Trekking the Chitwan Chepang Hills Trail of Nepal

This pristine trail is an ideal choice for those seeking cultural interaction away from the popular, commercialized routes and can be conveniently combined with a visit to the World Heritage Site (Natural) of Chitwan National Park. The Chepang ethnic group (also known as Chyobang and Praja), live primarily in the Chitwan Hills. They previously engaged in slash-and-burn agriculture and were hunter gatherers with a nomadic lifestyle, at times subsisting on roots and general foraging. Nowadays, many Chepang have settled in villages and have adopted progressive horticultural methods. However, some members still engage in nomadic practices, especially outside of growing seasons, often relying on forest resources and even hunting with bow and arrow.Chepang have a distinct language that is of the Tibeto-Burman family and is one of a few, rare languages of the world that follow the duodecimal counting system with a base of twelve (rather than the decimal system with a base of ten). Other ethnicities predominant along this route include the Giripuri (a subgroup of Chhetri which is a warrior caste that includes the former royal family), Magar, Bahun (Brahmin), and Newar.QUICK FACTS AND HIGHLIGHTS,BEST TIME TO VISIT: cool season (November, December, January, and early February as well as late October).ENVIRONMENT: subtropical to mid-hills. MAXIMUM ELEVATION: Siraichuli Peak (6338 feet, 1932 m).MINIMUM ELEVATION: Hugdi Bazaar (965 feet, 294 m).FACILITIES: tea houses, home stay.DURATION: from four days to a week.DIFFICULTY LEVEL: easy.FORMALITIES: Nepal Visa on arrival ($25 USD for 15 days, $40 USD for 30 days, or $100 USD for three months); Trekking Information Management System (TIMS) card currently not needed.FOOD AND LODGING COSTS: minimal.TYPICAL NEPALI DISH: daal-bhat tarakaari (rice, lentil soup and vegetables). TYPICAL DRINK: chiyaa (sweet milk tea). HIGHLIGHTS: Chepang and hills people of Nepal, cultural interaction, village scenery, Nepali hospitality, Himalayan panoramas, bird watching, fort ruins, waterfalls, bat cave.-COMPREHENSIVE, COMPACT AND EASY TO USE-NECESSARY PRACTICAL INFORMATION AND COUNTRY HISTORY-DETAILED ROUTE DESCRIPTIONS-EASY TO USE MAPS FOR KATHMANDU AND ALL NEPAL-VISA, PERMIT, HEALTH, AND GEAR DETAILS PLUS RECOMMENDATIONS-RESPONSIBLE TOURISM GUIDELINES-USEFUL WEB LINKS-COMPLETE TREK PLANNING REFERENCE