Pauri Garhwal: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami inaugurated the three-day Nayar Valley Adventure Festival 2026 at Bilkhet, near Satpuli in Pauri Garhwal district, on Thursday, marking a significant step to promote adventure tourism and cultural heritage in the region. The event, running from February 26 to 28, combines high-adrenaline sports with local traditions to highlight the untapped potential of the Nayar Valley while stimulating rural economic growth.
During the inauguration, Dhami announced the establishment of a dedicated paragliding training centre in the Nayar Valley, aimed at equipping local youth with professional skills and creating sustainable employment in adventure sports. He also unveiled development initiatives for several religious sites to enhance pilgrimage and eco-tourism, including site-specific works at Raslwan Diwa Temple in Pokhra block, Kalinka Temple in Bironkhal block, Ekeswar Mahadev Temple in Ekeswar block, and Champeshwar Mahadev Temple in Pabau block.
Focus on Adventure and Economic Empowerment
The festival seeks to position Uttarakhand as a leading adventure tourism destination by showcasing the valley’s natural assets—lush hills, flowing rivers, and panoramic views. Dhami highlighted the area’s richness in both scenic beauty and adventure opportunities. “The Nayar Valley region is extremely prosperous from the perspective of natural beauty and adventure tourism,” he said. “Such events will provide self-employment opportunities to local youth and accelerate regional development.”
He extended advance Holi greetings and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to holistic progress under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s guidance, with emphasis on strengthening basics such as roads, electricity, drinking water, telecommunications, education, and health.
Array of Thrilling Activities Underway
The opening day featured the formal flag-off of multiple adventure activities by the Chief Minister, including paragliding, paramotoring, hot-air balloon rides, mountain biking, kayaking, angling, zipline, Burma Bridge crossings, and reverse bungee. National-level competitions commenced immediately, notably the paragliding accuracy event and a 60-kilometre mountain biking rally originating from Lansdowne.
Participants from across India are actively involved, with free tandem paragliding, hot-air balloon experiences, and zipline rides available to visitors and locals. Organisers have prioritised safety, deploying medical teams and police personnel throughout the venue.
The mountain biking rally attracted 33 competitors, including 28 men and 5 women from various states. Notably, the oldest riders—60-year-old retired Colonel Anil Gurung and 61-year-old Arun Kumar, both from Dehradun—demonstrated the event’s broad appeal across age groups.
Dignitaries and Community Engagement
The inauguration was attended by Tourism Minister Satpal Maharaj, MLA Rajkumar Pori, District Magistrate Swati S Bhadouria, Chief Development Officer Girish Gunwant, SSP Sarvesh Panwar, and other officials. Dhami inspected departmental stalls, distributed kits and equipment to beneficiaries, and interacted with women’s groups and residents, urging wider outreach of government schemes.
He stressed that the state administration is working with an “Antyodaya” spirit to ensure inclusive benefits.
Broader Impact on Regional Economy
The festival is expected to place Nayar Valley firmly on the adventure tourism map, generating immediate benefits for local homestays, eateries, transporters, and guides. The paragliding training centre announcement promises long-term skill development and job creation in adventure sports instruction and guiding.
Religious site developments will complement adventure offerings by promoting cultural and pilgrimage tourism, preserving Uttarakhand’s heritage while diversifying visitor experiences. As the festival continues over the next two days with additional competitions and prize ceremonies, it is poised to reinforce Uttarakhand’s reputation as a premier destination for adrenaline and culture, driving sustainable growth in remote hilly areas.
