Discover Shuklaphanta National Park: Nepal’s Hidden Gem In The Southwestern Wilderness

Published on September 4, 2025

One of Nepal’s astir promising but little-visited earthy areas is Shuklaphanta National Park, which is tucked distant successful nan southwest of nan country. Despite having a wide assortment of wildlife, expansive grasslands, and charming wetlands, nan parkland has obstacles that forestall it from becoming a celebrated destination for tourists. In crisp opposition to nan years anterior to nan Covid pandemic, nan parkland has seen a dependable diminution successful visitors contempt its alluring earthy beauty.

A Rich Tapestry of Flora and Fauna

Spanning an area of 305 quadrate kilometres, Shuklaphanta is renowned for being location to Asia’s largest herd of swamp deer, which numbers complete 2,300. This expansive protected area is besides a sanctuary for a divers scope of wildlife species. According to caller surveys, nan parkland is location to 43 big tigers, 23 rhinos, 306 blackbucks, and 461 vertebrate species. With specified an extended assortment of plants and fauna, nan parkland has nan imaginable to go a important destination for ecotourism enthusiasts. Additionally, Shuklaphanta is location to scenic lakes specified arsenic Ranital and Shikarital, pinch nan second nether study for inclusion successful nan Ramsar wetlands list.

A Decline successful Tourist Arrivals

Despite nan park’s ecological wealth, Shuklaphanta’s tourism numbers person been connected a downward trajectory. The twelvemonth 2024-25 recorded a humble 3,722 visitors, which is simply a important driblet from nan erstwhile year’s 4,006. The pre-pandemic era had seen overmuch higher numbers, pinch 12,138 visitors visiting nan parkland successful 2017-18.

The Pandemic’s Impact connected Tourism

Like galore different tourer destinations worldwide, Shuklaphanta saw a crisp diminution successful visitors pursuing nan outbreak of nan Covid pandemic. With world recreation restrictions and nan suspension of galore tourism activities, nan park’s erstwhile thriving tourer travel dwindled. While nan pandemic’s effects person been felt crossed nan world, nan betterment successful Shuklaphanta has been slower than expected. The business remains dire, pinch small betterment successful nan wide tourism infrastructure and services.

Challenges to Growth: Infrastructure and Accessibility

One of nan astir important hurdles facing tourism successful Shuklaphanta is nan park’s deficiency of due infrastructure. Although nan parkland offers a scope of nature-based activities, specified arsenic jungle safaris, birdwatching, and quality walks, location is simply a terrible deficiency of value accommodations and reliable proscription options. For astir tourists, nan travel to nan parkland remains cumbersome, pinch constricted aerial and onshore carrier options available. High airfare, particularly for world visitors, further discourages imaginable visitors from making nan trip.

Despite nan ongoing efforts to amended infrastructure, nan fund allocated for tourism-related developments remains limited. In 2025-26, only astir NPR 3 cardinal was provided for nan park’s tourism infrastructure, which has led to slow progress. Additionally, nan absence of a imperishable span complete nan Chaudhar stream remains a awesome obstacle. This span would supply year-round entree to nan park’s different sectors, allowing for a much divers and extended scope of activities. Without nan span and further roadworthy improvements, tourism successful Shuklaphanta remains restricted to only definite months of nan year.

The Need for Private Investment

Shuklaphanta besides faces a captious shortage of value accommodations. The adjacent municipality of Mahendranagar offers a fewer modular hotels, but location are constricted options for quality enthusiasts looking for unsocial eco-lodges aliases resorts adjacent nan park. Private finance successful nan hospitality assemblage is basal to cater to nan increasing request for eco-friendly accommodations. Eco-lodges and boutique hotels astir nan parkland could supply a much-needed boost to tourism, enhancing nan visitant acquisition and encouraging longer stays.

Hope connected nan Horizon: Majhgaun Airport

A caller ray of dream for Shuklaphanta lies successful nan ongoing improvement of nan Majhgaun airport, which, erstwhile completed, will amended entree to nan parkland and neighbouring regions. This airdrome is expected to make recreation easier and faster for some home and world tourists. However, moreover pinch nan airport’s construction, experts reason that amended roadworthy networks, improved tourism promotion, and practice pinch neighbouring India are important for a afloat betterment of tourism successful nan region. The park’s proximity to Indian states for illustration Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh offers a important opportunity to pull Indian tourists, who dress up a ample information of world visitors to Nepal. To unlock this potential, smoother separator procedures and amended carrier connectivity will beryllium vital.

Limited Tourism Promotion Efforts

In comparison pinch different celebrated destinations successful Nepal, Shuklaphanta has not received nan publicity it deserves. Efforts to beforehand nan parkland person been minimal, and it has mostly remained disconnected nan radar for galore world and section tourists. However, plans are underway to amended its visibility. The Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) has announced plans to unfastened an agency successful Sudurpaschim state and found a tourer accusation centre successful Gaddachauki, located adjacent nan Nepal-India border. With these initiatives, nan park’s floor plan whitethorn rise, attracting much visitors and boosting nan section economy.

Birdwatching: A Growing Attraction

One of nan main draws of Shuklaphanta is its birdlife. Recently, nan parkland has gained nickname arsenic a awesome bird-watching destination. Numerous vertebrate species, some section and migratory, flock to nan park’s wetlands and grasslands, making it an perfect location for birdwatching enthusiasts. The park’s rich | biodiversity has led to nan find of respective caller vertebrate type successful caller years, including nan lesser grey shrike, which was sighted for nan first clip successful May 2023. With complete 461 vertebrate type presently recorded successful nan park, it holds awesome imaginable to go a awesome destination for birdwatchers from astir nan globe.

The Future of Shuklaphanta

Shuklaphanta National Park has everything it needs to turn into 1 of Nepal’s awesome ecotourism destinations. For those who bask nan outdoors, its expansive vistas, uncommon fauna, and placid lakes supply an perfectly unforgettable experience. However, nan park’s tourism imaginable will stay unrealised unless important advancements are made successful marketing, transportation, and infrastructure. Private investments, authorities assistance, and world cooperation—especially pinch neighbouring India—are basal to Shuklaphanta’s future.

Shuklaphanta could go nan prima of Nepal’s tourism offerings by resolving nan coming issues and stepping up its trading initiatives, giving visitors an acquisition they won’t soon hide and supporting nan nation’s booming ecotourism industry.

[Image Source: Dudhwa National Park Tour Official Website]