A village hidden under the clouds, Bakhang lies on top of a hill almost 3000m high, where the weather changes with each passing second. Every once in a while, thick misty clouds come by to say hello and leave you with chills. Everything seems extreme here, there is hardly a midway. The roads that lead you there are so bumpy, it’s best to not call them roads at all. The climate is more unpredictable than your morning weather report. And it seems like the sun rises extra early from the perfectly placed Gaurishankar each morning. 

Bakhang is the last Nepal border village from the Sindhupalchowk side and somehow this makes you feel like you are standing on the edge of the world. But, despite the cold weather even in April-May, the friendly Tamang and Sherpa communities and their millet beer make you feel right at home. Life here is hard, but it is self-sufficient, with vegetables, milk from the Chauri Gai, and millet as the local staples.  

Living in a busy city can make you lose your mind. In Bakhang, there is sporadic electricity and no mobile networks, so all you can do is work, read your favourite book, drink millet beer or just peacefully stare at the mountains. And the deep forest surrounding the village, the Gaurishankar massif, the Tibetan Mastiffs and the literal pin-drop silence make Bakhang the perfect off-the-beaten-path settlement, you’d be lucky to stumble upon. 

Bakhang, a village lying at 2800m and straddling the Tibetan border, is a surreal place to be in.

2015 earthquakes badly affected this serene village, but it is returning to normalcy.

As soon as I arrived, I knew this was going to be much more than just a field visit.

Barkhang has now become an unlikely alternative trade route.

Even during a scorching hot May, when I reached Bakhang it felt like December.

The best part about Barkhang is that it feels like a land lost among the clouds.

The top most part of the village from where you clearly see Chinese checkposts.

The locals here breed Chauri (a hybrid of Yak and cow) and brew alcohol from millet.

The last village of Sindhupalchowk district resides peacefully atop a verdant hill.

Bakhang is home to Sherpa and Tamang communities and gorgeousTibetan Mastiffs.

This particular village was a hotspot for Tibetan refugee once upon a time.

Photos and Text : Sabrina Dangol