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🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

Indian tourist arrivals rise in Chitwan even during peak summer heat

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Indian tourist arrivals in Nepal's Chitwan National Park have increased during the peak summer heat, defying usual seasonal declines.
  • Operators attribute the rise to hot weather in Indian states like Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, with visitors often combining Chitwan with other pilgrimage or tourist destinations.
  • While overall foreign arrivals dipped in mid-May to mid-June, Indian visitors within the SAARC category saw a significant surge.

Despite the peak heat of the Nepali month of Jestha (mid-May to mid-June), tourism operators in Chitwan National Park report a notable increase in Indian tourist arrivals. This surge bucks the usual trend of declining domestic and international visitor numbers during this period, bringing renewed activity to the Sauraha tourist hub.

Hotel entrepreneurs and jeep safari operators in Sauraha attribute the rise to the extreme heat in neighboring Indian states, particularly Uttar Pradesh and Bihar. Many Indian tourists travel to Nepal with plans to visit popular destinations like Muktinath, Pokhara, and Manakamana, and they are increasingly including Chitwan in their itineraries. Visitors often find Nepal’s climate cooler and more affordable compared to their home regions.

It is extremely hot in those states. Many Indian tourists travel to Nepal with plans to visit Muktinath, Pokhara and Manakamana, and they also stay in Chitwan

— Rishi TiwariA hotel and jeep safari operator in Sauraha explains the reasons behind the increased Indian tourist arrivals during summer.

While Indian arrivals during the summer season were historically lower, with most tourists favoring destinations like Pokhara and Muktinath, this year has seen a significant number of Indian visitors even in mid-May to mid-June. Many are stopping in Chitwan on their return journeys from pilgrimage sites like Muktinath and Pashupatinath, or briefly before heading back to India, often via the Sunauli border crossing. Some arrive in private vehicles in small groups, while others travel in larger groups on buses.

According to Avinash Thapa Magar, information officer at Chitwan National Park, the park received a total of 256,800 tourists, including domestic, from mid-July to mid-June in the current fiscal year. Of these, 153,874 were domestic, 19,855 from SAARC countries, and 83,071 from other countries. Notably, Indian tourist arrivals within the SAARC category rose sharply in mid-May to mid-June, increasing from 1,813 in the previous month to 5,863, indicating a strong preference for Chitwan during this summer period.

We have seen those returning from Muktinath stopping in Chitwan. Those returning from Pashupatinath also stay here for a night. Most are either returning via Sunauli or stopping briefly before heading back to India

— Ramesh RegmiAn operator of Nature Heritage Hotel in Sauraha describes the travel patterns of Indian tourists visiting Chitwan.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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