“Tourists are returning to Langtang gradually after the earthquake,” said Sushma Rana, Chief Conservation Official, Langtang National Park.

The 2015 earthquake had robbed Langtang of its grandeur, with an entire village being swept away by a large-scale landslide.

Langtang Tourist Arrival Figures

According to Nepal Tourism Ministry records, tourist arrivals dropped to 5,016 in FY 2015-16 from 12,000 tourists per annum.

However, four years down the lane, the Langtang National Park is again drawing scores of tourists.

Langtang National Park began recording the number of tourist arrivals since the last fiscal year, which received an all-time high tourist arrival. Park officials recorded 21,945 tourists in FY 2018-19.

In the previous fiscal FY 2017-18, the Langtang Valley received 10,619 foreign visitors.

The Langtang National Park receives the fifth highest number of tourists among the top 20 national parks and conservation areas in Nepal.

Langtang’s Unique Beauty

The Langtang Valley is a major tourist attraction due to scenic views of the Langtang Himal, Gosaikunda Lake and the region’s varied flora and wildlife.

Langtang boasts of 70 glaciers of different sizes, the Langtang and Ganesh Himal mountain ranges and high-altitude lakes such as Bhairavkunda, Parvatikunda and Dudhkunda.

The valley is characterized by traditional stone houses, the craftsmanship and beautifully-carved wooden porches.

The region also provides a trekking opportunity for tourists with three foot trails:

• Dhunche-Gosaikunda-Helambu
• Syabrubesi-Langtang
• Tamang Sampada Marg in Langtang area

“The trekking trails in Langtang are relatively easy, so many visitors choose to come here. There are lots of activities that visitors can observe in a short period in Langtang,” said Local Tourism Entrepreneur Temba Lama.

Besides, there are many hotels in Langtang, Kyanjin and Sindhum.

“Langtang tourism has rebounded to its former state after the completion of reconstruction works. All the main trekking routes and hotels damaged by the earthquake have been rebuilt,” said Dundhup Tamang, a hotel entrepreneur at Ghodatabela.

The trails have a number of hotels, shops, and restaurants after every one or two hours on the trail, enabling a fulfilling trekking experience for trekkers.

The Langtang Valley is inhabited by the Tamangs whose culture dates back to ancient Tibet.

Thinking of making a trip to Langtang already?

The post FY 2018-19: Langtang Valley Touches 21,945 Visitors appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

“The hiking campaign has been initiated to onboard youths in tourism development of Temal region”, said Nabina Lama, a member of the federal parliament.

The hiking trip started from Temal rural municipality-7 Chapakhori and culminated in Tongsam Kunda. The event spanned four hours during which hikers covered four panoramic  hilltops. 40 youth participated in the first-of-its-kind event. Tourism entrepreneur Karna Lama and Henjen Dorje Foundation Chair Leela Bahadur Lama briefed told the participants about the local monasteries and potential tourist destinations.

 “Foreigners will also be encouraged to come and joy hiking in the area. This is the only beginning and it is targeted to the Visit-Nepal 2020. Local youths will host the events frequently,” said Lama.

The program was created as part of the pre-event preparations for Visit Nepal Year 2020.

Also Read:

• How many tourists visited Nepal 2019?

The post Temal Village Opens Hiking Campaign Under Visit Nepal 2020 appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Located in Gandaki zone’s Lamjung district, the bustling town draws many tourists annually.

“Bhujung has always been our pride. It has been the major tourist spot in the district. With our ongoing campaigns, we expect the numbers to multiply in the days to come,” said Ashakumari Gurung, a Bhujung resident and President of Yumbo Development Aama Samuha.

With the intensive ongoing cleanliness initiatives, Bhujung’s residents are confident that the place would attract more tourists and increase the period of their stay.

Adding to this, Gurung says that cleanliness is the latest goal of all the locals.

“This was never that a polluted place. However, we did have room to improve sanitation and hygiene practices around. Residents have made efforts to keep the village tidy and fresh,” the Bhujung native explained.

“It has been declared completely clean town after minutely reviewing toilet usages, water availability, hand washing habits of the residents, waste management arrangements in the locality, among others,” Gurung added.

Bhujung Cleanliness Campaign

Lamjung District Coordination Committee Chief Lokraj Pandey said that the cleanliness drive in Bhujung was carried out in the last few months and has brought about good results.

“The drive was to sensitize people on the importance of maintaining immaculate cleanliness in their locality and change the face of the village. It tried to make the residents aware that they have to actively embrace cleanliness and hygienic habits for their welfare and for promoting tourism activities,” Pandey said.

Although many locals provided homestay services, not all of them were aware and had enough resources to ensure the quality tourist would expect. “But now, you can see for yourself, and a huge change has come,” Pandey added.

Following improvements were made in the past few months in the Lamjung’s Bhujung:

• Roads were improved including widening and blacktopping with repair works.
• Hotels, restaurants and households were asked to keep their premises very clean.
• Locals cleaned their house roofs and retouched their home walls, as Bhujung’s mud and stone houses with tile roofs give the village a traditional appeal and is a tourist attraction.

What Local Representatives Have to Say

“It was our mutual effort. Everyone was confident that we would succeed in providing a different look to this town. So we worked together,” said Gurung adding that the change is going to last as that’s what the locals want.

“Our development and prosperity depend on the tourism industry. And for that, it is essential that we keep our towns and villages very beautiful in all terms,” said Prem Bahadur Ghale, Chairperson, Sothar Rural Municipality.

“We don’t welcome tall buildings or big infrastructure. We want to keep our simplicity and originality intact so that more and more tourists come here and enjoy our authentic,” he added.

“It is not an exaggeration. Bhujung has taught all other villages and towns in the country, mainly those who are losing their beauty to haphazard development,” said Kajiman Sunar, Lamjung CDO Assistant.

“They have embraced all the cleanliness practices in their locality. This is a pleasant thing to happen,”  said Rajkumar Gurung, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) representative, while stating that aware and responsible individuals can alone bring about sustainable development.

“We want our town to be charming and clean. Everyone appreciates such initiatives. But we have to ensure the sustainability of such a program. Cleanliness should turn into our habit, and not just a campaign,” said Nauraj Gurung, Laliguras Youth Club President.

The achievement made by this Nepali village is noteworthy as it compromises of 400 establishments! Hope other Nepal villages and towns learn from Bhujung’s experience.

Bhujung is the next to follow in example after Dhankuta set the standards for waste management in Nepal.

Nepali Sansar lauds the cleanliness efforts of Bhujung village.

Nepal #trashtag Campaign

Following a chain of cleanliness and waste management initiatives in Nepal is the latest cleanliness campaign #trashtag.

#Trashtag campaign picked up its pace after KP Khanal, a Nepal social worker posted an update about his clean-up drive in Gongabu’s New Bus Park, on social media, which was eventually shared by thousands of Nepali social media followers.

The drive has become a trend worldwide and many people are following similar clean-up drives and sharing their experience on social media.

Although the #trashtag challenge is as old as 2015, it has become viral over the past few months. #gocleanNepal

For more such Nepali inspirational stories, visit our website.

The post Nepal Tourism Hotspot Bhujung Village Declared ‘Cleanest Village’! appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

But there’s still hope, thanks to our conservationists, animal lovers and government authorities! We still see natural habitats being preserved.

Countries around the world are working hard to preserve their national pride. Yes! Conservation of national flora and fauna is as important as another aspect of any economy.

Among some of the hotspots of conservation efforts and retaining nature’s glory, Nepal holds a special place. Especially after the country was appreciated for its efforts of increasing its tiger population much ahead of its 2023 deadline, we know Nepal cares for its flora and fauna.

Nepal – Home to 13 National Parks

The Himalayan Nation is home to 13 National Parks and is best known for its topography that creates a suitable environment for the flourishment of a wide range of plants, birds and animal species.

These national parks not only boost Nepal as a country devoted to conservation but also make it an engaging tourism hotspot. Tourists from around the world flock to these destinations to see Asia’s wildlife glory.

Recently, Nepal Tourism touched the 1 million tourists mark, which takes it closer to its goal of the Visit Nepal 2020 campaign, where it seeks to welcome 2 million tourists as part of its tourism promotion.

Nepal’s Wildlife-friendly Habitats are often spoken about all across!

1) Banke National Park, also known as Gift of the Earth, is spread across an area of 550 sq.km and located in Nepal’s Mid-Western Region. It received the aforementioned title after it was established as Nepal’s 10^th national park in 2014. The Banke National Park has nearly 113 tree species, 107 herbal plant species and 85 shrub & climber species.

Axlewood, Khair, Semecarpus Anarcadium and Terminalia alata are some common plant species found in the park. The natural reserve is home to tigers and four-horned antelopes. The park was recognized for spotting a ruddy mongoose for the first time in 2014.

2) Bardiya National Park was established as Royal Bardiya National Park in 1988. With an area of 968 sq.km, it is considered as Nepal Terai’s largest and most undisturbed national park. It is surrounded by the Siwalik Hills in the north, the Nepalgunj-Surkhet highway in the south, Geruwa’s human settlement in the west and Babai river in the southeast.

The Tiger conservation reserve covers an area of 2,231 sq.km, which includes alluvial grasslands and subtropical moist deciduous forests. Furthermore, 70 percent of the park is covered with forests and a mix of savannah grasslands and riverine forest. Bardiya has 839 species of flora including vascular plant species of dicots, monocots, ferns and gymnosperm species. This vast habitat makes a perfect home 642 fauna species including gharial, mugger crocodiles, reptiles, amphibians, rhinoceros, wild elephants, Bengal tigers, swamp deer and Gangetic dolphins.

3) Chitwan National Park was established in 1973 and received the World Heritage Site status in 1984. Located in the subtropical inner Terai lowlands of south-central Nepal, the park covers an area of 952.63 sq.km. It spans Chitwan, Makwanpur, Parsa and Nawalpur districts. It has a monsoon tropical climate with high humidity throughout the year.

The Chitwan National Park houses sal trees that cover about 70 percent of its area and other species of flora such axlewood, beleric, balsam, cheshire pine, elephant apple, grey downey, rosewood, riverine forests, rhino apple tree and more. The park presents a perfect environment for more than 700 species of wildlife including king cobra, rock python, starred tortoise, monitor lizard, 113 species of fish, mugger crocodiles and more.

4) Parsa Wildlife Reserve Park is spread across an area of 627.39 sq.km spanning Parsa, Makwanpur and Bara districts in Nepal. It was established in 1984 and has been enjoying the Nepal National Park status since 2017. It is surrounded by Hetauda-Birgunj highway in the east and the Chitwan National Park on the west. Together with the Indian Tiger Reserve Valmiki National Park, it represents the Tiger Conservation Unit (TCU) aka Chitwan-Parsa-Valmiki.

Earlier, the region was used as a hunting ground by the ruling class. The park has tropical and subtropical forests with Sal trees contributing about 90 percent of the vegetation. Parsa Wildlife Reserve has 919 species of flora, 105 gaurs and 19 Bengal Tigers.

5) Langtang National Park was established as Nepal’s first Himalayan National Park in 1976. It is also considered as Nepal’s fourth protected area. It spans Nuwakot, Rasuwa and Sindhupalchowk districts of the central Himalayan region, and is connected with Qomolangma National Nature Preserve in Tibet. It is surrounded by the Bhote Kosi and Trishuli rivers in the west and the Kathmandu Valley in the south.

The sacred Gosainkunda lake is located inside the lake. At an altitudinal range of 6,450-m, it has 18 ecosystem variations, making it home to 14 vegetation types. It has a range of upper tropical forests to alpine scrub and perennial ice.

We’ve got more wildlife reserves to explore! Stay tuned to this page to see more updates.

The post Nepal National Parks – A True Harmony of Nature & The Wildlife appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Under the initiative, the government has promised of adding 100 new tourist destinations in a move to touch the untapped tourism potential of Nepal.

Patihani of Chitwan is one among the government’s 100 new priority tourism destinations being promoted under the Visit Nepal Year campaign.

Government is turning its promises into reality, say the locals, citing the ongoing development at the Someshwar Hill of Madi.

As the locals say, Patihani is undergoing a fast-paced transformation with the government implementing various tourism infrastructure developments in the region.

“Patihani is situated in a prime location of Bharatpur Municipality. This destination for tourism was chosen to keep its natural beauty in view. Apart from several new locations for sightseeing, our diverse culture is going to give a different taste to the tourists,” says Bishnuraj Mahato, Chairperson of the Ward. No.222 of the municipality that Patihani belongs to.

Speaking about Patihani’s potential as a tourism spot, Mahato compares it with Nepal’s renowned tourist destination Sauraha, which is known for elephant rides, jungle boating, a buffer zone of wide a variety of flora and fauna species.

“It should have happened much earlier. Sauraha has been in the eyes of the tourists for long. Patihani isn’t any less than Sauraha to mesmerize tourists,” Mahato adds.

Despite the delay, locals are happy about the recognition that Patihani is drawing now.

“Including our place within the 100 new destinations has spread the positive message among the people. Locals are quite elated. Arrival and stay of tourists in our area means our businesses will grow,” says Mahato.

Patihani – The New Tourism Spot

Major Attractions

Kamal Pokhari is one of the major tourism attractions of Patihani, which locals have been urging for due promotion since long.

“Kamal Pokhari is a mesmerizing place. We are trying to fix necessary facilities there in order to woo tourists,” said Mahato. He added that tourists do visit the place even now, but the number is not impressive. After two years, the visit-Nepal 2020 is going make it tremendously popular, adds Mahato.

According to the Operator of Jungle Villa Resort Ganesh Sharma Poudel, Kamal Pokhari is definitely a magical place that can give a thrilling experience.

“There are many other attractions for tourists. But this one is amazing. We must promote this to the optimum,” adds Poudel.

He further informed that the tourist arrivals to the area up by 25 percent last year, with many tourists loving the serenity of the environment and local culture, and a wide variety of wildlife.

“We do have all the components which are necessary to excite tourists. We are blessed to have such a serene natural beauty here. Tourists feel relaxed, charged, energized,” adds Poudel.

Chief Development Officer of Chitwan Jitendra Basnet calls Patihani a place with yet-to-be-explored rich tourism potential. He is hopeful that the region will be a great experience for tourists.

“There are many such places here, which have not been ventured. It is not just an entry point to Sauraha, but a great natural wonder itself. We are building the necessary infrastructure for tourists in the view of Visit Nepal 2020. But while doing so, we make sure that the originality of this place and its uniqueness is not messed up,” adds Basnet.

According to Basnet, there is a growing interest among investors to invest in tourism development of Patihani. Besides, many local ethnic groups and indigenous communities such as Tharu have also been expressing interest to showcase their cultures and tradition to tourists. Tharu food & culture are two of the major tourist attractions in Chitwan, besides vulture and gharial reproduction centers in Patihani.

For the Future

Coming to regional development, Patihani currently has four 3-star hotels operating with nine other hotels offering quality service at reasonable pricing. Famous Belsar and Birendranagar community jungles come under the ambit of Patihani border.

“There are other facilities being built for them. And, then they can take a round of the jungles to watch animals and birds,” Mahato adds.

As the local sources say, three new 3-star hotels and four ordinary hotels are being constructed in the region with an aim to address tourists’ concerns. Big hotels in the region contain over 300 luxury rooms, while the small ones have 150-room capacity.

“We have adopted an integrated approach. All the stakeholders have been asked for due cooperation,” Mahato adds.

It’s now an exciting time for tourists to see when Patihani will take its full form!

Read More:

• Lumbini Draws 1 Million Tourists!
• 2018 Nepal Tourist Arrivals: 33.8% Growth Y-o-Y in Jan-Sept
• Bharatpur: Nepal’s Center of Trade

The post Chitwan’s Patihani Among 100 New Nepali Tourism Spots appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Additionally, the apex court also directed the government to build a check dam on the Harpan and other rivers that flow to the Phewa lake to control the situation, within three years.

The Supreme Court decision is a result of verdicts involving the Phew lake, following cases filed against the government by Advocate Khagendra Subedi and others.

Justices Om Prakash Mishra and Sapana Pradhan Malla delivered the verdicts for the aforementioned members on April 29, 2018.

‘Phewa Lake – A Source for Nepal’s Tourism’
SC said that the Phewa Lake, an exemplary Nepali tourist destination, is not only famous in the country but also abroad.  Hence, its conservation is important for both, surrounding residents and aquatic animals, birds and endangered species of flora & fauna.

However, it’s heartening that the lake shrunk to 4.25 sq.km in 2001 from 10 sq.km in 1961, informed the apex court.

The court also observed that Nepal as Waterfall Habitat of the Convention on Wetlands of International Importance is obligated to the lake’s conservation.

The court has directed the government to conduct the following:

• Determine four boundaries of Phew lake in six months, as demanded by the Lamichhane Committee
• Investigate how much land of the Phew lake was encroached and take action to reclaim it
• Declare Phew lake as ‘Protected Watershed Area’
• Ensure that water from nearby drains do not enter the lake
• Prohibit surrounding people from using chemical fertilizers and pesticides and control water hyacinth (spring-flowering bulbs)
• Restrict people from constructing hotels and houses in nearby areas
• Enlist the Phewa lake in World Heritage Sites

Phew Lake Cases

• Advocate Subedi filed a case against Karna Shakya’s Park Village Waterfront Resort, whose final hearing is on December 20, 2018. He said that the resort was built illegally on the banks of the lake.
• Advocate Bhagwati Pahari, along with others, filed a case against the government where SC disapproved the MoU signed by the government and Manakamana Darshan Pvt Ltd for a cable car. The car scheduled to run between Basundhara Park to Boudha Stupa of Raniban would have to pass through a wetland with endangered species.
• Two cases filed by local residents against Pokhara Valley Development Authority seeks to lift the prohibition on sale and transfer of their land ownership. However, the court ruled the case in favor of the government, stating that it had to power to confiscate an individual’s land for Phewa lake’s conservation.

The post Nepal SC Passes Strict Orders to Protect Phewa Lake appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Tourists are resuming visits to this famous tourist destination located in far Western Nepal owing to the friendly-climate.

Mid-September marked the beginning of the three most suitable months to visit this water-beauty. Moreover, regular flights and good roads are beckoning a large number of tourist arrivals to the lake.

Monsoons Hit Rara Lake Tourism
Monsoons had hit Rara tourism, severely. Roads on several sections were affected due to landslides. Hotels and home-stays in the region became desolate with no activity in sight.

But now the situation is slowly improving post monsoon climate and the site including the Rara National Park is thriving with a few foreigners & significant number of domestic tourists.

According to National Park authorities, currently over 150 new domestic tourists are visiting the park each day. These include tourists from Kathmandu, Pokhara, Lumbini, Butwal, Biratnagar, Bhairahawa and Bhaktapur.

Hotels and Home-stays are also operating in full swing.

What Makes Rara Special?
Rara lake is considered as the largest lake in Nepal with an altitude of 2,999 m above sea level and a surface area of 10.8 sq km.

This beautiful lake is characterized by pristine water, a scenic backdrop and several indigenous varieties of fish.

Rara National Park Official Prithvi Lam Nepal said, visitors have taken up to camp fires and local food along the lake, besides sightseeing and boating.  

Additionally, locals have started rearing horses to conduct horse rides for tourists and add extra income.

The post Nepal Monsoon Clears Out, Restores Rara Lake Tourism appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Down the line from past to present, world nations have been observing this special day marking the significance of tourism and its significance. Continuing the line, the world observed the World Tourism Day (WTD) 2018 on September 27, 2018.

Under the theme ‘Tourism and the Digital Transformation’, the 39^th World Tourism Day was celebrated around two hot trends of today’s world i.e. Digital Transformation and Innovation.

Tourism for Sustainable Development

WTD 2018 shed light on how advanced technologies can transform the global tourism industry, making it crucial for sustainable development across the world.

The 2018 theme stands out primarily because of the impact that the tourism industry has on cultural exchange, community empowerment, transportation, ecological burden and overall infrastructure development, globally.

While all the world nations have individually marked the day, the United Nations made it very encouraging by announcing the semi-finalists of its first-ever #UNWTO Tourism Startup Competition 2018, which aims to bring in a futuristic approach among global start-ups on ways to implementing innovative ideas to transform the travel & tourism industry.

See: How UNWTO Celebrated World Tourism Day 2018

World Tourism Day & Nepal

Tourism suits best for the Himalayan nation because of its core principle: Atithi Dewo Bhava in Sanskrit, which means treating the ‘Guest as a God’.

There are many nations with high tourism potential, but for Nepal, tourism is the heart that makes it unique in the world view!

Continuing the spirit, the country observed the #WorldTourismDay2018 on a grand scale with wide range of rallies, cultural programs and heritage walks across the country.

Marking the day, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism & Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) organized a special event in Kathmandu with officials from different tourism-related bodies.

These include officials from the Ministry, Nepal Tourism Board, along with various tourism entrepreneurs and representatives from tourism-related associations.

In his address at the event, the Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari said the Government of Nepal is committed to tourism development and would promote it further on a global scale.

“We have diversity in tourism destinations which need to be commercialized. We are committed to prioritizing digitization and promoting the country in international market,” said Adhikari.

Informing the populace about rapid developments such as the 2015 earthquake reconstruction activity and construction of new airports for connectivity, the Minister expressed hope that the country would definitely reach its 2 million tourist arrival target under its ambitious Visit Nepal Year 2020 initiative.

Authorities opined that the new airport underway at Lumbini, the birthplace of Lord Buddha, will attract more number of tourists because of Lumbini’s high significance as one of the world  heritage sites and most-sought tourism destinations.

Besides, the country is hoping big on upgradation of the country’s only international airport, the Tribhuvan International Airport, and other infrastructure development across religious, cultural and natural tourism destinations such as Pokhara, Kathmandu and Lalitpur and various other adventure tourism destinations, among others for attracting a greater number of foreign tourists.

“Despite of so many limitations in the past, we have been receiving very encouraging growth in tourism. With the development of airports and infrastructures, we are quite confident that the tourists’ arrival will continue to grow up,” said Deepak Joshi, CEO of Nepal Tourism Board.

Also Read: Cultural Street Festival 2018 for the World Tourism Day 2018

Visit Nepal Year 2020, The Target Ahead

Nepal fulfilled its 2017 target of one million tourist arrivals with around 940,218 foreign tourist arrivals at the end of 2017. Continuing the pace, the country has already reached more than half of 2017’s tourist arrivals by the mid of 2018 itself, measured at 593,299 arrivals at the end of July 2018.

With regard to revenues, the country has seen a good jump in tourism revenues at USD 643 million in the last fiscal year that ended in mid-July, says Nepal Rastra Bank.

Let’s wait and watch what Nepal has to offer for the next World Tourism Day and towards 2020, the prestigious year for Nepal Tourism!

Highlights of World Tourism Day 2018 Celebrations in Nepal

1. Tourism Ministry Officials, Tourism Entrepreneurs of Nepal and other delegates at an event to mark the World Tourism Day 2018 in Kathmandu, Nepal on September 26, 2018.

2. Nepal Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari addressing the 39th World Tourism Day event in Kathmandu.

3. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation of Nepal honored ‘Shashwat Dham’ as the best Tourist destination of Nepal.

4. Murma Village, Doramba and Rainaskot receive ‘Best Village Destinations for Tourists’ awards

You might also be interested in:

• Nepal, The Perfect Tourism Destination for an Unforgettable Holiday Experience
• Nepal Tourism Vs Exports: FY 2017-18 Review
• Tourism Expo Japan 2018 – Nepal Tourism Continues Neighbor-First Strategy!

The post World Tourism Day 2018: Nepal for Digitization, Global Promotion appeared first on Nepali Sansar.

Nepal’s ‘tourism capital’ Pokhara is a product of the two erstwhile cities, Pokhara and Lekhnath. It is the largest city in terms of area and second largest in terms of population. Situated 200 km from the country’s capital Kathmandu, Pokhara is the ‘provincial capital’ of Nepal’s Province 4.

Looking Back in Time

The city of Pokhara is as old as the 17^th century! It belonged to the Kingdom of Kaski (one of the 24 kingdoms of Nepal) and later came under the control of one of Shah dynasty’s branches.

Pokhara was annexed into Prithvi Narayan Shah’s kingdom in 1976.

Later in the mid-18th century, the King of Kaski wanted to make Pokhara a commercial center and invited the Newars of Bhaktapur to settle along the main business spots of the area such as Bindhyabasini temple, Nalakomukh and Bhairab Tole.

During that time, Pokhara was home to the Khas community who inhabited major cities of modern Pokhara and the Majhi community around the Phewa Tal.

The city of Pokhara was accessible only through foot until the late 1960s and was deemed even more mystical than Kathmandu.

Top 21 Tourist Attractions in Pokhara – Video

Geography and People

Pokhara is located in the northwest corner of the Pokhara Valley, a widening continuation of the Seti Gandaki valley.

Spread across an area of 464.24 sq.km and with rivers covering 4.4 sq.km, the Pokhara Valley is divided into four-six parts by Seti, Bijayapur, Bagadi, Phusre and Hemja rivers.

The main river Seti Gandaki flows through the city and splits it into two parts: Bagar (an old town in the north) and Lakeside (a tourist district in the south).

The city has many lakes like the famous Phewa Tal, Begnas, Dipang, Maidi and Komal Pokhari among others. No wonder the city is famous with the title ‘City of Lakes’!

Pokhara is also popular for its multitude of caves!

In terms of climate, the city experiences a humid subtropical climate, characterized by hot summers and mild winters but thanks to its elevation the temperature remains moderate. Summers range between 25-35°C and winters between -2 to 15°C. Pokhara does not receive snowfall.

The tourism capital enjoys autumn during October & November and spring during February, March & April, which are the best seasons to visit this city and experience adventure sports like paragliding and trekking.

December and January create the perfect atmosphere for trekkers in the Annapurna region.

Pokhara has a population of over 414, 141 people with a density of 892.1 sq.km. It is home to people from Gurung (dominating ethnic group as per demography), Bahun, Chhetri, Khas Nepali, Magar, Newar communities and many brave Gurkha soldiers who are recognized with the name Pokhareli.

Interesting Places in Pokhara

Pokhara is home to some of the most beautiful places in Nepal. Let’s take a look at some interesting places across the city:

World Peace Pagoda: Take your worries and throw them off the hilltop that seats the famous World Peace Pagoda, a monument that resonates peace. Situated on the south region of the Phewa, the pagoda is clad in white and has the image of Buddha on all four sides of this structure.

Barahi Temple: One of the most beautiful sight to behold is the Barahi temple located in the south-east section of the Phewa Lake on an island. The two-storey pagoda is built in devotion to Goddess Durga and is worship-site for both Hindus and Buddhists. It was constructed by King Kulmandhan Shah, a great devotee of the Goddess.

A Hub of Caves: Pokhara has a number of mystical caves such as Gupteshwor, Crazy Mahendra, Gupteshwar, Sita, Chamero and Devi’s Fall (Patale Chhango) that add mystery and charm to the city. Naturally-shaped stones call for great devotion from the locals.

Phewa Tal: Ever felt like sitting by a lake and experience the silence and peace that surrounds it? Yes! That’s what it feels like when you sit by or pick a colorful wood boat as your companion for a sail across the lake against a scenery of quintessential mountains.

Mountains of Pokhara

The city of Pokhara is not only famous for its lakes, but also for its Annapurna mountain range! Experience glistening gold and mercury red sunrises and sunsets against the beautiful mountains. Trek the hill of Sarangkot to get a glimpse of the stunning mountain range.

Museums in Pokhara

Lakes, mountains, boats, pagodas, temples, museums… it’s a long list! Museums are a major attraction at Pokhara, not one or two, but many! Important ones include Pokhara Regional Museum, Gorkha Memorial Museum, Annapurna Museum and International Museum.

Pokhara is home to more than 250 tourist hotels and lodges of which, two are ranked 5-star.

The tourist district located on the north shore of the Phewa Lake has small shops, non-star tourist hotels, restaurants and bars while extravagant hotels are found on the southern shore of the Phewa.

The city has some chic shopping malls at Mahendrapool, New Road, Chipledhunga and Lakeside. Apart from shopping-malls, there are departmental stores like Saleways, Park & Shop, Munal Stores and U.F.O in the above locations.

Travelling through Pokhara is made feasible with microbuses, local buses and metered taxis. Travelling from Kathmandu to Pokhara in a flight takes 25-minutes while travelling by a tourist bus or taxi takes 6 hours.

Sports and Entertainment

The city of Pokhara has a multipurpose stadium called Pokhara Rangasala or Annapurna Stadium that supports multiple sports activities, simultaneously. There are several tennis courts and one golf course in the city.

Football, volleyball, basketball and cricket are the most popular sports played in the city. The Kaski District Football Association and the Sahara Club are the two most prominent football clubs that promote the game in the city and organize some South Asian club-level tournaments.

The Madal, Bansuri and Sarangi are some of the universal instruments synonymous with Pokhara. These instruments are used to create the traditional folk music ‘lok geet’ that originated in the western region of Nepal.

Resham Firiri and Khyalee Tune are some of the music types in Pokhara. The Panche Baja is a traditional cultural musical band performed during marriages by Damaai musicians.

Lok Dohori or Folk Duets are very popular in the region.

There are several cinema theaters at Mahendra pool, Chipledhunga, Tersapatti and Ram Bazar.

Pokhara In News

The city of Pokhara is a happening place and has been active in the news for all the right reasons! Let’s take a look at some interesting news updates that show us why this city a favorite of Nepal and tourists at large:

• Province 4’s New Capital: Early July 2018  Pokhara was declared as Province 4 capital after two-third majority assembly members voted Pokhara over Gorkha and other regions contesting for Province 4 capital.

• Ideal Site for International Airport: It’s no doubt that Pokhara is one of the ‘hot’ tourist destinations in Nepal and thus, it was essential that Pokhara has an international airport. The construction of the Pokhara International Airport is underway and is expected to be completed by 2021.

• No Horn Policy: After Kathmandu turned off vehicle horns, Pokhara took its turn next to introduce a ‘horn-ban policy’. The new rule received positive response and has been under successful implementation from the very beginning. So, this move put an end to the noisy aspect of traffic congestion woes in the city.

• European Film Festival 2018: The month of July brought with it a lot of positive developments for Pokhara. The European Film Festival held between July 7-8, 2018 brought a bunch of its best stories to woo Nepali audience. Films like Tiger Theory, Defenders of Riga and Berlin Babylon took Pokharelis to a different land altogether.

• Pokhara Premier League: The city is all set to host its own T20 franchise tournament, Pokhara Premier League, which is much awaited as it promises to be the biggest of-its-kind sports event in the country. Keep Calm and Breathe Deep!

• Fully Immunized Status: Pokhara has been in news as the ‘fully immunized metropolis’, which came after a successful immunization campaign held across the metropolis.

• Women Entrepreneur Program: Pokhara is serious about its development initiatives and the Women Entrepreneurship Program held on June 13, 2018 only strengthens this stance. The four-day event was initiated to empower the women in the city and encourage them in establishing their own businesses for a better living.

• Run for Health, Run for Pokhara: The City of Lakes recently held the Safal Pokhara International Marathon 2018 which had over 3000 participants. Bhumiraj Rai from the Nepal Police Club emerged ‘winner’ in the marathon. The City of Lakes is making major strides in almost every sector making it a friendly city not only for its inhabitants, but also its visitors.

What are you waiting for? Come home to Pokhara and let your heart connect with the heart of ‘Nepal’s Tourism Capital’!

Also Read:

• Biratnagar – Industrial Capital of Nepal
• Kathmandu: Nepal’s City of Glory!
• Nepal, The Perfect Tourism Destination
• Sarangkot- The Adventure Lover’s Paradise
• Nepal’s Lumbini Among ‘Best in Asia 2018’
• Birgunj – Trade Gateway to Nepal
• Tourist Attractions to Visit in ‘Ilam’, Nepal

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The Nepali Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Rabindra Adhikari informed this in a Parliamentary session on June 26, 2018.

Addressing the Parliament, the Minister said that the government is planning to promote 100 places as new tourism centers from the next fiscal year, with at least 10 new destinations in every province.

Besides, the government is also looking at ways to expedite the reconstruction of quake-hit heritage sites, promotion of religious sites and home stays, among others.

With regard to improving air connectivity for tourists, the government is looking forward for the development of new airports across the country with at least one major airport in each province. Some of the new airports include: Pokhara regional & international airport with in duration of three years, Nijgadh international airport in Bara and Gautam Buddha Airport in a year, among others.

Besides, the government is keen on enhancement of the existing airports. To ease the traffic at the Tribhuvan International Airport, the government has already increased the airport’s operational time to 21 hours in a day from May 21, 2018.

Apart from these, five national-pride projects are also on priority for the government.

On the external front, tourism publicity programs are also being planned in the neighboring countries India and China. According to the Minister, the implementation of direct flight services from Nepalgunj to New Delhi after three months is also on cards.

According to Adhikari, all the relevant plans and implementations are being formulated in line with the 2020 campaign.

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