Shey Phoksundo Lake, located in the foothills of the Kanjirova Mountains, is a magical gift of nature to the Dolpa. It is clear, clean, beautiful, tranquil, and pure water. Any visitor to Shey Phoksundo Lake is enthralled by the gift of beautiful nature because of the water’s unpredictable look, which can be suddenly dark blue or pale green.
Shey Phoksundo lake is one of the popular tourist destinations, located in the Rigmo village of the Shey Phoksundo rural municipality in Dolpa, a Himalayan region of the province of Karnali. The topographic complexity, scenic attractiveness, and ecological richness of Dolpa are drawing travelers here.
Shey Phoksundo Lake
At a height of 3611.5 meters above sea level, Shey Phoksundo Lake has a depth of 650 meters. This lake, which spans an area of 4.8 km in length and 1.8 km in breadth, is regarded as Nepal’s deepest lake.
In addition to Shey Phoksundo Lake, other attractions in Tripurasundari Municipality that draw visitors include Shey Phoksundo National Park, Sribala Tripurasundari Bhagwati Temple, and Shey Gompa.
Shey Phoksundo Lake and Shey Gompa, which are situated in the deep valley and are surrounded by mountains on all sides, have captured the hearts of travelers due to the surreal beauty around the lake.
Additionally, the natural splendor of Shey Phoksundo Lake, Tripurasundari Temple, Jagdulla Lake, Dho-Tarap; the highest inhabited valley in the world, and the national park with Yarsagumba; a precious herb, draw tourists to Dolpa. Despite Phoksundo’s abundance of natural beauty, reaching there is difficult for tourists.
Lack Of Infrastrucure In Dolpa
In general, Dolpa is considered Nepal’s major tourist destination despite its extreme isolation and remoteness due to its ecological richness, breathtaking scenery, and Himalayan lakes and rivers. As a result, Shey Phoksundo Lake in the Dolpa district draws people who prefer hiking, despite the route’s challenging geography.
Moreover, Dolpa, the largest district in Nepal, has been split into Lower Dolpa and Upper Dolpa based on their respective areas. As a result, foreign visitors to Upper Dolpa must pay 500 dollars for ten days, according to the Nepali government. Similarly, for the lower Dolpa, a fee of $10 per week has also been established.
Every year, over 2,500 international visitors travel to Dolpa to witness Shey Phoksundo Lake. Despite the fact that domestic and international tourists like Phoksundo Lake for its beauty and natural surroundings, some visitors choose not to return even if they would like to due to the lack of development of the essential infrastructure in the region and the difficulty of accessing the lake.
In general, hotels have not been set up to provide proper accommodation for visitors traveling to Dolpa from the district’s outlying villages such as Dunai, Juphal, and Tripurakot. However, homestay accommodations are available in the Dolpa tourist zones and the cultural site settlements. In the homestay, visitors take pleasure in consuming locally produced organic foods, including tea, Uwa, wheat Satu, boiled potato, and Phapar roti.
Conclusion
Shey Phoksundo Lake is unquestionably one of the most stunning lakes on the entire globe. Anyone who sees the magnificence of this lake will be mesmerized at first sight for no apparent reason. The absence of appropriate roads has prevented people from visiting the lake, despite its supernatural beauty.
An individual must trek for two days from the district’s administrative center, Dunai Bazar, to reach Shey Phoksundo Lake. Shey Phoksundo Lake is just one of the several tourist attractions in Dolpa, but owing to the lack of infrastructural development, they are overshadowed.
The lake has a rich history full of natural beauty, but it is being overlooked since the government doesn’t pay attention to its conservation, development, and promotion.
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