20 Jan, Myagdi: The Pun Hill – situated at Ghorepani of Ghar VDC 1 in the foothills of the majestic Annapurna mountain range – has been selected as one of the must-see tourist destinations, suffusing the local tourism entrepreneurs with an inexplicable joy.

The largest travel guide book, Lonely Planet, has listed Pun Hill among the top 10 tourist destinations in Nepal as part of its annual publication of best tourist destinations in the world. The Pun hill can be reached through different trek routes including the Pokhare Bagar – Ghar – Ghorepani, Dhandruk – Ghorepani and Nangi – Ghorepani.

Thousands of tourists arrive every year for a sweeping view of the humongous Dhaulagiri and Annapurna ranges. Ghorepani Hotel Entrepreneurs Association’s former vice chairman, Teksar Budduja, expressed hope for a boost in the promotional campaign with the inclusion of Pun Hill as one of top tourist destinations in Nepal.

“This is a matter of joy for us, and it will contribute towards giving continuity to the arrival of tourists to Ghorepani which has increased of late,” he said.

Pun Hill, standing 3210 metres above the sea level, offers uninterrupted and panoramic view of dozens of mountains of the Great Himalayan Range.

Around three dozens of big and small hotels are running in Ghorepani catering to the increasing number of tourists. The Lonely Planet has also included Jomsom and Muktinath, located in the trans – Himalayan district of Mustang, as must-visit destinations.

Nepal has been listed as the top five destinations to visit in year 2017 by the Lonely Planet. Within Nepal, it has named Mugu’s Rara lake, Khaptad National Park in the far-western region, Koshi Tappu Wildlife Reserve, Ilam, Bardiya National Park (BNP), Langtang, Nawalparasi and Barpak, the epicentre of the massive 7.6 Richter scale earthquake of April, 2015, as must-see tourist destinations. RSS