KATHMANDU, Aug 21: Over the past year, 21 tourists have died due to altitude sickness in the Annapurna Conservation Area, a popular trekking destination in Gandaki Province.

According to the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), among the deceased are six Nepalis, 11 Indians, two Malaysians, and one each from Ukraine and Britain.

Rabin Kadaria, head of the project, said that most of the altitude sickness incidents occur in the Muktinath area of Mustang. He emphasized the importance of taking special precautions while trekking in the Himalayas, as rapid ascent can lead to altitude sickness.

In addition, three foreign tourists have died from falls while hiking. Swedish and German tourists were among those who died in Kaski, and an American tourist died in Manang. The remains of the Swedish trekker who went missing during a trek to Mardi Himal were recently recovered. Kadaria advised, "When undertaking long-distance treks, it is safer to travel in groups or with a guide rather than alone."

In the last fiscal year, the Annapurna region welcomed 222,180 foreign tourists, with 117,845 coming from Asian countries and 104,256 from other regions. The peak visitation occurred in mid-March with 35,265 tourists, while the lowest was in mid-July with 5,401 tourists. The number of tourists increased by 50,000 compared to the previous fiscal year.

 
• ACAP
 
• altitude_sickness