Chitwan National Park is crowded with both domestic and foreign visitors

INN/Kathmandu, @Infodeaofficial

Domestic and foreign visitors are swarming Chitwan National Park for the five-day 18th Elephant and Tourism Festival in Sauraha, Chitwan. In addition to celebrating Christmas and the English New Year, the Elephant and Tourism Festival aims to boost local travel.

The well-known Elephant Festival of Chitwan, which is taking place on the grounds of the Baghmara Intermediate Community Forest, will run through December 30. Elephant-friendly football penalty competitions, elephant-friendly musical walks, elephant health check-up camps, elephant walk, elephant bath, elephant football, beauty contest, and elephant picnic were all part of the festival.

There were also tableau performances featuring local costumes, art, and culture, as well as cultural performances by both national and local troupes. More than 80 elephants, both government and private, were on display during the Elephant Festival. Elephant polo was removed from the festival due to animal rights advocacy.

According to FIFA regulations, teams of elephants competed in football penalty matches during the elephant festival. Following five minutes of play, the elephants took a seven-minute sugarcane break, as recommended by the Human Rights Commission. During the semi-finals, elephants named Champakali, Basnatikali, and Ramkali attempted to score a goal, which caused the audience to applaud in delight. Elephant festival attendees take pleasure in feeding the elephants with their hands and observing them up close.

During the event, tourists can feed the elephants with their hands during the daily picnics. Hotels in the region provide food and accommodation discounts to attract tourists during the festival, and as a result, Sauraha’s hotel occupancy rate has climbed from 40% to 65%.