Domestic tourist increase at Ghodaghodi Lake

KAILALI, Oct 17: The footfall of domestic tourists has increased at Ghodaghodi lake in Kailali district of Sudurpaschim province. The Ghodaghodi wetland is listed in the World Ramsar site.  

Deepak Bahadur Shah, president of the Ghodaghodi Community Forest Users Group, said the arrival of domestic tourists has surged since the start of the Dashain holidays. The entry ticket per person is Rs 10. 

Shah said that so many visitors turned up at the lake site on the day of Bijaya Dashami, the main day of the 10-day Dashain festival, the employees had hard time issuing tickets to them. He added that the number of domestic tourists is increasing daily of late. 

The people operating photo studio in the area are also doing a brisk business with the growing number of visitors to the Ghodaghodi lake. There are over 25 photo studios in the area. 

Laxman Sunar, who works as a photographer here, said he used to earn one thousand to Rs 1,500 a day before the Dashain. "The number of tourists has surged from the day of Bada Dashain on October 12. I earn up to Rs 5,000 a day these days," said Sunar with excitement. 

With the increased movement of visitors has also boosted the business of eateries and tea stalls in the area, said Raju Awasthi who runs a hotel at Ghodaghodi. "It would be a durable source of income for we people if an environment could be created for retaining this inflow of visitors here," he added.   

The visitors also take an excursion up to the Ojuwatal, another lake that adjoins the Ghodaghodi lake. Tourism entrepreneur Dabal Shah said growing number of people visit Ghodaghodi lake as this is the ideal season to go on excursions utilizing the long Dashain holiday.

According to him, Ghodaghodi area is becoming systematic these days compared to the previous years.  

Trekking routes have been constructed for the visitors. One can enjoy horse ride around the place as well as boating in the lake. Located close to the East-West highway, Ghodaghodi lake region is also an ideal place for bird watching, with its serene and enchanting forested surroundings. 

The place is home to rare birds and the lake is inhabited by endangered fish varieties that are endemic to this region in addition to the butterflies. 

Spread over 138 hectares area, Ghodaghodi lake was enlisted as a Ramsar site in 2003 due to its rich biodiversity and for its conservation. It was declared as the 'Bird Sanctuary', the first bird sanctuary of the country on March 11, 2022.