Myagdi, Aug 18 : The number of domestic tourists visiting Dhorpatan hunting reserve has been found to be rising of late.
The reserve spread across Rukum
East, Baglung and Myagdi districts is popular among foreign tourists coming to
enjoy hunting. But the number of domestic tourists too is increasing in the
recent past years.
"Compared to the fiscal year
2079/080, the tourist arrival has doubled in the financial year 2080/081,"
Conservation Officer Mandip Pangeni said. In the fiscal year 2079/80, 7,645
tourists visited Dhorpatan while in 2080/81 the number climbed to 15,573.
The number of domestic tourists
visiting Dhorpatan in the financial year 2078/79 was 9919, 6,703 in 2077/078
and 3,020 in 2076/077.
Domestic tourists are required to
pay Rs. 100 per person to visit the hunting reserve. Citizens from other SAARC
countries have to pay Rs 1,500 per person and remaining countries Rs 3,000 per
person.
The number of domestic tourists has
been increasing due to better road transport, hotel and accommodation
facilities and publicity in the social media, said Ram Bahadur Ghartimar,
proprietor of Dhorpatan Community Homestay. There are 21 hotels and homestays
in Dhorpatan area with a total capacity to accommodate 300 people daily.
Man Bahadur Pun, a hunting guide
from the Global Safari Kathmandu, said that hunters from Spain, the USA,
Russia, Germany, France, Belarus and other countries come for hunting at the
reserve.
Spread over an area of 1,325 square
kilometers, the Dhorpatan reserve is home to 32 species of mammals and 137
species of birds. (RSS)