Area: 255 sq km
Established: 1984

Location:
Khaptad National Park is located in the mid-mountain region of far-western Nepal, 446km by air from Kathmandu. The core area is situated at the intersection of the Bijhang, Bajura, Doti and Achham Districts of Seti Zone.

Feature:
The park covers the unique mid-mountain ecosystem of western Nepal, elevations range up to 3000mtrs, its upland is a rolling plateau of grass intermixed with oak and coniferous forests.

Vegetation ranges from sub-tropical forest in the lower altitudes, to temperate forest on the Khaptad plateau. Common tree species include chirpine, spruce, fir, maple, birch, alder and rhododendron. Dense bamboo (Nigalo) forests are also found here along with a wide variety of medicinal herbs.

The park provides a habitat for leopard and Himalayan tahr and a variety of other mammals with a rich birdlife, species include impeyan pheasant, chkor partridge, kalij pheasant, monal, Himalayan yellow-throated marten, red and yellow-billed blue magpie and the Himalayan griffin. A wide variety of butterflies, moths and insects are also an important feature of the Khaptad ecosystem.

The core area of Khaptad is steeped in religion. The Ashram of Khaptad Swami the renowned spiritual saint of the area proclaimed all vices of society such as alcohol, and tobacco, violence and killing were prohibited.