National Parks Emerge as Nepal’s Top Tourism Destinations

Protected nature zones have become the top destinations for travelers in Nepal, drawing in roughly 60 percent of all international visitors who enter the country, according to recent government statistics.

Data released by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation reveals that a total of 1.097 million visitors traveled to these protected areas during the 2081/82 fiscal year. The numbers show a near-even split between local and international travelers. Out of the total visitors, 586,074 were domestic travelers from Nepal, while 511,762 came from SAARC countries and other international destinations. This high volume of tourism generated over 1 billion and 5.2 million rupees in revenue solely from entry fees.

Certain parks drew massive crowds, while others remained highly secluded. Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park recorded the highest number of visitors with 346,644 people. This was followed closely by the Annapurna Conservation Area, which welcomed 278,113 tourists, and Chitwan National Park with 249,956 visitors. On the other extreme, the remote Api Nampa Conservation Area saw the least amount of foot traffic, hosting just 229 tourists throughout the entire fiscal year.

Nepal's extensive network of protected areas currently covers 23.39 percent of the country's total land area. This network is made up of 13 national parks, which include Chitwan, Bardiya, Langtang, Rara, Banke, Sagarmatha, Shey-Phoksundo, Shivapuri Nagarjun, Makalu Barun, Khaptad, Shuklaphanta, Parsa, and Chhayanath. Additionally, the system includes five conservation areas—Krishnasar, Kanchanjangha, Manaslu, Gaurishankar, Annapurna, and Api Nampa—along side the Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve and the Koshitappu Wildlife Reserve.