Saturday, December 15, 2012

rukum

Rukum District(Nepali: रुकुम जिल्लाAbout this sound Listen, is a "hill" and "mountain" district some 280 km west of Kathmandu in Rapti Zone of Nepal's Mid-Western Region. Rukum covers an area of 2,877 km² with population (2001) of 188,438. Musikot (also called Jhumlikhalanga) is the district's administrative center.
Mt. Sisne (5,849m), Rukum, Nepal
Rukum district has many potential tourist attractions that remain unexplored. There is 5,849 meter (19,195 ft.) Mt. Sisne (Nepali: सिस्ने हिमाल), also called virgin mountain. Nobody claims to have conquered this mountain yet. Rukum is also called "the place of 52 lakes and 53 hills". Rukumkot (Nepali: रुकुमकोट) has a beautiful pond called Rukmini Tal or locally Kamal Dhaha. Nearby are notable temples called Barah and Sibalaya, and caves such as Deurali Cave.
Rukmini Tall (Pond), Rukumkot, Rukum

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Tourism in Rukum

Rukum is so much more than just lakes & Hills. Discover this unique place, with its warm hospitality, fusion of cultures, beautiful Valley Rukumkot, Hunting reserve, Hurbal Land and caves, Flora &Fauna. One can get not only natural and religious places but also can explore new destinations as typical Magar culture & diversity of different ethnic groups, mysterious places, historic places...and varied tourist attractions.
Main Attracttions of Rukum:
  • The place of 52 lakes and 53 hills.
  • Hurbal-Land
  • District of Virgin Mountain call Mt. Sisne (5,849 m)
  • Land of Mysterious Caves
  • Typical Magar (Kham) Culture
  • Gateway to Nepal`s Only one hunting reserve (Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve) & Lower Dolpo
  • Flora & Fauna
  • Religious Places (Kamal Daha Baraji, Digre saikumari, Uttarganga River etc.)

Geography

Rukum district is the northernmost part of Rapti Zone. It is in the basin of Bheri River, a major tributary of the Karnali. Mostly Rukum is drained by west-flowing tributaries such as Uttar Ganga draining Dhorpatan Valley and to the north of that the Sani Bheri draining southern slopes of the western Dhaulagiri Himalaya.
Rapti Zone Map
Elevation ranges from below 800 meters along the Bheri and its lowest tributaries to about 6,000 meters in the Dhaulagiris with a range of climates from subtropical to perpetual snow and ice. Agricultural use ranges from irrigated rice cultivation through upland cultivation of maize, barley, wheat, potatoes and fruit, to subalpine and alpine pasturage reaching about 4,500 meters.

Transport

Rukum District is considered remote because air travel is the only modern transportation mode available. Two airports offer safe but rudimentary facilities for passenger flights, mainly from Nepalgunj, and Kathmandu. Rapti Highway is under construction (as of 2010) to connect Musikot to Salyan Khalanga, Tulstipur and Mahendra Highway to the south. On the other hand, country`s dream project "Mid-Hill Highway is under construction .

Rapti Highway

Dang-Salyan-Rukum : About 10 hrs bus ride from Dang Tulsipur to Rukum Musikot

Mid-Hill Highway

Mid-Hill Highway is under construction, and a national pride project that passes through 12 zones, 24 districts, and 215 VDCs.With a total length of 1,767 km, the highway connects Chiyo Bhanjyang of Pachthar district in the east with Jhulaghat of Baitadi district in the west.
Bus ride from Kathmandu takes up to 24 hours to Musikot.
The two airports in Rukum are in Chaurjahari (Nepali: चौरजहारी) and Salle (Nepali: सल्ले).

Chaurjahari Airport

Near the Bheri River. 762m above sea level and accessible by footpaths and horse trails only, with a grass runway 850m long and 30 m wide. It was the primary mode of travel to Rukum for government, NGO personnel, aid workers and backpackers before the civil war. During the conflict the security situation deteriorated and the local police station was shut down. The airport has 10 aircraft parking at once.
- About 30 minutes flight from Nepalgunja to Rukum Salle airport.

Rukum Salle Airport