Off-season tourist arrival

On normal days, travelers from eastern Terai embark their journey to Gupha Pokhari in Sankhuwasabha to gaze the beautiful views of the Himalayan peaks, dancing in the waters of the pond. Gupha Pokhari has been able to attract much visitors in the last couple of days to catch the glance of the Himalayan peaks.

''People from Terai would come for Himalayan views and hilly chill'', said Santosh Limbu, an operator of a teahouse in the Suke Bazaar, which is adjacent to Gupha Pokhari. He also added, ''Now, they do not have much interest in the Himalayan views of beautiful peaks like Makalu, Kanchenjunga and Kumbhakarna and the likes. They just come here to escape the baking heat of the Terai.''

According to Limbu, at a time when no local travelers are in the Gupha Pokhari area, travelers from eastern Tarai, places like, Dharan, Itahari and Biratnagar come for the chilling weather.

Similarly, Indra Karki, is a farm house operator at Mangalbare of the Sankhuwasabha district, which is just a half-hour drive from Gupha Pokharai. ''I have lived here continuously for around seven years but I would not have seen much visitors during Asahar and Sawan'', said Karki, ''This scene has changed in the last two years. People are coming here in masses for good weather specially to evade Terai's scorching sun and to have fun here.''

Just one and half hour ride from Basantapur bazaar of Tehrathum, which lies in the mid-hill highway of Nepal, Gupha Pokharai has been connected with good all-weather motorable roads giving rise to the travelers.

''Travelling in this area would be seasonal especially in times of when rhododendrons bloom and in the snowing season'', said Santosh Limbu, ''This has changed and it has been a year-round destination which is good, both for the travelers and hotel owners.'' There is no governmental statistics on daily arrival. However, local hoteliers and teahouse operators say, the figure is around 100 per day from both two-wheelers and four-wheelers.

Gupha Pokharai lies at an altitude of 2890 meter, which is higher than that of Lukla (2850 meter).