Claimed tallest in country, Kalikot’s Pachal Waterfall remains in oblivion

BY PREM RAJ SIMKHADA

Kalikot, Oct. 28: Pachal Waterfall in Kalikot district is Nepal’s tallest waterfall and one of the highest in Asia. Despite its grandeur, the lack of proper infrastructure and road access has kept tourists from reaching the destination.

Although listed among the government’s ‘Top 100 Tourism Destinations,’ Pachal Waterfall has yet to attract the expected number of visitors. Locals said poor road conditions were the main reason behind the low tourist turnout. The Karnali Corridor, which connects to the waterfall, often remains blocked, and the narrow, rough uphill road from the corridor makes travel extremely difficult.

The rural municipality itself was named after this magnificent waterfall. Dhaniram Neupane, a local of Pachal Jharana Rural Municipality-1, said that the deteriorating condition of the road had made access inconvenient for visitors.

According to former Chairman of the rural municipality, Khadga Bahadur Sejuwal, the official measurement confirmed the waterfall’s height at 381 metres, making it Nepal’s tallest. “I initiated the measurement process, and it was officially recorded and recognised as one of Nepal’s top tourism destinations,” Sejuwal said.

The measurement was conducted by a technical team comprising engineers from the then District Technical Office Kalikot, including Kul Prasad Neupane, Bishwas Mandal from RAP-3 organisation, and Tek Bahadur Shahi from the rural municipality. Using two GPS devices, the team took two days to complete the measurement.

Before this, the Hyatung Waterfall in Tehrathum was considered Nepal’s tallest at 365 metres. However, Pachal Waterfall is 16 metres taller. Despite this, the site has not received the publicity it deserves.

Sejuwal emphasised that improved road connectivity and the development of infrastructure such as cable cars or alternative transport systems were essential to boost tourism. With its confirmed height, Pachal Waterfall now ranks among the 30 tallest waterfalls in the world, a natural wonder that remains largely unexplored due to accessibility issues.