Myagdi: There is a rush of domestic tourists in the base area of the Annapurna First Himal (8,091 meters) in Narchang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 of northern Myagdi.
On the occasion of Dashain Tihar, most tourists have reached the base camp. Since the decline of Dashain, there has been an influx of domestic tourists going to Annapurna Basecamp from Myagdi as well as from different regions of Nepal.
Amrit Subedi, chief administrative officer of Annapurna Rural Municipality, said that the number of people going in groups has increased since the day after Badadashain’s tika. According to him, after the operation of the footpath, more domestic tourists have reached the base camp through Narchang.
“Until now, tourists have to manage everything by themselves, now from tea houses to other structures, the municipality will deploy manpower along with the infrastructure,” said Chief Administrative Officer Subedi.
This time a group of 3 to 15 people from Myagdi, Baglung, Parbat, Pokhara, Kathmandu, Chitwan and other areas have gone to the base camp.
Although the number of tourists has started to increase, there is no facility to collect the details of the tourists as well as the tea house to serve the tourists. So far, more than 300 trekking agencies and individuals have reached the base camp around Dashain, according to local people’s representatives.
The base camp of Nepal’s Annapurna first mountain (8,091 meters), which is the first to be climbed among the highest mountains in the world (8,091 meters), can be reached in 1 day from Pokhrebgar, the center of Annapurna rural municipality in northern Myagdi, while those who travel slowly can reach it in 1 day and a half to the base camp and a day back.
It has become the choice of domestic tourists due to its low cost and easy walking distance. Sonima Baruwal of Annapurna-6 Ghar, who returned from the trek, said that there is a need for toilets, teahouses and more living structures on the footpath.
Vijay Sapkota, who arrived from Beni with his friends, said that despite the rush of tourists, there was a delay in building the necessary structures from the government agencies and requested the related agencies to build infrastructure at the time of increased pressure. He said that since he had reached the base camp for the first time, the confusion about Annapurna base camp had been removed.
Tourists say that Annapurna base camp can be reached only by skis, but they are excited after knowing that the main base camp for climbers is Narchang area of Myagdi.
As part of the ‘Maurice Herzog Padayatra’, which is also known as the ‘Elder Himal’ in Nepal, one reaches the base area of Annapurna I through Dobhan-Chotepa in Narchang by vehicle to Humkhola and from there it reaches the base area through a footpath.
From Pokhrebgar, the center of Annapurna rural municipality, one can reach Homkhola by traveling 22 kilometers by vehicle. From there it is a 21 km walk to reach the base area.
For the construction of footpaths, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, with a budget of 280 million, the rural municipality also constructed suspension bridges on 6 rivers namely Chhotepa, Humkhola, Futphute Falls, Sandhikhark, Bhusket, Dharamshala, along with the construction of shelters at 6 places. Chairman of the rural municipality Bharat Pun said.
He said that it will be convenient if 1 day, 3 days and 7 days are fixed for short distance package for domestic tourists. He said that the infrastructure such as shelters and rest areas to reach the base camp made the journey easy.
There are suspension bridges in 6 rivers including Chotepa, Humkhola, Futphute Falls, Sandhikhark, Bhusket, Dharamshala as part of the footpath. Many tourists travel by helicopter in the base area.
In order to facilitate internal and external tourists, the village municipality has requested a budget from the state and the federal government with a plan to arrange various shelters with drinking water facilities on the footpath.
Under the footpath, green and blue gushing waterfalls flowing through a hole in the middle of the Bhimkaya rock, Panch waterfall with laskars, a man-made cave in the mountain and the blue Panch lake at the foot of Annapurna are attractive after reaching the base area.
Events will also be held in memory of Maurice Herzog, the French mountaineer who introduced Nepal to the world.
A replica of the French mountaineer Maurice Herzog will also be built in the base area following the old route taken by Maurice Herzog and his team who climbed the Annapurna mountain seven decades ago in June 1950 and created the golden history of mountaineering.
The first ascent of Mt Everest took place two years after Maurice climbed Annapurna. In his memory, under the leadership of Tej Gurung of Narchang, the first Annapurna Festival was organized in 2076 to promote the Maurice Herzog Trail, which was identified in 2068.