Banke National Park: Nepal’s Peaceful Wildlife Destination and Business Potential

Banke National Park is located in Lumbini Province, Nepal. It primarily lies within the Banke District and is directly connected to Rapti Sonari Rural Municipality and the surrounding areas. The park is an important habitat for tigers, elephants, leopards, nilgai, gharials, and hundreds of species of birds.

Banke National Park is biologically connected with Bardiya National Park and is considered a vital part of the Terai Arc Landscape.

Each tourist entering the park has to pay an entry fee of:

• Nepali tourists: Rs. 100
• SAARC tourists: Rs. 750
• Other foreign tourists: Rs. 1500
• Children under 10 years: Free

Source: Nepal Tourism Board

👉 Banke National Park has the potential to develop as a distinct alternative for tourists seeking less crowding, a peaceful environment, and a natural wildlife experience.

The number of tourists visiting Banke National Park is still small, but recent years show encouraging growth.

• According to available data, 237 tourists visited in 2021, while this number rose to 430 within 10 months of the 2024-2025 period. 
  

Source:  Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2077/78; 2078/79; 2079/80, 2080/81); Everest Times 25/5/2025

👉 Tourist numbers at Banke National Park remain limited, but growth is evident. However, when making business plans, one must keep in mind that this growth is coming from a small base.

The majority of tourists visiting Banke National Park are Nepali. The data so far shows that the main market for this destination is domestic tourism.

• This sends an important signal. Banke's tourism market is more connected to the travel decisions of Nepali tourists, public holidays, school vacations, festivals, and domestic travel culture than to international promotion.

Source:  Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2080/81)

👉 Services targeting family trips, short stays, school visits, youth groups, and domestic tourism appear most relevant for Banke.

The number of foreign and SAARC tourists visiting Banke is still low. However, the available data indicates some level of international interest.

• The presence of SAARC and foreign tourists appears not as a steady, large flow but rather as sporadic. This suggests that Banke has not yet become a major part of an established international tourism circuit.

Source:  Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2080/81)

👉 In the current situation, it is more appropriate to view the foreign market as a long-term potential rather than a major source of revenue. 

Tourist arrivals at Banke National Park are not uniform throughout the year. Arrivals increase in some months and decrease significantly in others.

• This has a direct impact on hotels, transportation, guide services, food and beverage, and other tourism-related businesses.

Source:  Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (2080/81)

👉 The tourism market in Banke is not only small but also seasonal. Therefore, it is not sufficient for businesses to make investment decisions based solely on the annual number of tourists. 

Banke National Park is not only used for wildlife observation but also for research and visual content production. 

• These numbers may seem small compared to other destinations. But in the context of Banke, this sends an important signal — the park is being used not just by tourists visiting for leisure, but also for study, research, and documentation.
  

Source: Nepal Tourism Board (2024)

👉 The needs of researchers, students, conservationists, and film production teams differ from those of regular tourists. They may require services such as accommodation, local coordination, field assistance, transportation, wildlife information, equipment management, and long-term stays.

👉 Banke's opportunity lies not only in increasing tourist numbers. If the park can be established as a center for research, conservation education, and wildlife documentation, additional economic activity can be generated even from a small market.

Looking at the trends of recent years, moderate growth is likely to continue at Banke National Park in 2026.

Note:  80% Confidence Interval

👉 Since the tourism market in Banke is still in its early stages, even small changes can result in large percentage growth rates. Therefore, investment plans based on overly optimistic estimates may be risky.

Tourist numbers at Banke National Park are still limited. Therefore, a successful business here does not necessarily have to rely solely on tourism. 

Businesses that can connect agriculture, local products, and a small but stable tourism market appear more practical.