Bhadrapur, July 28: A total of 9,447 foreign tourists from 86 countries entered Nepal through the Kakarbhitta land border in the fiscal year 2025/26.
According to Indra Kumar Rajbanshi, acting chief of the Immigration Office, Kakarbhitta, an average of 26 foreign tourists entered Nepal through the eastern border crossing each day during the period. Indian nationals are not included in the figures, as they do not require a visa to enter Nepal.
Although citizens from 86 countries used the border crossing, Bhutanese visitors accounted for the largest share. A total of 4,994 Bhutanese nationals entered Nepal, making up 53 percent of all foreign arrivals through the checkpoint.
The United States ranked second, with 2,152 American visitors, accounting for 23 percent of total arrivals, Rajbanshi said.
According to immigration data, the peak tourist season at the eastern border falls in the Nepali months of Poush and Magh. The highest number of arrivals was recorded in Poush, when 1,850 foreign tourists entered Nepal, while the fewest arrivals were recorded in Bhadra, with just 216 visitors.
Rajbanshi said the increase during Poush and Magh is largely due to winter holidays in Bhutan. During this period, many Bhutanese travel to Jhapa and nearby districts to visit relatives, while others undertake pilgrimages to Halesi Mahadev Temple in Khotang, often referred to as the “Pashupatinath of eastern Nepal.”
The Immigration Office also noted that full immigration services at the Kakarbhitta border have been available only since August 2024. As a result, many foreign travellers are still unaware that they can use the eastern border crossing to enter Nepal.
People’s News Monitoring Service
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