Taplejung lies at the centre of Limbuwan, the traditional homeland of the Limbu, one of Nepal's Kirat peoples. On this walk a local guide explains how the Limbu follow the Kirat religion and the oral tradition of the Mundhum, how their Sirijanga script came to be revived on shop signs and in schools, and what role figures like the phedangma priest play in village life.
We wander the main bazaar and side lanes, visit a Kirat place of worship when access is possible, and stop at shops selling dhaka cloth, bamboo goods and local foods. If there is a wedding or celebration on the day, you may hear the chyabrung, the big two-sided drum whose dance is a symbol of Limbu identity. Nothing is staged, so what you see depends on the day.
We finish at a local eatery for tongba, warm millet beer topped up with hot water and sipped through a bamboo straw, or milk tea for non-drinkers, with sukuti or vegetable snacks. It is a good way to spend an afternoon before an early Pathibhara start or after a trek.
Good for
- Solo
- Groups
- Couples
- Photographers
Questions travellers ask
What is tongba?
Tongba is fermented millet served in a wooden or metal vessel. Hot water is poured over it and you sip the warm, mildly alcoholic liquid through a bamboo straw, topping up as you go. It is a staple of Limbu and Rai hospitality in the eastern hills.
What is the Kirat religion?
Kirat is the indigenous faith of the Limbu, Rai, Yakkha and Sunuwar peoples, based on the Mundhum oral scriptures and nature and ancestor worship. It has shared shrines with Hinduism, Pathibhara being one example.
Can we see a chyabrung dance?
Only if a celebration is happening, such as a wedding or festival. We do not stage performances, but your guide will take you to one if there is an event in town that day.
