulo Bolne – Kailasha Baikuntha – Kandrang Gadhi – Sola Baja – Dungwang – Ghambang – Rimbang – Nohak cave – Majubang and Shakti Khor.

The starting point of the trekking trail is in Chandragiri hill, about 11 kilometres southwest of Kathmandu. It is a short and easy trek featuring evergreen sub-tropical vegetation, warm climate, wild berries, pine and rhododendron forests, natural Nohak cave, canoeing site, waterfalls, etc. The magnificent views of snow-capped mountains will leave you mesmerized. The trail hosts rich culture of indigenous Chepang community and gives us an opportunity to get insights into their typical lifestyles, customs and cultures.

Canoeing, cycling, hiking, jungle safari, Chepang cultural heritage are few attractions on this trail. Spring season and autumn season are the best times for trekking here. Accommodation facilities range from lodges and homestays to camping.

There are so many breath-taking viewpoints along the trek offering unobstructed and clear view of Annapurna, Manaslu, Ganesh Himal, Langtang, as well as 14 districts out of 77 districts in Nepal. What can be better than this! Nature Lovers Treks and Tours takes pride in offering you this marvelous indigenous community, cultural trail journey in the Nepal Himalayas.

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail outline itinerary

Day 1: Namaste and welcome to Kathmandu, Nepal

Day 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Thankot then take a cable car ride to Chandragiri or drive straight from Kathmandu to Deurali 2250m. Have lunch while enjoying view of Kathmandu valley. Same day trek from Deurali to Toplang 2000m 4 hours.

Day 3: Trek from Toplang-Sita Paila-Manakamana-Pokhari Chaur 1985m 6 hours

Day 4: Trek from Pokhari Chaur-Dumre-Leeti Dovan 900m 6 hours, Side trip to Rani Jharana 750m

Day 5: Trek from Leeti Dovan-Dakaha or Koili Kharka 1400m 4 hours. Afternoon hiking to Bhumichuli and Jhandachuli for the wonderful views.

Day 6: Trek from Dakaha-Sanu Bolne {lunch point}-Kailash Baikuntha 2300m 7 hours

Day 7: Trek from Kailash Baikuntha-Kandrang Gadhi 1400m 7 hours {Kandrang Gadhi is the starting point of Chepang Villages}

Day 8: Trek from Kandrang Gadhi-Sola Baja 1300m 7 hours  

Day 9: Trek from Sola Baja-Dungwang 1200m {lunch}-Ghambang or Rimbang 1470m 6 hours

Day 10: Trek from Rimbang to Nohak cave and back to Rimbang. It’s natural cave exploration day.

Day 11: Trek from Rimbang to Majubang 1200m 6 hours

Day 12: Trek from Majubang to Shakti Khor 950m 4 hours and drive to Kathmandu

Day 13: Rest and souvenir shopping day

Day 14: International departure and farewell.

Cost for 1 PAX: $1770 /-

Cost for 2 or more PAX: $1550 per person

Note: Trip cost varies with the group sizes.

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail Cost Breakdown

Cost Include

• All ground transfers

• Full sightseeing during trekking

• Hotels in Kathmandu on BB basis

• Camping accommodations during trek and teahouses or homestays wherever available

• Required camping stuffs, including different tents, other gears and equipment with food supplies

• Full board meals; breakfast, lunch, dinner and tea / coffee and snacks, freshly cooked meals during camping

• Clean drinking water everyday

• Trekking permit

• TIMS Card (Trekkers Information management system)

• An experienced English speaking trekking guide and his expenses, insurance

• Porter service (1 for 2 trekkers) and their expenses, insurances including extra Sherpas for carrying camping stuffs

• First Aid kit Bag

• Company t-shirt/ Certificate of appreciation

• Government tax and Vat

Cost Exclude

• Arrival visa fee and international departure

• Extra drinks as alcoholic and non-alcoholic and other personal expenses

• Meals and sightseeing in Kathmandu

• Extra accommodation and meals behind schedule

• Travel and emergency rescue insurance

• Gratuities to the staffs (mandatory)

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek Useful Information

Kathmandu airport pick up and drop services

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours’ staffs will pick you up from the airport as per your flight arrival time and similarly drop you off in the airport for international departure according to your flight schedule. During arrival, please don’t forget to look for your name placard hold by the team, outside the airport arrival gate. Our staff will be impatiently waiting for your arrival to greet you and warmly welcome you in Nepal. ‘NAMASTE’ is the foremost and the most commonly used greeting word in Nepal which you will hear from our staff at the very first moment you meet him.

Customized Trips and Trip departure

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek departs from Kathmandu as per our fixed departure dates. You can join any available fixed departure groups if you are a solo or small group travelers if you wish to, when the trips cannot be customized.

But if you are in a private group, fixed departure dates are not suitable for you and so you need to choose your own dates and packages, when you can customize the trek as per your travel needs. For further information, please kindly contact your own friendly neighbor, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.

Accommodations in Kathmandu and during trek

You will be staying in the 3 star hotel in Kathmandu while in the teahouse lodges, homestays and tented camps during the trek.

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best accommodation arrangement for you from the beginning to the end. We believe after the tough walking day, everyone deserves the proper rest and the right ambience to relax and chill. Therefore, our choice of accommodation is the best when it comes to the trekking days. The rooms will be clean and comfy. Our entire accommodations will be on twin-sharing basis as you can see, so you have to let us know if others; let’s say if you want triple or quadruple sharing or if you want a double bed, etc. There will be extra charge for the single supplement. Similarly, there will be comfy tented camps during the camping nights.

If you wish to change the accommodation category to a better one in Kathmandu, please let us know and we can change it for you on added cost.

Route Map and Company T-shirt

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers you a complimentary trekking map and the company t-shirts.

Safe Drinking Water during Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek

Hydrating yourself is the most important thing to do during the trek. You should drink at least 3 liters of water every day or more. The main reason is to avoid the altitude sickness and to avoid other health issues. Nature Lovers Treks and Tours provides you water purification tablets or liquids to purify the water in the mountains. You can even buy mineral water or boiled water on extra cost.

Your trekking guides and porters

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours has the best guides and porters in the whole tourism industry. We can guarantee you on that. Ask yourselves a question. What do you look for in a guide and a porter? Are they fully insured and are they paid well? Well, they are the staffs of Nature Lovers Treks and Tours so they are hundred percent happy with their treatment by the company. They are experienced, licensed and knowledgeable in the field. They are well paid and fully insured for their journey as well as for the medicals.

Now, let’s talk about our backbones. The leader or a guide should have a significant knowledge in the climbing and trekking so that he can wonderfully and safely lead you, clearing any obstacles on the way. We, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours can proudly say that our guides (climbing, assistant, trekking guide) are highly qualified for the role. They are fully trained, experienced and licensed. They have undergone through a whole lot of training to make themselves useful in various situations and to make your journey a smooth and pleasant one.

Our guide knows the local areas, the cultures, the traditions and the lifestyles much more than anyone do. Some of the things he tells you, might even be hard to find in the travel guide books. Depending upon the situations and weather conditions, the daily plans might change slightly which when happens, he will inform you beforehand. You should always be flexibly ready to accommodate to your guides’ instructions. Let him know if you have any health problems as well since he will act accordingly to the situation. Depending upon the group size, we will also provide you assistant guides and extra Sherpas if needed.

Our porters are always fully equipped with the gears they need and as per the company policy, they are always insured and completely looked after. They are our backbone. We allow maximum weight of 25/30 kg to be carried by one porter. They are the strongest in our group with less communication skills. We also closely work with IPPG {International Porter Protection Group} and follow their ethics and guidelines.

Your safety

Nature Lovers Treks and Tours puts your safety as the top priority. We provide you our own comprehensive first aid medical kit bag along with the professional team of guides and porters. We are always in communication with our field team members to keep track of your safety and concerns. Your entire journey will be monitored by us and we make sure you enjoy your journey in full scale. We are available 24/7 for your health and safety checks during Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek.

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek Frequently Asked Questions

How much does the Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek cost?

The cost of the Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek varies from $1000-$2000 depending upon the number of days you choose to trek. The longer the trek, more expensive it will become. Similarly, the price will differ with the group sizes also. Normally, Nature Lovers Treks and Tours offers a comprehensive package which is inclusive of all the cost and expenses for the entire journey from the moment you land in Nepal till the moment you fly back home. However, you could also choose to buy only service-based package from us when we will be providing you only the supporting field staffs plus trekking permits and you have to arrange the rest by yourselves.

How is the Accommodation during the Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

In Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek, we will provide you the teahouse accommodations as well as homestays {depending upon availability} while tented camps for some days. A teahouse is typically a mountain lodge which is a combination of a lodge or a guest house and a restaurant or a café with basic furniture and interiors suitable for the social hangout. Few teahouses even have attached bathrooms and the central heating furnace. Very few of the teahouses provide the European toilets while Asian style of toilets are available in every teahouses. Sleeping blankets are usually provided but we recommend you to carry your own sleeping bags for the hygienic purpose {can be arranged on request}. At the same time, it’s better to carry your own toiletries including the towels.

A homestay is typically a local house with addition of some extra beds and minor facilities to welcome the guest. Homestay is where you can stay and experience the local lifestyles and cultures. Most of the homestays have Asian style of toilets and no attached bathrooms.

During the camping days, you will be sleeping in the camps set up by our field Sherpa staffs. There will be separate kitchen and dining tents. Your meals will be freshly cooked and you will be served day and nights by our Sherpas. Our staffs will carry the sleeping bags, pillows and mattresses for you to sleep in the tents. Undoubtedly, you will have a perfect camping trek experience with Nature Lovers Treks and Tours.

What are the permits that I need for Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail?

For Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail, you will need to make only one permit: TIMS {Trekkers' Information Management System} card.

How does this tipping system in Nepal works and do I have to tip?

Tipping is not compulsory for Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek however tipping is all about showing your gratitude and appreciation. We care about our staffs in the fields so we expect you to look after them in return for them looking after you throughout your journey. They are your closest friend in the remotest parts and also your protector whenever anything seems to happen to you. So tipping is highly expected and we’ve made it mandatory too. The amount of gratuities can be determined by yourselves. Normally, a guide expects around $5 or more per day per person while a porter expects $4 or more per day per person.

Can I charge my phones, batteries or other electronic devices in Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

You can hardly charge your electronic devices during Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek.

Is there WiFi and mobile signal on the Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek route has mobile network coverage so you can buy one of the Nepali Sim cards from any local phone shops in Kathmandu and use the mobile date during the trek whenever available.

WiFi is hardly available in Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek route. When it does, the signal varies from place to place and please don’t expect to receive the fast data coverage in the trek.

When is the best time to trek to Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail?

Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek can be done throughout the year. However in average, Spring {March, April and May} and Autumn {September, October and November} are the best times or seasons to trek to Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail. Spring and Autumn are known as the Peak season or Busy season in Nepal. It’s because the temperature is moderate during these seasons and the best panoramic mountain views are guaranteed while during other Summer {June, July and August} and Winter {December, January and February} season, the clear weather is not guaranteed. But if you are an explorer, a photographer and a peace lover, less busy season can also be the right time to do Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek.

Do I have to worry about the altitude sickness in Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

No. You don't have to worry about the altitude sickness at all in this trek.

Do I need to be healthy and physically fit for Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

When it comes to trekking in the mountains, health and fitness of a person plays a vital role. If you are a healthy person without any serious medical problems, Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek is for you but if you have any sorts of medical issues, please consult to your doctor before coming to Nepal for the trek.

Now when it comes to the fitness level required, Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek requires no physical fitness of such. The trekking includes daily walks of about 4-8 hours and involves some ascents and descents which means you need a little practices before you start the trekking journey. If you do not have the previous trekking experience, that’s fine but obviously if you have previous experiences, it will be lot easier. For those not having previous trekking experiences, please exercise regularly for at least few weeks prior to your trekking departure. Go for the morning walks, do some jogging as you get time, participate in some cycling activities, etc. This way, you will be good to go for trekking to Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail.

What kind of food items or meals can I eat on Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

Only breakfast is included in Kathmandu while full board meals or full meals are included during the trek. Tea and coffee will also be provided during the entire trip. During the trek, you will have your breakfast and dinner in the same teahouse/homestay/camps where you spend the night while the lunch will be served en route towards the next destination of the day. There are limited choices to choose from; Nepalese, Tibetan, Indian, Continental, etc. during the teahouse or homestay nights.

The most common and the highly recommended food during the Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek is typical Nepali Dal Bhat {rice and lentil}; even better without meat, means Nepali Vegetarian Dal Bhat. Freshly cooked meals will be served in camping days and usually the foods are basic and with few choices but they will certainly be healthy and nutritious. Our Sherpas will make sure that you eat enough food for the trekking journey.

Do I need a travel insurance for Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

It is better to have a travel insurance to cover your losses occurred in rare case of urgent medical issues or in theft or stolen cases.

What gears and equipment do I need to pack for Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail trek?

Choosing the right gear and equipment is important as well for the successful trek to Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail. Pack the right gears and equipment but remember, packing as light as possible is the best way to go. You should read this What to take for travel to get all the details on what you need to pack or carry to get to Chepang Heritage Mahabharata Trekking Trail and back.