Sanjay Patil, an Indian vacationer, hanging a digicam round his neck, is seen telling his pal concerning the place they have been going to go to.

Among the many few to-do issues in Nepal, it is time for a jungle safari.

Patil came visiting Nepal from Mumbai, India, with a workforce of 150.

After visiting totally different locations, they stayed in Sauraha on Thursday.

“I’ve a dream to do a jungle safari,” he mentioned.

Many of the vacationers arriving in Sauraha go for elephant safari within the Baghmara Group Forest.

Bikash Gupta, one other Indian vacationer, got here to Nepal for the primary time.

Gupta from Ballia, Uttar Pradesh, too is a part of one other Indian group of practically 150.

These days, jungle safari has turn out to be a major attraction for Indian guests, after vacation spot weddings.

Gupta is likely one of the friends at a marriage ceremony in Sauraha, Nepal.

Indian vacationers are coming to Nepal in droves.

In response to the most recent knowledge launched by the Nepal Tourism Board, the nation’s tourism promotional physique, Nepal obtained 287,244 Indian vacationers as of November this yr, the very best quantity on document, who got here to Nepal through air transport.

Sauraha, a wildlife tourism vacation spot, used to teem with People and Europeans because it turned fashionable first within the Sixties.

At present, it’s a main vacation spot for Nepalis.

Vacationers from India have additionally elevated their footfall in Sauraha currently. They’re coming in enormous teams, in response to the hoteliers. Indians now are high guests to Chitwan, barring Nepalis.

Ganesh Prasad Tiwari, data officer of Chitwan Nationwide Park, mentioned that 80,223 vacationers visited the park within the first 4 months of the present fiscal yr.

Amongst them, 6,752 have been from India.

Earlier than the earthquake in 2015, round 14,000 Indian vacationers visited Chitwan Nationwide Park in a yr.

Indian vacationer numbers began to rise once more after the earthquake however the Covid pandemic put a damper on the expansion.

Vacationers visiting the park hit nearly zero in the course of the Covid. Now, after years, guests are making a comeback, mentioned Tiwari.

“The variety of Indian vacationers has been growing steadily. They used to come back for an evening’s keep. Now they spend 2–3 nights and go to all of the locations right here,” mentioned Damodar Regmi, proprietor of Nature Heritage of Sauraha, one of many lodges largely most popular by Indian vacationers.

In latest instances, in response to Regmi, there are a bunch of scholars coming from India on their publicity visits.

Suman Ghimire, former president of the Resort Affiliation Nepal Chitwan Chapter, mentioned that almost all Indian vacationers are from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Delhi, and Kolkata.

The variety of Indian vacationers coming in the summertime season is excessive. October can also be a busy month.

“Indians want elephant using and boating,” mentioned Jitu Tamang, president of Baghmara Group Forest, which additionally operates elephant using and boat safari.

Indians are additionally keen on native meals, Ghimire mentioned.

As Patil knew {that a} visa was not required to go to Nepal, he deliberate to remain 11 days.

His group entered Nepal by way of the Sunauli border level and reached Pokhara through Siddhartha Freeway.

The group then went to Kathmandu from Pokhara and arrived at Sauraha.

The bus driver through which Patil’s group got here to Nepal mentioned Indian vacationers have been coming to Nepal in a big quantity this yr.

Kuldip Giri from Banaras, India began driving a bus in 2012. He usually brings vacationers to Nepal, largely through Sunauli.

Vacationers from his bus go to Lumbini, then go to Palpa and Pokhara. The vacationers don’t forget to go to Manakamana close to Kathmandu. After getting back from Kathmandu, they go to Chitwan and head residence through Sunauli.

“Some vacationers even go to Janakpur,” mentioned Giri.

The street circumstances in Nepal are irritating, however that does not cease them from visiting Nepal.

“If the street building is completed rapidly, extra Indians might come to Nepal.”

Patil from Mumbai finds Nepal excellent, and thinks infrastructure is lagging on this nation.

For Gupta, the price of the Jeep safari was excessive.

He’s additionally not pleased with police checking on varied factors on the street.

“Many Indians will come to go to Nepal if there may be hassle-free journey. We all know Nepal is gorgeous and secure[st] too,” mentioned Gupta.