KATHMANDU: Religious tourism in Nepal is rising quickly. More people are visiting temples and monasteries while also exploring nearby destinations. This growing trend has increased demand for pilgrimage tour packages both inside Nepal and abroad.
Travel agencies now offer affordable pilgrimage tours to major religious sites. In Nepal, packages are available for Kalinchowk, Gosainkunda, Manakamana, Muktinath, Pathibhara, Halesi, and Swargadwari. A Manakamana tour package starts at Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200 per person, which includes round-trip transport and a cable car ticket.
According to Shreeram Khanal, director of Muktinath Chardham Tirtha Yatra Travel, daily packages for remote religious destinations in Nepal also begin at Rs 2,000 to Rs 2,200, covering food and transportation.
Accommodation adds extra cost, with full packages priced at around Rs 3,000 per day. The company also provides vehicle rentals such as Scorpio for longer pilgrimages.
Khanal said the agency prepares pure vegetarian meals for travelers. He added that customer satisfaction has remained high for many years.
Travel agencies are also promoting India pilgrimage tour packages. Popular destinations include Jagannath Puri, Rameshwaram, Dwarkadhish, Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gaya, Kamakhya, Parashuram Kund, Vaishno Devi, Amarnath, Jwala Devi, Gangasagar, Shirdi Saibaba, and the Golden Temple.
A pilgrimage to India generally costs Rs 2,000 per person per day. Travelers must pay separately for hotels and local transport such as rickshaws.
Ashok Marhattha, director of Ugrachandi Vehicle Service, said the agency serves pure vegetarian food without garlic and onion. He added that hotel arrangements can be organized for Rs 3,000 per day if required.
According to Khanal, around 15,000 people travel on organized pilgrimage tours every year. He said the number could rise sharply if government bodies, including the Nepal Tourism Board, promoted cross-border religious tourism more actively.
