Namo Buddha–Balthali hike to boost tourism

By Kedar Timalsina,Banepa, Dec. 26:  A seven-kilometre hiking programme from the historic Namo Buddha to Balthali was organised on Thursday to promote tourism heritage sites and revive traditional trekking routes in Kavrepalanchok district.

The hike was organised by the Hotel Association of Nepal, Kavrepalanchok, with support from the Dhulikhel Municipality Tourism Council. The programme aimed to identify, manage and promote local tourism resources while creating economic benefits for local communities.

President of the association, Prahalad Pyakurel, said the initiative also sought to publicise orange farming in the Shankha, Chinde and Balthali areas and reintroduce the old trekking route linking Namo Buddha and Balthali.

He said that about 15 years ago, the Nepal Environment and Tourism Initiative Foundation (NETIF) had launched the “Exploring the Orange Blossom Hiking Trail” along the same route, but the trail did not receive adequate publicity.

 “This hike was organised to inform tourists about the route and allow them to directly observe orange farming in the area,” Pyakurel said.

He added that the association plans to further develop the trail and link traditional walking routes with agro-tourism. The organisers aim to attract around 1,000 tourists per month during the orange season through various promotional activities. Improvements to the trail will also be made based on feedback from participants.

Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Dhulikhel Municipality Mayor Ashok Byanju said the municipality had formed a Tourism Council to coordinate the identification, development and promotion of tourism destinations across the municipality and the district. He said the council would prepare a master plan to promote tourism at both national and international levels, stressing the need to attract both domestic and foreign visitors.

District Coordination Committee Chief Dipak Kumar Gautam said the district has significant tourism potential and called for collective efforts from all sectors to utilise it effectively. He noted that events such as hiking programmes play an important role in discovering and promoting tourism destinations.

Around 150 people, including hotel entrepreneurs, civil society members, government employees, artists and journalists, participated in the hike.