Shuklaphanta Tourists to Receive Free Nature Guides During Festival

Visitors to Shuklaphanta National Park in Kanchanpur will now have access to free nature guides, enhancing their experience of the park’s rich biodiversity.

This initiative, launched by Bhimdatta Municipality, coincides with the Shuklaphanta Tourism Festival, which runs from February 21 to 27 to celebrate the park’s establishment. As part of the festival, the first 100 private and safari vehicles entering the park will also be exempt from entry fees, said Rajendra KC, Coordinator of Bhimdatta Municipality Tourism Development Committee.

Ramchandra Regmi, President of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association in Kanchanpur, emphasized the need for greater government efforts to attract international visitors, stating that while local initiatives are commendable, national-level promotion is crucial for boosting tourism.

Shuklaphanta National Park is renowned for its diverse wildlife, including 56 species of mammals, 56 species of reptiles, 15 species of amphibians, 88 species of fish, and 111 species of butterflies. Visitors can spot tigers, elephants, one-horned rhinoceroses, wild buffalo, black deer, nilgai, and leopards, among other species.

The park, covering 305 square kilometers, boasts the world’s largest grassland, with 19% of its area classified as grassland. It is particularly famous for its reindeer population, which exceeds 2,200.

Nature guide Mahananda Joshi highlighted that despite its incredible offerings, Shuklaphanta remains under-visited due to a lack of promotion. To boost awareness, the festival will feature cleanliness drives, essay competitions, and interactive sessions with tourism and travel entrepreneurs from Nepal and India.