A team of service providers of the Nabji Trekking trails and staffs from The Throngsa National Park & Department of Tourism and officials from ABTO - Bhutan are in Nepal in an invitation of Nepal Tourism Board, SNV & TRPAP on a familiarization trip of Nepal from 14th -- 23rd July, 2006. They are visiting Kathamandu, Dhunche, Bridim and Pokhara focusing on Nepali Community Based Tourism, Homestays, lodges etc. during the stay in Nepal.

The delegations are here to know and learn about the development of Community Based Tourism and how National Parks of Nepal has contributed to the development of Community Based Tourism in and around the National Parks like Langatang, Chitwan etc.

Nepal is the first country to develop Community Based Village Tourism concept and now it has been developed in other South East Asian countries like Vietnam, Laos, India & Thailand. Shirubari in Syangja District was the first place in Nepal to be developed as a Community Based Village Tourism and it also has bagged the PATA Award.

The delegates are taken around Silver Mountain School of Hospitality Management (SMSHM), Lainchaur to see how the educational sector has played a vital role in human resource development and its contribution in the tourism industry of Nepal. During the interaction session at Nepal Tourism Board, Mr. Hikmat Sing Ayer -- Act. Director - TD & RD Department, NTB made remarks and presentation on " Rural Tourism in Nepal ". Similarly presentation was made by TRPAP official on newly developed areas of TRPAP especially focused on Rasuwa.

Documentary presentation was made by Mr. Bharat Basnet - MD of Explore Nepal Group on: " How to benefit from Tourism and be environmental friendly " at the same time. Mr. Samir Thapa -- Principal of Silver Mountain School of Hospitality and Management and Mr. Bijaya Pradhan - Executive Chairman of Dream Nepal Travels & Tours made a presentation on " Key issues in Hospitality and Accomodation Services: Theory and Practice".

The picturesque hill town of Tansen lies on the lap of the well-known Shrinagar Hills. Headquarters of the Palpa district, Tansen is also the hub of cultural renaissance. It falls on the way to Pokhara in Siddhartha Highway. The charming natural setting combines with its rich cultural heritage to give visitors a wholesome holiday. Tansen also offers enchanting walks leading to interesting sites, whether it is a day of traverse around Shrinagar Hills or few-days backpacking along River Kaligandaki. In addition Tansen qualifies as a pilgrim’s choice, given its several Hindu temples. Palpa was the seat of the Sen kingdom that ruled over this region from 16th century for almost 300 years, which gives it a historical touch. A specialty of the region is the much popular Palpali Dhaka, weaved here.

There are many places around Tansen which are quite interesting for visitors in terms of scenary and historical importance. Shrinagar Hill provides excellent views of the Himalayas Annapurna, Dhaulagiri range and the surrounding valley. Tansen Bazaar to the summit of Shrinagar Hill is a short, pleasant hike across forest and passing through several Hindu sites. Ranighat is adorned by a marvellous building on the bank of River Kaligandaki, built by the-then Rana governor of Palpa, Khadga Shumsher, in memory of his wife Tej Kumari. The 7-kilometer trail from Tansen to Ranighat is a steady slope passing through a narrow gorge. There are bird-watching and fishing opportunities on the trekking trail from Tansen to Ranighat.

River Kaligandaki, one of the main tributaries of Gandaki, is regarded sacred by Hindus. The fountainhead of Kaligandaki is at Muktinath in Jomsom. From Muktinath it flows southwards creating the deepest gorge in the world between the two-world famous mountain peaks Dhaulagiri and Annapurna. Tourists can boat, raft in the river or trek along the shore enjoying beautiful landscapes.

There are several holy and historical sites on the banks of Kaligandaki, including the well-known Ranighat. Other popular sites to visit are: Ridi, Ramdighat and Achammeshor – where a deep gorge cut by River Kali Gandaki separates Gulmi and Syangja districts. Madan Pokhara is a highly prosperous village near Tansen. This beautiful valley is also culturally rich and has many temples that pilgrims can visit. The popular temples are Kalanki Devi, Devisthan and Mandabya. Madan Pokhara is linked to Siddhartha Highway. Tanhu is another attractive village with mixed culture and beautiful natural surroundings of mountains, forests and farmlands. One can also see beautiful views of mountains from here.

Arghali is considered the Banares of Nepal and it is where Rana Prime Minister Juddha Shumsher spent the last days of his life. The remains of the palace can still be seen in Arghali. Other nearby places to visit are Rishikesh, Gayatri and Devisthan, the popular temples of Arghali.

Satyawati Lake, at 1,400 meters takes its name from Goddess Satyawati from the Hindu mythology and is a popular pilgrimage site in the area. One can enjoy beautiful views of Himalayas on the way to the lake. The trek starts at Siddhartha Highway, about 19 kilometers from Tansen, from where it takes about 2-hour trek uphill to reach Lake Satyawati. Chilangdi, a typical Magar village offers cultural taste of the area. The people of Chilangdi are simple and have a charming lifestyle. Singing and dancing are the main part their lives. They speak Tibeto-Burman language. Chilangdi is situated at the southern lap of Shreenagar Hills. Access – Tansen is in Palpa district, Lumbini Zone. Tansen is approximately 296 kilometers and about approximately 10-hour drive from Kathmandu via Butwal. It is approximately 324 kilometers from Kathmandu via Pokhara. Buses to Tansen ply from the Central Bus Station, Gongabu in Kathmandu. It is also possible to take a flight to either Pokhara or Bhairawa from where Tansen is approximately 3 to 4-hour drive.

Accommodation – Good to moderate accommodation facilities are available in Tansen. There are also modern restaurants here that serve excellent Nepali and some even continental cuisines. Other tourist facilities are also available in Tansen. When to Visit – Tansen can be visited at any time of the year. While the climate of Palpa varies from tropical to moderate, Tansen is moderate and warm which lies between 28-degree Celsius as the maximum during summer and 8-degree Celsius minimum in the winter. The months of June and July have maximum rain.

Predominant Culture – Palpa has diverse culture and religion. It falls in the twelve Magar regions of West Nepal. Therefore, there are still predominant Magar settlements in some parts of Palpa district. Other inhabitants of Palpa are Brahmin, Chhetri, Newars, Bhojpuri, Tharu, Gurung, Maithili, Tamang, Limbu and Abadhi.