Khaptad: A spiritual and natural tourist destination in west Nepal

• HB Kham

Are you an individual who often likes to be reflective, introspective and meditative in the mood? Are you the person who would invest your precious time in being intrapersonal? Are you the man who would like to travel to an area where you can readily immerse yourself into a spiritual and natural ambiance?

Are you the person who would prefer to communicate with nature employing spiritual meditative activity while traveling? Are you in search of such a venue or destination where your wish to be self-reflective and meditative can materialize into a tangible reality? If it is so, then the destination you are looking for is undeniable “Khaptad” located in Nepal.

Yeah, Khaptad can be your coveted travel destination to fulfill your wishes and purpose of life experience and add extra value, vigor, and grandeur to your experience of travel, trekking and expedition after the spectacular and mystical confrontation with the beautiful natural and spiritual ambiance which is rare to be explored elsewhere.

Snowtime in Khaptad

Khaptad popularly described to be a paradise of the land blessed with treasures of nature and spirituality is located in the far western region of Nepal around 822 km far from Kathmandu-the capital city-of Nepal- is famous for its natural beauty and spiritual destination for the trekkers with all tantalizing lush green meadows, murmuring lakes, waterfalls, national park and diverse flora and fauna to watch.

The natural raw beauty and its pleasing and mesmerizing effects can be felt once you reach this spot. Being here to mix and mingle with the natural ambiance can offer you immense pleasure and happiness that no artificial physical comforts of mundane life can provide in this materialistic and transient world.

One trekker who visited Khaptad in 2017 suddenly remarked, “Khaptad is a heavenly nature. A perfect place to hang out with nature. Here you can walk through the mountains and gorges with snowy and green flatlands and visit religious holy temples that automatically lure your heart, mind, and soul.”

Khaptad National Park

To cite another instance of a remark made by the tourist, “Nature at its best. Conservation parks towards the west of Nepal are one of the best places, I have ever been to. Nature has so many things to offer there. Lodging and food may be difficult over there, but if you are adventure and nature lover, I am sure you will like it.”

The other tourist says, “Khaptad is like another heaven. Awesome place. So natural things around Khaptad Baba idol inside the park. Lots of flora and fauna….green grassland is an awesome place.”

No lesser than this is another remark about Khaptad. The other visitor to Khaptad claims, “Lord Shiva’s Paradise. Khaptad’s beauty cannot be described sufficiently in words. A heaven on earth and a paradise. What a place? Khaptad is one of the most beautiful places I have traveled to. If you want to get away from the crowd this is the perfect place.”

Last, but not least is another remark by a trekker who said, “Khaptad Natural Park is one of the best natural paradise situated in the western Nepal where we can observe the beauty of nature with varieties of birds and beautiful landscape. Naturally green and superb climate make my holiday happy.”

As Nepal government proclaims the New Year 2020 to be Visit Nepal 2020 campaign, at least a hundred thousand tourists are expected to visit this pristine tourist destination -Khaptad said Sigadi Municipality Mayor Manju Masali.

Khaptad’s reputation is connected with Khaptad Baba and Saint Sachidanand Saraswati who had meditated at this venue in the past for over 50 years. Khaptad Baba is said to be a renowned spiritual guru and philosopher of this place. Khaptad Baba born in India’s Nehru family had come to Nepal in 1986 and meditated here.

He was a physician before renouncing the world. He had completed his MBBS from Kolkatta’s Tropical Medical College and done his surgical study from the UK. Khaptad Baba was dexterous in the use of languages such as Hindi, Urdu, Kashmiri, Sanskrit, English, and Nepali.

Khaptad these days is having incessant snowfall. So, every day hundreds of tourists are flocking this pristine destination to watch the romantic and fascinating glimpses of natural views according to the former chairperson of industry and commerce Mr. Narendra Bahadur Khadka.

Khaptad National Park officials informed that both internal and foreign tourists are being welcomed in Bajura, Achham, Kailali, Kanchanpur, Bajhang, and Doti besides receiving them in Khaptad. Every year Khaptad also hosts a festival that attracts a large number of tourists, said a local body representative Dirgharaj Bhogati.

Khaptad National Park which is elevated at 3500 meters above sea level with 850 species of birds to watch, 567 species of vegetation to observe says, National park conservation officer Raju Ghimire. Khaptad also has 150 long and 50-meter wide Khaptad pond and other 52 smaller lakes to see. More than 200 species of flowers and valuable herbal plants can also be found here. You will be suddenly confronted with wild boar, leopard, buffalo, monkeys, porcupines, Ghoral and other wild animals in the jungles of Khaptad.

How to reach Khaptad?

There are several ways to reach Khaptad. One of the main popular routes is the route that goes through Baglaik of Doti. You can also take a flight from Kathmandu to Dhangadi in Kailali and then take a road from Dhangadi to Dadeldhura Syawale bazaar.