Jungle safaris reopen in Chitwan and Shuklaphanta for Dashain holidays, tourists rise on Annapurna trail

Jeep safaris have resumed in Chitwan National Park from Asoj 23, after the service had been suspended since the start of the monsoon. According to park information officer Avinash Thapa Magar, the park was reopened after repairing roads damaged by floods, clearing fallen trees and cleaning up bushes along the safari routes.

He said the reopening was delayed because floods in the second week of Asoj had damaged the safari routes. According to the park, about 74 jeeps operate on safari routes from Sauraha, Kasara, Meghauli, Amaltari and Madi.

Shuklaphanta National Park has also reopened its jungle safari, targeting tourists visiting during Dashain and Tihar. According to information officer Purushottam Wagle, the main route via Majhgaun to Babatal, Ranital, then through the Shuklaphanta grassland and Barkaula back to Majhgaun has been opened. He said preparations are under way to open inner routes as well once the rain stops. According to the park, it is home to about 2,300 swamp deer and around 50 tigers.

Meanwhile, tourist numbers are rising again on the Annapurna trekking route, which had been affected by floods and snowfall. According to Bhupendra Gurung of the Tourist Information and Registration Centre at Dharapani under ACAP (Annapurna Conservation Area Project), around 150 to 200 tourists are now arriving daily. According to the centre, about 1,447 tourists arrived between Asoj 18 and 25. He said that with snow cleared from the Thorong La pass route, travel from Manang to Mustang has become easier.