Govt developing trekking in Valley vicinity

KATHMANDU, May 27: The government is developing new trekking routes to draw in more tourists. A five-year plan to complete a trekking route to Gosainkunda from Kathmandu and another round Kathmandu Valley is in its second year.



However, the government is not coordinating with the private sector, the real supplier of trekking routes to national and international trekkers. Bachchu Narayan Shrestha, first vice-president of the Trekking Agents´ Association of Nepal (TAAN), is optimistic about the new trekking routes but complains that the government has not coordinated with the private sector. [break]



The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoTCA) is planning to open a new trekking route circling Kathmandu Valley and encompassing the capital and the neighboring districts of Bhaktapur and Lalitpur. The route is 131 km in length.



This circular trekking route will link the four major peaks around the Valley --Shivapuri (2,453 meters), Phulchwoki (2,765), Chandragiri (2,522) and Nagarjun (2,697), Rabi Shah, project manager at the Tourism Infrastructure Development Project under the Tourism Ministry told Republica.



The circular trekking route will be bisected by two other trekking routes to north and south. The northern trekking route will connect Bhudhanilkantha, the entry point to the Shivapuri peak, to Gosaikunda, whereas the southern one begins from Thankot, the entry point to Chandragiri, and reach Chitlang in Makwanpur district.



The northern route from Budhanilkantha to Gosaikunda (4,380 metres) will touch the three districts of Kathmandu, Nuwakot and Rasuwa and cover about 54 km, of which 27 km will be completed by 2011. Similarly, the southern route measuring 13 km will touch Kathmandu, Makwanpur and Chitwan districts, but this route may not be completed within the target year. Shah informed that the contract for 22 kilometers of construction has already been given to Nepali private sector contractors. According to estimates, the cost per kilometer of the two-meter wide trekking routes is Rs 2 million. "The entire project will cost Rs 100 milllion, which will be spent from government coffers", Shah told Republica.



According to him, the existing routes are difficult and unmanaged.. “The key idea behind this scheme is to prolong tourist stays in Nepal,” Shah added.

Since these trekking routes are of eight to 10 days´ duration, they will also involve the government´s plan for home stays and benefit local dwellers.



Cable car scheme



Likewise, the government is also planning to begin “cable car” services to three of the aforesaid trekking peaks -- Shivapuri, Pulchwoki and Chandragiri. A feasibility study carried out by the government showed that this project is feasible and will bring much financial benefit. “Once the project is completed, we are planning to sell it to the private sector,” said Shah.



The cable car scheme was designed targeting the national tourism campaign under Nepal Tourism Year” (NTY-2011), but it may not be finalized within 2011, according to Shah.

There will be cable car entry gates for each of the peaks, at Budhanilkanth, Godavari and Thankot respectively. Under this scheme, not only those who can trek uphill but also those who cannot will be able to reach the peaks.

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