Aaina Pahara cliff emerges as a new tourist magnet

KATHMANDU: The once-quiet rocky façade known locally as “Aaina Pahara” (Mirror Cliff) along the Muglin–Aanbukhaireni stretch of the Prithvi Highway is fast becoming a must-stop destination for travellers shuttling between Kathmandu, Pokhara and Chitwan.

Over the past year, Aanbukhaireni Rural Municipality invested more than Rs 15 million to carve the cliff’s natural stone into eye-catching figures—including a graceful fairy, an elephant’s trunk and a mother-and-child tableau—set against a cooling waterfall that cascades from the cliff top.

Tourism pays off

Since the current fiscal year began last July, the municipality has already collected Rs 4.2 million in entry fees, charging Rs 50 for locals and Rs 100 for visitors from outside the area.

Peak days, especially Saturdays and public holidays, now draw crowds of around 1,000 domestic tourists; a single-day record of Rs 46,300 was set last weekend.

Municipal Chief Administrative Officer Bishnu Prasad Sharma says daily takings rarely drop below Rs 8,000–10,000. “The cliff has turned into a reliable revenue stream that we can plough back into local services,” he told Makalu Khabar.

Facilities on site

Inside the park, the Aaina Pahara Restaurant & Hotel operates on a lease of Rs 46,500 per month, offering refreshments with panoramic views of the Marsyangdi River gorge below.

What’s next

Looking to double annual income to Rs 10 million in the coming fiscal year, the rural municipality has broken ground on a glass sky-bridge, zip-line and sky-walk, all slated to open within the next ten days.

A motor-boat service already plies the Marsyangdi, and plans are under way to link the cliff attraction with nearby religious sites—including the Aandimool spring, Chimkeswari Mai shrine and Budhi Mai temple—to create a full-day circuit for pilgrims and adventure seekers alike.

Rural Municipality Chair Shukra Chuman is confident the highway’s steady stream of buses and private vehicles will keep the momentum rising. “Prithvi Highway sees hundreds of vehicles every day. With the new adventure activities and our unique rock sculptures, Aaina Pahara is set to be one of central Nepal’s standout stops,” he said.

For travellers eager to cool off beneath a waterfall, snap photos with stone-hewn deities and sample local cuisine—without straying far from the main Kathmandu–Pokhara route—Aaina Pahara now gleams as a natural mirror reflecting the region’s growing tourism promise.