In the first six months of the current fiscal year, 2,388 tourists visited Shuklaphanta National Park. Among them, 1,160 were women and 1,228 were men. A total of 2,181 domestic tourists visited the park during this period.
According to Purushottam Bagale, Information Officer at the park, 90 tourists from SAARC countries (27 women and 63 men) and 117 foreign tourists (48 women and 69 men from non-SAARC countries) visited the park. The highest number of visitors was recorded in the month of Chaitra (March–April), with 520 tourists.
Tourists at Shuklaphanta
Other monthly visitor counts include: 316 in Kartik, 389 in Mangsir, 432 in Poush, 271 in Magh, and 460 in Falgun. According to Bagale, no tourism activity was recorded during Shrawan, Bhadra, and Asoj (July to October) due to the rainy season.
In fiscal year 2080/81 (2023/24), a total of 4,574 tourists visited the park, including 1,770 women and 2,804 men. Of them, 4,294 were domestic tourists, 137 were from SAARC countries, and 143 were other foreign nationals.
Established in 1974, Shuklaphanta National Park covers an area of 305 square kilometers. It is known for having a high density of tigers in a small area. Famous for its rare wildlife, birds, and vegetation, the park is home to the world’s largest herd of swamp deer (barasingha). Tourists both domestic and international flock to the Shuklaphanta grasslands, Nepal’s largest grassland area, to observe these herds.
The park is also home to wild elephants, Bengal tigers, one-horned rhinoceroses, leopards, wild asses, swamp deer, blackbucks, wild boars, sambars, spotted deer, and more than 53 species of mammals.
Mugger crocodiles can be found in Rani Tal and other lakes inside the park. The area hosts over 449 species of birds, both resident and migratory. Additionally, there are 12 species of reptiles, 20 amphibians, 24 species of fish, and 35 species of butterflies in the park.
