MYAGDI: In the year 2080 BS, more than 31,000 foreign tourists ventured into the Ghodepani-Poon Hill area of Annapurna Rural Municipality-6 in Myagdi district.
As per the records of the Tourist Police Post in Ghodepani, a total of 31,439 foreign tourists trekked through the region over the course of the year.
While the Post diligently maintains records of foreign tourists entering and exiting Ghodepani, it does not track domestic tourists in the area.
Senior Head Constable Tek Bahadur Sunari Magar from the Ghodepani Police Post reported that out of the total, 25,279 tourists entered the Ghodepani-Poon Hill area, with 6,160 visitors choosing to explore other destinations via Ghodepani.
The month of Chait saw the highest influx of foreign tourists to Ghodepani, totaling 5,849. Similarly, the numbers for other months were as follows: 4,414 in Baishakh, 1,281 in Jeth, 441 in Asar, 947 in Saun, 972 in Bhadau, 4,298 in Asoj, 4,357 in Kartik, 3,199 in Mangsir, 1,627 in Push, 1,577 in Magh, and 2,477 in Falgun.
Comparatively, 26,301 foreign tourists had visited Ghodepani in the year 2079 BS.
Vice-Chairperson of the Ghodepani Area Improvement Committee and hotel entrepreneur Juli Thakuri Pun expressed optimism about the growing number of tourists, which has brought hope to hotel entrepreneurs in the region.
She noted that the surge in domestic tourists can be attributed to favorable weather conditions and school vacations.
Before the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 tourists would annually visit Ghodepani.
Tourists flock to Ghodepani primarily to witness the breathtaking sunrise and panoramic views of the Guranshe Jungle and surrounding mountains from Poon Hill, situated at an altitude of 3,210 meters above sea level.
Ghodepani boasts of 27 small and large hotels to accommodate travelers.
For access to Poon Hill area, domestic tourists are charged Rs 50, while foreign tourists pay Rs 150. Poon Hill offers spectacular vistas of renowned peaks such as Dhaulagiri, Sisne, Gurja, Manapathi, Nilgiri, Annapurna, Machhapuchhre, and Manaslu.
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