It is one of the newest attractions recently gaining so much attention and lies on the southern fringe of Kathmandu Valley. It is a perfect blend of nature, culture, and adventure. Whether it is high biodiversity and wildlife or trekking trails, Gokarna Forest Reserve has something in store for each type of traveller wanting to discover the splendour of the natural heritage that Nepal has bestowed upon us. The article talks about Gokarna Forest Reserve, wildlife, biodiversity, the best time for visiting, the trekking trails, how to get there, and more scopes for ecotourism and adventures. Here starts the initiation of the Gokarna Forest Reserve. Explore more coastal and trekking destinations in our Weekend Getaways from Bangalore guide.Gokarna Forest Reserve is situated in the northeastern corner of Kathmandu Valley, 8 kilometres east of the town centre. This can be estimated to be a place of nearly 2,500 acres or 1,000 hectares and thus has a huge range of flora and fauna. This makes it one of the finest regions of natural conservation in the vicinity. Historically, it had served as a reserve for royal hunting. Today, however, this remains preserved, working as an ecotourism, environmental hotspot, and adventure spot.This is an extension of the Gokarna Protected Forest and is very well related to the region's regional cultural and religious significance. Dedicated to Lord Shiva, it also boasts of a great pilgrimage site named Gokarna Temple. Situated close to Kathmandu, it provides some quiet retreat from the busy city life, hence it has been constantly in high demand among nature lovers, trekkers, and wildlife viewers. Discover scenic coastal adventures in our Beach Trips From Bangalore guide.Best Time to Visit Gokarna Forest ReserveThe best time to visit Gokarna Forest Reserve is usually up to your preference on the weather and activities.Spring (March to May): Warm and sunny with clear skies. It is lush green with full foliage. It is a good time for trekking, birding, and photography.Autumn: September to November. It is the peak tourist season in Gokarna. The sky is clean both times; it is warm, and temperatures are favourable- a full vista when undertaking treks or hiking, nature walks or any other exercises; very favourable for birding.Winter, December to February: It is moderately cold all through these months and mainly extremely cold in the morning and evening; however, during the days, it is more or less warm and bright and sunnily pleasantly cool. It is an inaudible season because it has few visitors when tourists will not visit the forests during this winter. This is the ideal time to make acquaintances with the forest.June-August: During the rainy seasons, it rains quite a lot. Hence, during summer, trekking a wee bit becomes a bit difficult to some extent; though with those months of heavy rainfall, it is full of rich green views; if one does not mind a little wetness on them, there are chances to trek up at those times on the trekking trails of Gokarna Forest Reserve.There are several trekking trails in Gokarna Forest Reserve; although most of them are pretty challenging long treks, some are relatively short, easy walks that provide simply terrific scenery of the surrounding hills and the views over the Kathmandu Valley. Experience beaches and cliffside trekking trails with our Gokarna package from Bangalore.How to reach Gokarna Forest ReserveGokarna Forest Reserve is located strategically near Kathmandu. As such, it poses no transport problem since it has other alternatives for arriving.By Road: Gokarna Forest Reserve is 8 km from the centre of Kathmandu city. This can be easily reached by taxi or a private car, and local buses are also available. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes, depending on the road conditions, to reach Gokarna.On Bike: There is another very exciting option, too; for the adventurous, a ride by bicycle can reach Gokarna Forest. This will be a treat to the eye, as one will get a view of the valley and landscape along the way.Walking: In case you are staying in Kathmandu, then if you wish to give an adventurous twist to your tour, you can easily walk from the city centre, this would take hours to reach, but in this case, you'll see quite beautiful sceneries and have the experience of local surroundings also.
