Saipal base camp trek: routes from Simikot and Chainpur, days and costs

Saipal is a 7,031 m mountain in the Himalayas of north-west Bajhang district⁶, and the second-highest mountain in the Far Western Himalayas⁴. Operators reach its base camp from two directions: a walk from Simikot in Humla, and a walk from Chainpur, the Bajhang district headquarters. Their itineraries differ in length, altitude and detail, so this page sets them side by side. Other far-west routes are in the treks hub, and the neighbouring base camp is on the Api base camp trek page.

Route and days

Good Karma Trekking’s 16-day itinerary flies Kathmandu to Nepalgunj, then to Simikot, and walks up from there¹. Its stages and the altitudes it lists:

The day text names tented camps with full board meals, although the header lists tea house accommodation¹. The page also conflicts on grade and season: the header reads moderate and March to May and September to November, while the highlights read strenuous and May through October¹.

Himalayan Adventure International’s 20-day itinerary starts the same way, with a flight to Simikot on day 3 and a walk to Dharapori². It visits Saipal West Base Camp on day 9, crosses Sakya Lagna (4,710 m) on day 12 and explores Saipal East Base Camp on day 14².

For Bajhang, the same company lists a Chainpur approach: the route runs Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, Chainpur, then through the villages of Talkot, Rilu, Dhuli and Kanda to base camp². The total is 14 to 18 days from Kathmandu in total, of which 10 to 12 are spent walking from Chainpur².

Highest point

Three altitudes appear. Good Karma Trekking puts Saipal base camp at 4,250 m on the Simikot route¹. Himalayan Adventure International gives about 4,800 m for base camp on its Chainpur description, and 4,710 m as its maximum altitude on the 20-day itinerary, lower than its own base camp figure².

This page uses 4,250 m, the figure in Good Karma Trekking’s header and its day 9 stage¹. The mountain itself is 7,031 m⁶.

Season

Good Karma Trekking names spring (March to May) and autumn (September to November) as the best time¹. Himalayan Adventure International lists the same two windows, with clear skies and blooming rhododendrons, and states fixed group dates for March to May and September to November of the 2025/26 season².

Permits

In October 2026 the Department of Immigration’s trekking route and permit fee table listed Bajhang at USD 90 per week, with USD 15 per day beyond 1 week, for Saipal Rural Municipality wards 1 to 5³. The Nepal Tourism Board permit table lists all areas of Saipal Rural Municipality wards 1 to 5 as restricted, at USD 90 per person for the first week⁷.

The same table listed Humla at USD 50 per person per week and USD 10 per day beyond 1 week, for Simikot Rural Municipality wards 1, 6 and 7, Namkha Rural Municipality wards 1 to 6 and Changkheli Rural Municipality wards 3 to 5³. Both rows were seen in October 2026. See restricted-area permits for the full table.

Costs

The Himalayan Adventure International page seen in October 2026 carried prices written for the 2025/26 season: a group-join price from USD 2,500 per person and private treks at USD 3,000 to 4,500 per person². Its 20-day itinerary lists the price as on request². Good Karma Trekking quotes its 16-day price on request, since the price varies with group size and time of travel¹.

Saipal mountain and its base camps

Saipal was first climbed in 1960 by Sangay Thinlay⁶. Climbers prefer it to Mount Api because the trekking path to its base camp is less problematic⁴. Surmasarowar Lake, at 4,300 m, lies southwest of the Saipal range⁴.

Himalayan Adventure International’s 20-day plan visits two base camps, Saipal West on day 9 and Saipal East on day 14². It rates the altitude risk as moderate, up to 4,800 m². Its private-trek price includes guides, food and accommodation².

Saipal Rural Municipality is also a planning body. ICIMOD worked with Saipal Rural Municipality in Bajhang on a five-year natural resource plan, prepared with the chairperson and ward representatives, with 4.0% of the budget allocated to gender-equality and social-inclusion activities⁸.

Getting to the trailhead

For the Simikot route the flights are Kathmandu to Nepalgunj and Nepalgunj to Simikot, a 45-minute flight on Good Karma Trekking’s itinerary¹. Read Nepalgunj for the gateway and Humla for the district.

For the Chainpur route, Himalayan Adventure International gives Nepalgunj to Chainpur as either a flight of 45 minutes or a jeep ride of 12 to 14 hours². Chainpur has a grass runway with limited flights⁵. Buses run from Kathmandu to Dhangadhi and from Dhangadhi to Bajhang, an approximately 19-hour trip, and the Khopde-Bajhang road is 109 km⁴. For the district see Bajhang.