TRIBHUWAN UNIVERSITY

INSTITUTE OF ENGINEERING
PURWANCHAL CAMPUS
DHARAN, SUNSARI

HILL ADVENTURE RESORT

Submitted by:
Shishir Raj Baral (072/B.Arch/043)

Thesis Proposal and Research (AR806)

Submitted to:
Thesis Committee
Department of Architecture
Purwanchal Campus

Date: 31 December 2019

 Thesis Proposal and Research 31 December 2019

1. TITLE
The title of my project is "Hill Adventure Resort".

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2. INTRODUCTION
Nepal is a multi-ethnic, multi-lingual and multi-cultural country, where one can enjoy
all the colorful parts of paradise. It is the country with the highest of the peaks,
deepest gorges and living goddess. The country has diversity in population, ecological
context, culture and language- offering many sectors of tourism as natural, cultural
and wildlife. Divided into three geographical regions; Himalayan, Hilly and Terai, the
Hilly Region occupies most of the area of the country. Having all these wide range of
natural diversity, it is essential in Nepal to develop various income generating
activities that will help to uplift the national economy. Being so rich in geography, we
have not been able to utilize all our resources rather yet have only believed the
difference in geography to have been a hindrance in the development of the country.
Introducing special destination will attract both domestic as well as international
tourists. A resort completely based in the hills providing different adventures to push
the physical ability or do activities in nature will prove to be special.
In Nepal, most of the resorts are either mountain resort, jungle safari resort, village
resort or lakeside resort and so on. Main aim of resorts is to create hospitality and
services taking care of the smallest things for guests and also to provide job
opportunity for local people there by uplifting the economy of that place up to some
extent.
Tourism is the largest industry in Nepal and its largest source of foreign exchange and
revenue. Possessing eight of the ten highest mountains in the world, Nepal is a hot
spot destination for mountaineers, rock climbers and people seeking adventure.
According to Nepal's Ministry of Tourism, major tourist activities include wilderness
and adventure activities such as mountain biking, bungee jumping, rock climbing and
mountain climbing, trekking, hiking, bird watching, flights, paragliding and hot air
ballooning over the mountains of Himalaya, exploring the waterways by raft, kayak or
canoe and jungle safaris especially in the Terai region. Adventure tourism and
ecotourism are important attractions for visitors. The government of Nepal has
declared the year 2020 as "Visit Nepal 2020" year and aims to host 2 million tourists
during the year. The tourism industry is seen as a way to alleviate poverty and achieve
greater social equity in the country.
Adventure resort is an ideal location for any individual to explore and open
him/herself to different daring activities and getting a proper refreshment.

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Figure 1: Tourist Arrivals (2011-2019)

3. THE SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY

Modern day human beings are bounded with their life schedule, their need to earn and
prosper has limited the people to small spaces and hardly any adventures. A normal
working person hardly blends with the nature or gets lost in the beautiful surrounding
around. An adventure resort is an ideal location for the people to get away from their
hectic life schedule and get a proper taste of life long memories. It can be a proper
source of entertainment and relaxation for not only the working class people but
rather all the age groups. It also benefits the local or national economy followed by
increase in the employment opportunities also promoting the local culture and
traditions. Such a tourist destination also acts as a centre of attraction for a place
creating an identity and increasing the number of other destinations as such.
Nepal has been a major attraction for the tourists seeking adventure and adrenaline
rush. Tourists travel for vacation, activities and pleasure and are in need of a decent
place to stay. Also the practice of travelling and taking vacations off from the usual
life and getting some adventure is being popular in the Nepali society too. So
adventure tourism is one of the important sector in the economic development of the
country through tourism. Hence, hospitality sector deserves the proper attention and
plays vital role in the development of our country.

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4. JUSTIFICATION OF THE PROJECT

Dharan has a major reputation as a prime destination for tourists in the Eastern region
of the country. Being situated in the lap of Hills, the city has plenty of opportunities to
utilize the beauty and variations in the topography, in the sector of adventure tourism.
Regarded as the "Brazil of Nepal", Dharan has always been a sports loving city and
the local residents i.e. Dharane have always been keen admirer of bravery and
adventures. The city is also a famous tourist and pilgrimage centre in Nepal’s Eastern
Region and is a gateway to several attractions including the Arun Valley, Basantapur,
Tinjure, Bhedetar, etc. The geographical location, climate, religious shrines, places of
tourist importance and places of religious and historical values make Dharan an
important destination of national and international tourists.
Being proclaimed with so many titles and such importance, Dharan has still not been
able to captivate the huge number of publicity and fame, it has received. Tourists find
it hard and compelling to stay in the city longer than a day or so, as the town is small
and fails to provide diversity in the activities and prospects of tourism. Therefore, an
adventure resort would bring something new to the city and to the whole Eastern
Nepal. It would be a major attraction of the city and result in bringing in more tourists
both domestic and international.
 This resort will add to the better prospects of Dharan city.
 The resort will primarily focus on domestic and foreign tourism.
 The resort will be one in its kind and therefore, encourage and promote
adventure tourism in the Eastern Nepal.
 The resort will encourage people to get involved in outdoor activities.
 The resort will also promote other local tourism destinations.

5. OBJECTIVES OF THE PROJECT

 To promote the practice of adventure tourism.
 To provide opportunities for adventure and exploration for different age
groups.
 To make a contribution to the local economy.
 To provide a platform for social, physical and skill development of any
individual.

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6. STUDY AREA
For any resort site, there is one primary requirement; privacy. A resort must be far
from the urban city life and this is what make it different from hotel. A hotel is
generally built in the city whereas resort is not. Also a resort should have its own
identity whether it be the view, the activity it provides, the theme it is built in, the
hospitality, etc. Also for a typical adventure resort, the location should be able to
support the activities and not be a hindrance to them.
Dharan is set in the lap of the Mahabharat range and Siwalik hills. And top of these
ranges provide a clear and mesmerizing view of the city, Charkose Jhadi to
Saptakoshi at most clear times. Chindedanda is a popular hilltop in the Mahabharat
range. It has now been established as a local yet famous tourist destination. Famous
for the view of the city and the forest it offers, along with great weather, paragliding,
local cuisines and the perfect getaway from the city. With newer prospects coming for
the development of the region, Chindedanda has a huge potential in the sector of
tourism. With its overall geography and topography, the hill can be a good place to

start a Hill Adventure Resort.

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7. DEFINITION OF TERMS
Hill: a naturally raised area of land, not as high or craggy as a mountain.
Adventure: an unusual and exciting or daring experience
Resort: a place that is frequented for holidays or recreation or for a particular purpose
Adventure Resort: place which can contain a wide variety of elements, including but
not limited to, rope climbing exercises, obstacle courses, bouldering, rock climbing,
target oriented activities, and zip-lines which are usually intended for recreation and
embody the spirit and activities

8. LITERATURE REVIEWS
Hill is a landform that extends above the surrounding terrain. It often has a
distinct summit, although in areas with scarp/dip topography a hill may refer to the
particular section of flat terrain without a massive summit. The distinction between a
hill and a mountain is unclear and largely subjective, but a hill is universally
considered to be less tall and less steep than a mountain. Hill can be a proper location
for any adventurous activity. Hiking being one of the most common, followed by zip
lining, cycling, peak bagging, cheese rolling and many more.
Adventure is an exciting experience that is typically a bold, sometimes risky,
undertaking. Adventures may be activities with some potential for physical danger
such as travelling, exploring, skydiving, mountain climbing, scuba diving, river
rafting or participating in extreme sports. Adventures are often undertaken to create
psychological arousal or in order to achieve a greater goal such as the pursuit of

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knowledge that can only be obtained in a risky manner. For some people, adventure
becomes a major pursuit in and of itself. According to adventurer André Malraux, in
his La Condition Humaine (1933), "If a man is not ready to risk his life, where is his
dignity?" Similarly, Helen Keller stated that "Life is either a daring adventure or
nothing." Outdoor adventurous activities are typically undertaken for the purposes
of recreation or excitement: examples are adventure racing and adventure tourism.
Adventurous activities can also lead to gains in knowledge.
Resort is a recreational complex which attracts visitors for holidays and vacations. It
is compound of the building which is located in the natural scenic area providing
lodgings, entertainment and relaxing environment to people on vacation. The term
resort is sometimes misused with a hotel that does not provide the other amenities
required of a full resort. However, a hotel is frequently a central feature of a resort.
The main difference between a resort and hotel is its location. Hotels are mostly
located in urban areas but resorts are built away from city areas with one or more
natural importance. Natural importance may be water or forest or mountains or others
where many activities like: sunset, sunrise, jungle safari, hiking, trekking, elephant
ride etc. In hotels there are mostly inner activities going on but resorts give equal
importance to things that are performed outside. Wikipedia defines “Resort as a place
used for relaxation or recreation.” It differ from a hotel in the sense that where the
hotels are mostly located in the urban setting are designed for a shorter stay, resorts
are the set in rural area, away from the noise of the busy city and are designed for
longer stay. Resorts are also ideal place for holding events, meeting and conferences.
Hence they should provide facilities that would entertain the guest for the longer
period of time. It would also arrange for the excursions and trekking, etc. generally
resort are located at the area of scenic recreational sites where people spend a
vacation.
 Planning Requirement
The front of the house and back of the house should be well planned so that the
activities on back of the house are not witnessed by the guests. For this purpose,
separate space should be provided for the guest and staff.
 Environment requirement
Resort should be situated on a beautiful natural setting, pollution free environment
and far from the busy city. The vehicular access around the area should be provided.

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 Landscape requirement
The landscape design of the resort play the vital role in the resort design hence it
should be well planned taking account of the natural topography and natural setting of
the site. Sufficient properly designed outdoor space should be provided which include
lush gardens, place to play games, family outing, etc.
Characteristics of good landscape
1. An Invitation to Enjoyment: Entry
o Front gardens and exterior facade create a first impression for resort visitors
o Landscaping i.e. hard and soft in the front are the most important parts of a
cohesive design
o Reflects the architectural style of the resort and sets the mood for guests
during their stay

2. A Focus on Location
o Built away from city area with one or more natural importance i.e. water,
forest, mountain etc.
o A place where people can boost their intimacy with the nature.
3. Escapes with a view
o Mountainous panoramas, tropical seascapes, and stunning scenery are usually
the core of these features
4. Outdoor dining and entertainment
o To allow hotel guests to take advantage of their location is to integrate food,
drinks, and entertainment into the landscape design.
o Luxurious bars, dining facilities, and even dance floors are often found
outdoors

Basic theory of Resort Planning8

A resort is basically divided into two parts: Front of the house and Back of the house.
As far as planned circulation is concerned there must be a mixing of the house service
with those of the back of the house. The guest should not be aware of everything that
is taking place at the back of the house. The two functions must be kept separately
and yet so interrelated that both function smoothly, efficiently and economically.

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 Back of the house

Two objectives for planning the back of the house are control and efficiency.
Foodstuff, housekeeping supplies and a great many other item must be
received out of sight of the hotel guest. Such receiving is usually done at a
loading deck, which should be covered so that the deliveries are not stolen at
the time of delivery.
The major part of the back of the house is:
o Laundry facilities
o Housekeeping department
o Food and beverage service
o Mechanical and maintenance space
 Front of the house
The front of the house comprises every area of that the guest will see. These
spaces must be handled and planned with one thought in mind; to convince
and continued approbation of the guest. The major fronts of the house service
are:
o Main entrance
o Reception and lobby
o Cashier
o Administration
o Guest rooms
o Restaurant facilities
o Conference hall
o Recreational area
 Functional Relationship
o Separation of the guest and service areas
o No cross circulation: distinction between front and back house
o All catering be on the same level as kitchens and directly related
o Organization of back of house as separate as possible

Basic science and knowledge of the adventure activities

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The adventure resort would have different adventure activities like zip line, Burma
Bridge, high rope, low rope, sky cycle, Glass Bridge, etc. And it very essential to
know the science and logic behind all these activities. This will help in proper safety
management and cost estimation for the project.

9. PROPOSED CASE STUDIES

 The Last Resort - Sindhupalchok, Nepal
 Dhulikhel Mountain Resort and Dhulikhel Zip line - Dhulikhel, Nepal
 Corbett Adventure Resort - Uttarakhand, India
 Riparian Resort - Gujarat, India
 The Kikar Lodge - Punjab, India

10. METHODOLOGY
The methodology adopted for the proposed project includes case study. Various
establishments will be visited to study the major determinant of the design. The
existing feature will be analytically reviewed along with positive and negative aspects
so as to provide application measure for the design component of the proposed
building. The following process shall be adopted:
Theoretical understanding and data collection
The required information for the project is gathered through the literature review of
books, reports, articles, research works, surveys and other related documents
regarding the data for the project. In the process of information collection required
data are also revealed and analyzed. If needed survey work is also done for data
collection.

 Literature review
The part will comprise guidelines to be considered while designing any built
forms. Thus, necessary national and international standards related architectural
books of standards to be consulted. Further, to understand the different aspects
and the value of the project book, articles, project works, documents etc. related
to the project is studied carefully. From the study we understand what to know
more from the case studies and what is required for the project.
 Case studies

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The collection of first hand data is accomplished with studies of various national
and international projects. The case studies in the different aspect of the project
helps to solve the problems in the project. The following probable case studies
will be conducted in order to formulate the program and incur necessary facts
and figures enough to conceptualize the design.
o Data collection
o Program formulation
o Conceptual drawing
o Necessary design drawing
o Model of the project
o Final report

11. EXPECTED OUTCOME

My thesis project "Hill Adventure Resort" will be one of its first in the Eastern Nepal.
The resort would be an identity for the city of Dharan with bringing change in
economy. It shall pack plenty adventure activities for varying age groups and will be
suitable not only for the tourists from outside the city but also to the Dharane looking
for a perfect get away from their hectic life schedule.
12. REFERENCES

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