Far West Nepal

Who says time travel doesn’t exist? If you want to, it is possible. All you have to do is head to the West of Nepal.

While the dates in the newspapers may stay the same, that is pretty much the only thing that will! Hotels with Wi-Fi are few and far between, the majority of people lead predominately subsistence-based lives, and there are carts pulled by buffaloes or donkeys wherever you look! In other words, expect to have a glimpse of the Nepal of 10-20 years ago.

The West is overlooked as a destination by foreign and domestic travellers alike. That makes it the perfect place to explore! With several National Parks, delicious food, ancient temples, and Tharu culture, there is plenty to discover.

The area has a tumultuous history and a strong Indian influence (you can definitely taste it in street food!). The open border between the countries allows citizens to pass daily, often heading out to bag a bargain in the market towns across the border. These borders are actually fairly new, dating back to 1860. Nepal was once split into many different independent states and kingdoms, and only unified in the 18th Century by the Shah dynasty. Much of the land that the Shah’s united was ceded to India through the 1815 Sagauli Treaty, following a war with the British East India Company. Nepal received small amounts of these lands back as a “thank you” for aiding the British to suppress the 1857 rebellion.