Chitwan: The 19th Chitwan Elephant and Tourism Festival 2025 is set to take place from December 26 to 28 at Sauraha, one of Nepal’s major tourist destinations. The festival is being organized by the Regional Hotel Association Nepal–Chitwan, with co-organization from United Elephant Operation Cooperative Ltd. and the Restaurant and Bar Association Nepal (REBAN), Chitwan.
The three-day festival aims to promote eco-tourism, biodiversity conservation, sustainable tourism practices, and local products, while strengthening the concept of human–wildlife coexistence. It also seeks to further establish Chitwan, home to Nepal’s first national park, as a prominent national and international tourism hub.
Major attractions of the festival include a grand elephant procession involving around 50 elephants, cultural performances representing various ethnic communities, elephant decoration competition, elephant picnic (Elephant Banbhoj), elephant health camp, and awareness programs on the daily life and care of elephants. Events such as boat racing competitions, elephant-related contests, and interactive programs on sustainable safari tourism will also be organized.
The festival will feature panel discussions and interactions on tourism prospects and challenges in Chitwan, focusing on eco-tourism, conservation, and the role of elephants in tourism. Additional highlights include school-level speech competitions, live painting competitions, cultural shows by artists, and the promotion of women entrepreneurs and local agricultural products.
During the festival period, hotels and restaurants affiliated with the Regional Hotel Association Nepal–Chitwan and REBAN Sauraha will offer a 10 percent discount on food and accommodation. Visitors will also be encouraged to experience elephant safaris, jeep safaris, canoe rides, and jungle walks as part of sustainable tourism promotion.
The festival will be held at Baghmara Buffer Zone Community Forest ground, Ratnanagar Municipality–7. Organizers state that the Chitwan Elephant and Tourism Festival represents a living example of harmony between humans and wildlife, contributing significantly to tourism development while balancing tradition, livelihood, and conservation.
