Kathmandu: A fire erupted at the Garden Adventure Resort located in Ward 11 of Gaidakot Municipality, Nawalparasi East on Wednesday.
The blaze reportedly started in the resort’s main hall and reception area, causing extensive damage to the primary structure of the property.
Constructed entirely of wood with a capacity to accommodate around 500 guests, the fire spread rapidly through the resort.
Authorities suspect an electrical short circuit may have triggered the incident.
Firefighters from Kawasoti Municipality and Bharatpur Metropolitan City, along with police and local residents, worked together to bring the flames under control.
The resort, built using rammed earth technology, was the brainchild of proprietor Santosh Dhital. After returning from foreign employment, Dhital had invested nearly nine years in constructing this unique eco-resort, which had only been operational for about a year and a half.
Manager Niraj Gautam confirmed that the fire originated in the completely wooden hall structures. Notably, the resort had consciously avoided using tiles or marble in its construction. Police are currently assessing the full extent of the damage.
Spread across 2.5 bighas of land, the resort stood as a model of sustainable tourism, nestled among dense forests with over 900 trees older than three decades, thriving biodiversity, and lush greenery. The property represented an investment exceeding Rs 280 million.
True to its eco-friendly ethos, the resort featured rooms adorned with hemp ropes, curtains made of nettle and rudraksh, bamboo gates, handmade decorations, and wooden pegs. Even the vegetables and rice served at the resort were organically grown on its own farm.
The incident marks a significant loss for Nepal’s sustainable tourism sector, wiping out years of painstaking effort to create an environmentally conscious hospitality model. Authorities continue to investigate the exact cause of the fire while the local community mourns the destruction of this unique establishment.
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