Tourism entrepreneurs from Sauraha, Chitwan, have arrived in Pokhara to extend invitations for the upcoming Chitwan Elephant and Tourism Festival 2081, set to begin on Poush 11. The festival, organized by the Chitwan Regional Hotel Association in collaboration with the United Elephant Operation Cooperative Ltd. and the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal, will be held from Poush 11 to 15, 2025.
The festival, which was postponed for three years due to COVID-19, is set to resume this year. The delegation from Chitwan visited Pokhara as part of a promotional campaign and formally invited the people of Pokhara to attend the event. During a press interaction held in Pokhara on Tuesday, Om Sharma, Vice-President of the Chitwan Hotel Association, shared details about the upcoming festival.
Sharma emphasized that Chitwan National Park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is not only Nepal’s first national park but also a renowned tourist destination, known for its biodiversity and wildlife, both nationally and internationally. He also mentioned that since the Elephant Festival began in 1998 (2055 BS), the event has contributed to a 25-30% increase in the number of visitors to the region each year.
Ram Kumar Aryal, the program coordinator, noted that the success of the festival relies on the support of all three levels of government, including the Ministry of Forests, the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation, the Nepal Tourism Board, and Chitwan National Park.

The festival is expected to boost promotion for Sauraha and other tourism destinations in Chitwan, according to Bhoj Raj Tiwari, President of the Ratnanagar Tourism Council. Mahesh Khanal, the Secretary of the Chitwan Hotel Association, also highlighted that the event would promote environmentally friendly practices by discouraging plastic and utilizing digital platforms for event promotions. The association is also creating wildlife and eco-friendly stalls and stages for the event.
Approximately 80 elephants will participate in various activities during the festival. Some of the attractions include the announcement of Chitwan as the “Biodiversity and Wildlife Tourism Capital,” an elephant decoration contest, elephant picnics, an elephant-friendly football penalty competition, a musical walk with elephants, elephant health camps, a boat race at the local municipality level, and discussions on tourism potential and challenges in Chitwan. The event will also feature cultural performances by national and local artists, a showcase of indigenous costumes and arts, as well as a special program to promote female entrepreneurs and local agricultural products.
Organizers have announced that festival-goers will receive discounts of 25-30% on various activities. The event will take place in Ratnanagar Ward No. 7, at the Baghamara Community Forest ground, with Ratnanagar Municipality serving as the event’s patron. Other organizations such as the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, the Bagmati Province government, Chitwan National Park, and the Nepal Tourism Board are supporting the festival.
Hari Sharma Gairhe, President of the Nepal Hotel Association Gandaki, also commented that there has been strong cooperation and coordination between the tourism activities in Chitwan and Pokhara, which has contributed to the growth of tourism in both cities.