Shuklaphanta National Park in Kanchanpur district opened its jungle safari to tourists from Tuesday, preparing to receive visitors during the Dashain-Tihar festival season. The park has made its main safari route available, but not all routes could be opened because of the effects of monsoon rains, Information Officer Purushottam Bagle said.
Main safari route available to visitors
The opening offers festival-season visitors access to the park’s principal safari route. Park officials have not opened the full route network, with rain during the monsoon affecting the ability to make all routes available. The safari is therefore operating on a limited route basis, rather than across every route in the park.
Bagle said the decision was made ahead of Dashain and Tihar, when the park expects tourists. The Tuesday opening provides visitors with an opportunity to take part in the jungle safari during the holiday period, while the main route is accessible. The information officer’s update did not indicate when additional routes might open.
Monsoon rains limit route access
The constraint on access reflects the impact of monsoon weather on the park’s routes. Although the main route has been opened, rain has prevented the park from opening all of them. Officials have not said that the remaining routes are permanently closed; the information provided is that they could not be opened at this time because of the monsoon rains.
The distinction is important for visitors planning a safari: the park is open for the activity, but the available route is limited. Visitors should not assume that every route can be covered during their visit. The park’s announcement confirms the opening of the main route, without providing further details on route conditions or a schedule for expanding access.
Festival-season opening
The opening is timed to welcome tourists expected during Dashain and Tihar, two major festivals in Nepal. By making its main safari route available from Tuesday, Shuklaphanta National Park is preparing to accommodate those visitors while working within the access limitations caused by the rains.
The park’s update combines a seasonal welcome with a clear qualification: tourists can use the main safari route, but the full range of routes is not yet open. Information about any later changes to access was not included in the announcement. For now, the safari’s availability is centred on the main route, with monsoon conditions cited as the reason other routes remain unavailable.
