MUSTANG, Oct 6: The Annapurna Circuit trail has been cleared of snow. The trail in the Annapurna Conservation Area connecting Manang and Mustang was opened on Monday after 20 people cleared snow from Thorong-La Pass, thanks to the initiative of the Muktinath Hotel Association.
From Besisahar in Lamjung, foreign tourists trek through Thorong-La Pass and reach Muktinath via Manang. Suraj Gurung, president of the Muktinath Hotel Association, said that the Thorong-La trekking route connecting Manang and Mustang has been made easier for trekkers by clearing the heavy snow from the route.
Heavy snowfall from September 24 to 27 completely blocked the Thorong-La Pass trail, stopping tourist movement. From October to November, Thorong-La Pass is an ideal destination for tourists seeking adventurous treks.
The Manang–Mustang Annapurna Circuit Trek sees tourists trekking for only five months every year. The Thorong-La Pass section of the Round Annapurna Circuit, known worldwide, is popular among foreign tourists for adventurous trekking.
The Muktinath Hotel Association has stated that there is now no problem trekking from Manang via Thorong-La Pass to reach Mustang.
Royal Trek being promoted during Visit Nepal Year 2020
Tourists visiting Ghandruk increase after trekking route becomes easier
Meanwhile, a report from Pokhara said that the number of tourists has started to increase as the road to Ghandruk, a tourist village in Annapurna Rural Municipality wards 10 and 11 of Kaski, has become easier to access.
Tourists have started reaching Ghandruk since the Birethanti-Ghandruk road, which was blocked due to floods and landslides, became operational.
With the road becoming accessible, tourists have started to visit the village, said Sneha Gurung, managing director of Nirmal Villa in Ghandruk. She said that the tourism business in Ghandruk, which had come to a standstill due to roads being blocked by floods and landslides, is now expected to pick up.
"With the festival season around the corner, the tourist season has also started. The roads have become easier too. In the months of Ashar, Sawan, and Bhadra, there were practically no tourists. Now they have slowly started coming. There's hope that the tourism business here will pick up now," she added.
Laksin Gurung, owner of Hotel Rock and Mood and president of Rodhi Club Ghandruk, said that it is necessary to spread the message that the road to Ghandruk has become easier to access.
“Tourists have started coming, but many might still think the road is bad,” he said. “Many might have even canceled their plans thinking that the road to Ghandruk hasn’t been repaired yet. Now we need to send out the message that the road is smooth and people can come and explore without worry.”
Laksin said that although landslides triggered by incessant rains in various places have been cleared and the road has been improved for travel, the expected number of tourists has not arrived in Ghorepani-Poon Hill.
He said, "I can accommodate up to 45 people in my hotel. In previous years, it used to be fully booked at this time, but this time only five to seven people have come daily."
Bikram Gurung, chairman of the Ghandruk Tourism Management Committee, said that after the weather cleared and the road became accessible, the tourism business in Ghorepani gradually started to pick up.
He said that currently, around 200 to 300 tourists reach Ghorepani daily.
According to him, the tourist village of Ghorepani can accommodate 2,500 visitors in a single day. He said that if there are more visitors, arrangements can also be made in village houses.
"Right now, there are 95 hotels and 45 homestays in Ghandruk. These hotels and homestays can accommodate 2,500 guests in a day," he said. "If there are more guests, arrangements can also be made to accommodate them in private homes. Our belief is that no guest visiting the village should have to be turned away."
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