Old bazaar walk on the Chainpur ridge

We walk the length of the bazaar, stopping at shops, small shrines and the houses where trading families have lived for generations. Our guide explains how goods came up and down from the Arun valley and the high villages, and how the town changed after the district offices moved to Khandbari. Some of the older houses have carved wooden windows and doors; others have been rebuilt in concrete, and the mix tells its own story.

Along the way we stop for tea and a snack, perhaps sel roti or a plate of fried snacks, and visit a workshop or two if they are open. Shopkeepers are usually happy to chat, and our guide translates. The ridge gives views over the Arun valley as the sun gets low, with the Tumlingtar terrace visible far below and the hills of Sankhuwasabha folding away to the north and east.

Chainpur is small, so the walk is unhurried and easy, with no need to rush or plan. It works well in the late afternoon after a morning workshop visit, when the light is soft and the bazaar fills with people finishing work and children coming home from school. We end at a viewpoint or tea shop, and you can wander back to your lodge in your own time.