By Tikaram Upreti
Sukepokhari (Panchthar), Oct. 9: With the lifting of six-month-long lockdown, tourism activities in the once-deserted tourism destinations have started reviving slowly.
Domestic tourists have gradually started visiting the tourist sites of eastern hilly districts of Nepal with the end of the lockdown. People, who were once confined to their homes due to the epidemic of COVID-19, have now started visiting beautiful places.
Not just that, organisation of formal programmes in the tourist sites and exploration and publicity of newer destinations has also started.
In the meantime, a study visit was conducted in the tourist areas of Ilam and Panchthar districts with the joint initiatives of tourism entrepreneurs and locals of Jhapa, Ilam and Panchthar districts. A one-day trekking trail that begins from Sukepokhari, between the border of Ilam and Panchthar district, to pasturelands and the sheds of sheep and yaks, was explored recently.
The trekking trail was explored targeting domestic tourists who want to trek in cool climate through the dense forest of medicinal herbs and high altitude plants, said Suresh Bantawa, secretary of Sukepokhari Lohakol Tourism Development Forum.
The new foot-trail also provides an opportunity to experience staying in a shed and homestay as well as enjoying local flavours of food and lifestyle.
The yak and sheep sheds in the sprawling pastureland along this trail and local cowsheds have been developed as sheds for tourists to stay. One can taste milk, ghee and chhurpi of yak while staying in the sheds.
“While staying here, one gets a chance to taste the chhurpi, milk and ghee of the local chhauris. I had heard a lot about homestay but I came here to stay in a shed,” said Rajan Dangal, president of the Hotel Entrepreneurs Association Damak.
In addition to this, traditional food of Rai community 'wachipa', local chicken, meat of local he-goats, selroti, kodoko dhido, foods made up of locally produced potato, radish, carrot, maize, soybean and peas are other attractions along the trekking trail.
Sukepokhari of Phidim Municipality-14, which is a two-hour walk from Pauwa Bhanjyang along the Mechi Highway, has been an attractive destination for domestic tourists in recent years.
Five commercial homestays and sheds have also been managed for the accommodation of tourists reaching the village.
The trekking trail starts from Sukepokhari and passes through Kharka, Kuhibhir, Didibahini and Waterfall in a four-hour trek and ends at Baghkhor Chowk on the Mechi Highway.