Kathmandu, October 21: Shuklaphanta National Park has reopened its jungle safari routes for both domestic and international tourists after the end of the monsoon season.

According to Senior Conservation Officer Chandrashekhar Chaudhary, the park reopened a week ago, designating specific routes for tourist entry. Since parts of the park’s main attraction—the Shuklaphanta grassland—are still waterlogged from monsoon rains, vehicle movement inside the core area remains restricted.

To ensure smooth access, the park has opened the Majhgaun–Barkhola–Shuklaphanta–Singhpur–Rani Tal–Baba Tal–Majhgaun circuit for safari tours. An alternative route from Baba Tal to Majhgaun is also available.

“These are the traditional safari routes,” said Park Information Officer Purushottam Bagale, adding that while vehicles can operate along the main roads, the inner grassland areas remain too wet for travel. Visitors can now enjoy sightings of leopards, elephants, tigers, rhinos, deer, blue bulls, and various bird species, along with scenic natural landscapes.

Major tourist attractions within the park include the Shuklaphanta grassland, Baba Tal, Rani Tal, Singhpal Baba Temple, Shilalekh area, and Barkhola region.

Bagale noted that once the remaining rainwater dries, safaris within the inner grasslands will resume in their full form. “For now, routes have been limited to facilitate easy and safe movement for visitors,” he said.

Located in Nepal’s far-western region, Shuklaphanta National Park spans 305 square kilometers and is home to rich biodiversity, including the globally endangered swamp deer (Barasingha), for which it is particularly renowned. (RSS).

People’s News Monitoring Service.