Shuklaphanta National Park Faces Major Tourism Challenges In Nepal Due To Underdeveloped Infrastructure And Lack Of Focus On Its Natural And Cultural Richness

Published on September 4, 2025

Shuklaphanta National Park, which is successful nan southwest of Nepal adjacent to nan Indian border, is 1 of nan astir secretive areas successful Nepal. It contains an abundance of unsocial wildlife, unspoiled wetlands, and rich | biodiversity. Nepal is still awkward to characteristic nan park, referring to it arsenic an ‘almost earthy gem’. All nan basal parameters are successful nan area to make it nan showpiece of ecotourism successful Nepal, but mediocre infrastructure, debased exposure, and scarcity of accommodation person blocked it from achieving its afloat potential.

The Lack of Visitors is Concerning

Tourism numbers person dramatically fallen successful nan past mates of years, and this is astir evident successful nan Sudir National Park. Out of 4,006 visitors nan parkland housed successful nan erstwhile year, 2024-25 saw a diminution of 284 to 3,722. These numbers are woefully debased erstwhile compared to complete 12,000 visitors successful 2017-18. The Covid pandemic is simply a facet for sure, but moreover extracurricular of that location look to beryllium immoderate basal iss.

Barrier for Growth: Critical Failure successful Infrastructure Provision

To assistance successful promoting sustainability successful Shuklaphanta park, noting nan captious nonaccomplishment successful infrastructural proviso is non-negotiable. There lies a awesome deficiency successful nan mode pinch which nan infrastructure is constructed and managed to nan grade which it serves nan visitors. This is seen wrong nan modular of accommodation, carrier intends to nan park, and nan assortment of accommodation connected offer. Infrastructure besides characterizes nan mode pinch which a region is developed successful entree to a park, successful which lawsuit nan Shuklaphanta parkland is surrounded by infrastructure, nevertheless wrong nan parkland and much developed areas location is simply a awesome deficiency. This is besides evident successful planned constructions successful nan park, specifically nan watchtowers, and nan mode successful which nan supporting accommodation to nan park, successful this lawsuit nan limbs of nan trails and nan bridges, each stay spaced retired and non-consecutive extensions to a developed region of infrastructure.

The people of nan parkland is beneath people for nan imaginable it has, this seen successful nan complete portion for visitation options, successful which lawsuit nan astir damaging obstruction for visitation and parkland usage strikes pinch nan absence of a accordant span system complete nan Chaudhar river, frankincense location remains nary entree to nan parkland on pinch nan expertise to sojourn connected a safari twelvemonth round, this borders connected an embarrassment.

Private Investment and Cross-Border Opportunities

The imaginable of Shuklaphanta tin only beryllium realized pinch backstage finance successful eco-lodges, hotels, and proscription infrastructure, experts argue. Shuklaphanta itself has nary hotels and nan only municipality nearby, Mahendranagar, has a fewer basal lodges pinch nary infrastructure to work nan needs of eco travelers. Mahendranagar and nan Shuklaphanta parkland area cannot pull longer stays because of nan antagonistic economical benefits that nan region tin output from unattended eco travelers.

The untapped imaginable of cross-border tourism Shuklaphanta has to connection is besides valuable. At present, Shuklaphanta is positioned to separator nan Indian states of Uttarkhand and U.P. Indian tourists, because of nan loose separator policies and amended carrier network, tin much easy sojourn Shuklaphanta. If separator infrastructure has amended cooperations from nan 2 countries and nan relations betwixt nan 2 are improved, location will beryllium a important influx of visitors successful hunt of nan marvelous park.

Birdwatching: A Growing Niche pinch Global Appeal

One of nan increasing challenges Shuklaphanta has to connection astir itself is to get noticed successful nan competitory market. Out of nan much than 460 type of birds that nan parkland has, a awesome woody of them tin beryllium easy spotted which attracts galore tourists. Birdwatchers would beryllium particularly pleased to study astir nan caller sightings of nan Lesser grey shrike, a vertebrate that is simply a autochthonal of cardinal and southbound Europe that is rather uncommon successful these regions, and is conscionable 1 illustration of nan galore that tin beryllium spotted.

With nan expanding birdwatching industry, it tin besides beryllium anticipated that nan estimation of Shuklaphanta will proceed to deepen arsenic a premier birding hotspot. The increasing appreciation of sustainable and nature-based tourism will besides beryllium a use to nan park. This conception will besides connection nan parkland a greater influx of visitors.

The Path Forward: Leveraging Nepal’s Natural Assets

Shuklaphanta National Park is among nan cardinal earthy assets of Nepal, yet it is still 1 of nan astir neglected parkland connected nan world tourism map. The parkland is besides nan 2nd youngest nationalist parkland successful Nepal, having been established successful nan twelvemonth 1976. The merged ecosystems of wetlands and grasslands group nan parkland isolated arsenic a 1 of a benignant for quality enthusiasts. However, nan park’s lacking capable infrastructures fails to scope nan group potential.

There must beryllium a associated effort from nan Shuklaphanta and nan backstage stakeholders to activity connected nan park’s translator into 1 of nan premier onshore for tourism. Building roads and different tourer accommodation will make nan parkland accessible to a greater number of visitors. There is besides a request for a stronger attraction connected world promotions and trading to summation nan visibility of nan parkland connected nan world stage.

Conclusion: Realization of Shuklaphanta’s Untapped Potential

Broadly speaking, Shuklaphanta National Park is different marvelous gift of quality that remains under-explored and under-exploited. Its plants and fauna, divers wildlife, sizeable avian wealthiness and nan park’s magnificent terrain together interlock pinch its untapped potential. In bid to position nan Park arsenic nan starring ecotourism tract successful Nepal, nan Park’s trading strategies request to beryllium refined and promoted regionally and internationally, and backstage assemblage infrastructural improvement and investments request to beryllium augmented. Once Shuklaphanta meets these criteria, it would nary longer stay nan ignored tract successful nan country, but would look arsenic 1 of nan awesome earthy attractions. Shuklaphanta would past beryllium capable to connection its visitors nan uncommon and memorable experience.