Nagarkot Visit Year 2082 starts

One hundred thousand visitors arrived Nagarkot in two days of Nagarkot Visit Year 2082. The campaign was commenced on April 14. The year long campaign aims to attract one 100,000 foreign visitors and 1 million domestic visitors to   Nagarkot in a year.

The Nagarkot Visit Year 2082 was kicked off on Monday, the day Nepali New year 2082 starts. It The inauguration took place at Batase Danda, Nagarkot, with a grand ceremony attended by thousands of tourists. President, Ram Chandra Paudel, officially launched the event. The occasion also featured vibrant cultural programmes, rallies, and a welcoming sunrise ceremony.

On the occasion, President Paudel said “Tourism, agriculture, water resource, information technology and industry are the backbone of the country. It is responsibility of the State to formulate appropriate policy, laws and create conducive opportunity by resolving existing problems seen in the sectors for economic growth.”

He further spoke the necessity of promoting industrialization by creating opportunity of employment, investment-friendly environment and reducing cost of the production”, he mentioned.

Pointing out the need of developing infrastructures in order to transform cultural, historical, religious heritages into economic development, President Paudel shared that there is immense potential of tourism sector to become the basis of income generation and prosperity by promoting uniqueness, natural beauty, culture and civilization of this area in Nepal and global tourism market.

He opined that Nagarkot located in the vicinity of Kathmandu Valley is surrounded by nature and has high potentials to attract tourists.

It is commendable for all the four municipalities to move forward to promote the heritage and historical sites of their respective areas by making Nagarkot a focal point, President Paudel added. He further mentioned that it is necessary to pay attentions to the expansion of tourism infrastructure and upgrading of roads for easy movement in the areas.

Addressing the same event, Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Badri Prasad Pandey highlighted the importance of historical, heritage and tourist places of Nagarkot.

He said that tourism will be developed in Dhulikhel, Panauti, Namobuddha, Shivpuri and Chandragiri along with the four municipalities associated with this area.

 objectives of promoting tourism, increasing the income of locals, creating employment opportunities, and establishing Nagarkot’s identity in the global tourism market.

The event was a joint effort by four adjoining municipalities – Changunarayan (Bhaktapur), Mandandeupur and Banepa (Kavrepalanchok), and Shankharapur (Kathmandu).

Nagarkot locates at an elevation of 2,195 meters at the hill east of Kathmandu.The landscape, surroundings and the views it offers is famous as the most exotic. It is known for a sunrise view of the Himalayas including Mount Everest as well as other peaks in the north. From Nagarkot, it is sometimes possible to see from Dhaulagiri in the west as far as Kangchenjunga in the east. That’s around 300km of Himalayas. Nagarkot commands one of the broadest views of the Himalayas in the Kathmandu valley (8 out of 13 Himalayan ranges of Nepal are visible). The ranges include  Annapurna  range, Manaslu range, Ganesh Himal range, Langtang range, Jugal range, Rolwling range, Mahalangur range (Everest range) and Numbur range with views of the Kathmandu Valley and Shivapuri National Park.

For nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, there are many hiking opportunities in and around Nagarkot. Among them, Nagarkot eco trail (nature walk) is the most popular ones. It is also possible to do paragliding with Everest view in Nagarkot.

Situated in a strategic location, Nagarkot was an ancient fort of the Kathmandu valley built to monitor the external activities of other kingdoms. Later, it became a summer retreat for the royal family before becoming popular as an international hill station.

Nagarkot is the nearest Himalayan panoramic view point to Kathmandu and can be easily reached within a drive of an hour from Kathmandu.

During the Nagarkot Visit Year opening event, Changunarayan Municipality Mayor, Jivan Khatri, explained that the campaign emerged due to a decline in tourist arrivals in recent years. “Nagarkot once held a prominent position as a top tourist destination. We decided to bring it back into the spotlight,” Khatri shared.

Banepa’s Mayor, Shanti RatnaShakya, also expressed his optimism. He highlighted how much the area has transformed. “Visitors will see a completely different Nagarkot now, thanks to improvements in infrastructure and local amenities,” he added.

Mandandeupur Municipality’s Mayor, Tok Bahadur Waiba, who is leading the event’s organizing committee, emphasized the importance of cultural immersion. “We’ve set up model homestays, allowing tourists to experience rural life. They will also taste traditional dishes made from local grains like millet and buckwheat,” Waiba said.

Deputy Mayor Ramesh Budhathoki of Changunarayan Municipality mentioned that the campaign would highlight not only tourism but also the region’s agricultural, religious, and cultural assets. “We aim to present a complete package that integrates all aspects of life in Nagarkot and the surrounding areas,” he said.

Mandandeupur Deputy Mayor, Bishnu Mani Nepal, explained that the Visit Year is just the beginning. The four municipalities are working together to create a Detailed Project Report (DPR) for long-term tourism planning. The goal is to ensure tourists move between various attractions in the region, creating a more connected tourism experience.

Tourism advisor Ghanashyam Khatri added that the campaign will also push for Nagarkot to be officially recognized as a tourism hub. “We aim to make Nagarkot a key destination for both local and international visitors,” he said.

The Nagarkot Visit Year 2082 marks a fresh effort to revive the region’s tourism. With improved infrastructure, a range of cultural experiences, and strong cooperation among local municipalities, the campaign is on track to reach its goal of attracting 1.1 million tourists. The event promises to boost the local economy while promoting Nagarkot as a leading tourist destination.

The event year will showcase the historical heritage, art, culture, natural beauty, various ethnic festivals, local products, and the entire region, including all four municipalities Mayor Khatri said that it is believed that the objective of promoting tourism by providing information to domestic and foreign tourists about the area and highlighting hidden tourist areas will be fulfilled.

Deputy Mayor of the municipality, Ramesh Budhathoki, said that new tourist destinations in Changunarayan Municipality along with Nagarkot will be identified, protected, and developed and to take tourists coming to Nagarkot to the tourist areas developed as new destinations in the districts of Changunarayan, to take tourists to the tourist areas of the municipalities bordering Nagarkot, he informed that the Visit Year has been launched with the aim of taking a leap forward in the development of the tourist areas here, preparing long-term plans, and extending the stay of tourists.

Deputy Chief Budhathoki mentioned that all roads leading to Nagarkot have been upgraded, arrangements have been made to easily reach Nagarkot from all four municipalities, a direct bus from Kathmandu to Nagarkot has been operated, and Nagarkot has been decorated and made dazzling, adding that the Visit Nepal Year has also excited tourism entrepreneurs.

All four municipalities will jointly conduct at least one Nagarkot-focused tourism promotion programme every month throughout the year, the organisers stated.

In preparation for the large number of tourists, local infrastructure has been significantly improved. Roads leading to Nagarkot from all four municipalities are now in better condition. Additionally, a direct bus service between Kathmandu and Nagarkot is already operational. Moreover, NagarkotNaldum Tourism Development Committee Chairman and hotelier Navin Lama informed that arrangements have been made to provide 10 to 15 percent discounts on food and accommodation for a year to tourists visiting Nagarkot.