Phoksundo Lake Continues to Attract Tourists Despite Plunging Temperatures

Shey-Phoksundo, Nepal’s deepest lake and often referred to as the “blue diamond,” remains a popular destination for both domestic and foreign tourists despite the region’s steadily dropping temperatures.

Chief Conservation Officer at Shey-Phoksundo National Park, Nurendra Aryal, reported that 1,632 tourists, including both domestic and international visitors, explored the Phoksundo Lake area between mid-July and mid-October. Domestic tourists outnumbered foreign visitors, with 326 tourists from SAARC and other countries contributing Rs 1.053 million in revenue during the last five months.

Since the start of the current fiscal year, the park has generated Rs 6.57 million from forest product sales, eco-tourism activities, and associated charges.

Laxman Devkota, a resident of Tripurasundari Municipality-1, highlighted that Dolpa has become increasingly popular among domestic tourists, thanks to its renowned attractions such as Phoksundo Lake, Tripurasundari Temple, She-Gumba, and Dho Tarap. He suggested that regularizing Nepalgunj-Dolpa flights, improving the Bheri corridor, and enhancing local hospitality infrastructure would significantly boost tourist numbers.

Local hoteliers in Dunai, the district headquarters, observed that domestic tourists are more beneficial for promoting trade and business in Dolpa. Many travelers now prefer motorcycles for their journey, using the accessible Nepalgunj-Surkhet-Jajarkot-Rukum route to reach Dunai with ease.

Phoksundo Lake’s breathtaking beauty and cultural significance continue to make it a prime destination, offering immense potential for further development in tourism and local commerce.