Kathmandu, March 23 -- The third edition of the Red Panda Festival is set to be held in Sandakpur rural municipality, Ilam, one of eastern Nepal's tourist destinations, with expectations that it will significantly contribute to both wildlife conservation and tourism promotion.

The festival will take place from April 2 to April 5, focusing on raising awareness about the conservation of the endangered red panda while promoting the region as an eco-tourism hub, organisers said on Monday.

Hosted by Sandakpur rural municipality, the event will centre on the "Red Panda Trail," a trekking route designed to combine nature, biodiversity and adventure tourism.

The 40-kilometre trail connects various tourism sites from Maipokhari in Ilam to Jauba...