Saipal Base Camp Trek is a very gratifying and lovely offbeat trek to the base camp of magnificent Mt. Saipal 7035m, western Nepal’s second-highest mountain. Northwestern Nepal’s Bajhang district is home to the mountain Saipal (7031 m). Three sizable mountains with the names Api, Nampa, and Saipal are located in the northwest of Nepal. From a long, steep, snowy summit, they combine to form a small range of chilly, sharp peaks.

The trek is challenging and the terrain can be strenuous at times because it is in one of Nepal’s remotest regions. The bare necessities that you could find at other well-known trek locations like Everest or Annapurna are not available to you. Given that there are no known settlements in the base camp as of yet, it is extremely likely that you will have to pack your own camping supplies.

The trail to Saipal Base Cap passes through steep gorges, subtropical to alpine forests, pastures, lakes, waterfalls, and streams. The distinctive customs, cultures, and ways of life of the locals may fascinate you because they still appear to be outside of modern society. You might be the sole foreigner on this off-the-beaten-path for most of the days in places of higher elevation.

Short Itinerary for Saipal Base Camp Trek

Day 1 and 2	Drive from Kathmandu to Dhangadi and to Dadheldhura
Day 3	Drive from Dadheldhura to Talkot
Day 4	Trek from Talkot to Jaadlekh
Day 5	Trek from Jaadlekh to Dhalaun to Khahare
Day 6	Trek from Khahare to Dodhale
Day 7	Trek from Dodhale to Saipal South-west Base Cam
Day 8	Trek to Southern Base Camp
Day 9	Trek Back to Khahare
Day 10	Trek Down to Ganai and Rest
Day 11	Trek to Talkot and Drive to Chainpur
Day 12 and 13	Drive to Dhangadhi to Kathmandu

Detailed Itinerary for Saipal Base Camp Trek

Day 1 and 2: Drive from Kathmandu to Dhangadi and to Dadheldhura

It takes about 15-18 hours to reach Dhangadhi from Kathmandu. After reaching Dhangadi, you then travel further 4 hours to Dadheldhura going northwest from the main highway. Dadheldhura is a small village hill station which also offers the views of distant Api and Saipal peaks.

Day 3: Drive from Dadheldhura to Talkot

Get moving early and board a local vehicle for Talkot as you gradually gain altitude by navigating the winding paths between the hills. Chainpur, the administrative headquarters for the Bajhang district, will be passed by. After another two to three hours of driving on a dusty road, you arrive in Talkot. You stay in a nearby lodge for the night.

Day 4: Trek from Talkot to Jaadlekh

Today is the day you start your walk. Make an early start by having an early breakfast and head on to your trail for the day. Following the bank of Seti river, you will arrive in a village called Sunapani in about four hours. You will have your lunch here. After lunch, the trail to Kuwa is simple with only minor climbs and downhills. But it descends for around 30 minutes to the settlement of Agra from Kuwa. After that, it’s all uphill for almost an hour, very steep, until Jaadlekh. Today, you’ll set up camp at Jaadlekh.

Day 5: Trek from Jaadlekh to Dhalaun to Khahare

As always, it is advised that you get a head start the next day by getting up as early as possible as dawn. Before reaching Ganai, you will traverse a pass on your way. You will arrive at Dhalaun village, a small community, after a four-hour hike. Here, you eat lunch before continuing your journey. You must hike for another three hours to reach Kakarkot, where you can get some snacks. The trail is gradually becoming more challenging. You can reach Khahare by walking along the narrow trail for two hours. Kha  quiet, pleasant pasture land by a brook.

Day 6: Trek from Khahare to Dodhale

In comparison to yesterday, today’s journey is shorter. A lot of lush rhododendron and walnut forests are passed by this lovely trail. You will arrive in Chitdka, a very attractive location, after traveling for three hours. From here, you have an unobstructed view of the Saipal mountain.

You can cool off at the gorgeous waterfall you travel by on your way from Chitka to Dodhale. To reach Dodhale, where your camp will be put up, you must walk for around two hours from Chitdka. Dodhale is the ideal location for camping because it is situated along the banks of two rivers that flow from Aunlagad and Raidhunge.

Day 7: Trek from Dodhale to Saipal South-west Base Camp

You start climbing up the trail on the right side of the Aunlagad River. One may reach Aunlagad’s Lower Base Camp after a two-hour hike. You can get a spectacular vista of Saipal Himal at this location. To reach the southern-western base camp of Saipal, it will take another two hours of leisurely walking after lunch. The base camp serves a 360 degree view of mountains on all four sides of it. The stunning western face of Saipal Himal is located on the east. Views of Kalapatthar, the Sunapani range, and Phirankov will also be your reward. Your overnight tent will be placed in one of the base camp’s numerous high-altitude pasturelands.

Day 8: Trek to Southern Base Camp

Today you will hike to Saipal Himal’s Southern Base Camp.  You take a trail to the east that ascends to a 5,000-foot pass. The view of the pastureland to the south and the stunning mountains to the north from the pass is amazing. Spend some time at the pass before beginning your descent to Raidhunge, the southern base camp. You can see Saipal Himal’s other face from Raidhunge. Additionally, you can observe a glacier descending from Saipal’s face to the glacial lake where the Seti River rises.

Day 9: Trek Back to Khahare

You start your descent from the mountains today. Aunalgad, where two rivers that originate from Saipal Himal converge, will be your first destination on this somewhat longer day. The same trail that we took to ascend earlier serves as our route down. Eventually, you get to Dodhale and then Chitdka by moving on. After lunch, you will need to trek for around two hours to reach Khahare, where your camp will be set up.

Day 10: Trek Down to Ganai and Rest

It is an easy walk to get from Khahare to Dhalaun village. After that, you will proceed past Dhalaun to Kakarkot and then on to Ganai. You’ll arrive at Ganai fairly early. You can set up camp and take a rest here today to give your legs the recovery they much need.

Day 11: Trek to Talkot and Drive to Chainpur

This is the last day of your trip that you will be walking. Go downhill to Jaadlekh village after the pass. You may reach Sunapani, from Jaadlekh by taking a short walk of around an hour. You can reach Talkot, which has road access, after lunch with a short, three-hours stroll. Get in a jeep for the approximately two-hour drive to Chainpur.

Day 12 and 13: Drive to Dhangadhi to Kathmandu

Finally, get back to civilization and cherish this once in a lifetime trek to one of the most remotest regions on earth.

Also see: Api Base Camp Trek – Remote Nepal and Kali Dhunga – YTROT