By Amrit Prasad Poudel
Myagdi, Nov. 11: Todke, located at the confluence of Beni Municipality and Mangala Rural Municipality, in Myagdi district, is famous for sightseeing and sunrise. And of late, it has been attracting a large number of tourists, thanks to the development of infrastructure there.
Todke is becoming an attractive destination for domestic tourists, along with Raghuganga Rural Municipality. After the operation of a community lodge at Todke, which was constructed with the investment of the locals, the number of tourists -- both domestic and foreign -- visiting the place has gone up.
According to the locals, the number of tourist arrivals has significantly increased this year as compared to the previous years, and that was after opening of the Todke Hill Resort Pvt. Ltd., a modern and well-equipped community lodge in Todke.
Tara Prasad Acharya, chairman of the Hotel Entrepreneurs' Association Myagdi, said that the number of tourists was increasing in Todke, which lies at an altitude of 2,500 metres above sea level.
Tourists from Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Pokhara, Kathmandu, as well as from foreign countries like Japan, China, France, among others, visit Todke.
Escaping the stress of a busy life, tourists visit Todke to have fun and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the mountains and hills.
Tourists visiting the Todke area and staying at the resort are fed organic produce, including locally produced radish pickle, dhindo made from millet and buckwheat, local chicken meat, said Menuka Thajali, deputy manager of the resort.
She said that they have started farming in the resort area in order to produce organic food and that plans promoting Malika Dhuri and Swargashram, which are located at Todke, are underway. They are planned to attract tourists visiting Muktinath temple.
Thirty-three people, including nine founders -- who are the residents of Raghuganga and Mangala Rural Municipality and Beni Municipality -- have invested more than Rs. 30 million in the lodge. Non-Resident Nepalis from across the world have also invested in the resort.
Bhim Sherchan, director of Todke Hill Resort, said that the company was currently focusing on high altitude playground, botanical garden center, park construction and agriculture to enhance the attraction of Todke.
A few months ago, National handball team participating in the South Asian Regional Sports Competition held in Kathmandu last year also came to Todke for high altitude training. Sherchan informed that there was a plan to conduct training as well as sports competition in that place, which is considered suitable for altitude training, in the days to come.
The community lodge has 10 rooms with attached bathroom, two meeting rooms, dining hall, well-equipped meeting hall, restaurant and bar, and 10 tent houses for those who want to enjoy life inside the tent. In all, the lodge has a capacity of accommodating 100 people at a time.
There are three different routes to reach Todke -- Beni-Arthunge-Pulachaur-Chipleti-Daduwa-Purnagaun, Beni-Ghatan-Patlekhet-Jhin and Beni-Babiyachaur-Kuhu.
After a one-and-a-half-hours drive from Beni, the headquarters of Myagdi district, ​​Todke offers dozens of scenic mountain ranges, including the world's seventh highest peak, Dhaulagiri, the tenth highest peak, Annapurna, Nilgiri, Machhapuchche, Manapathi and Gurja.
Redhododendron, which blooms in January and February in the forest of Todke, is the centre tourists’ attraction.