BIRENDRANAGAR, Dec 1: The government of Karnali Province is preparing to build and promote 42 trekking trails to bring more adventure tourists to the province.
Ministry of Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment, Karnali Province, has allotted Rs 114 million for construction and upgrading of trekking trail in the current fiscal year. According to the ministry, nine trekking trails will be built in Humla, seven each in Dolpa and Mugu, and six in Jumla. Similarly, three trekking trails each will be built in Surkhet, Jajarkot, Kalikot and Salyan, while one trekking trail will be built in Dailekh. Feasibility study is being done in West Rukum for identification of trekking trail, according to an official at the ministry.
According to the ministry, feasibility study of two trekking trails – Rara to Phoksundo through Tiharbagar, Chitaigaun, Dolpo gaun and Shey monastery, and Rara to Hilsa through Chankheli, Sarkegad, Simikot and Limi valley – will be carried out in this fiscal year. The latter trail has been named Karnali Himalayan Trekking Trail.
Trekking Trails on the rise
Prakash Basnet, assistant forest officer at the ministry, told Republica that the ministry was also conducting a study for trekking trail from Sisne in East Rukum of Province 5 through Musikot, Rinabagar, Jaljala, Jajarkot and Chandannath to Rara Lake.
Infrastructure like resting places, trail marks, bridges and other facility will be built on all the trails.
Anju Chaudhary, an officer at the tourism section of the ministry, told Republica that bushes and rocks will be cleared from the existing trails. "Steps will be built in steep areas, while culverts and foot bridges will be built over rivers and rivulets," she added.
The provincial government has taken a policy of promoting tourism by expanding service, upgrading and building trekking trails and other infrastructures in potential destinations.
Gopal KC, a tourism entrepreneur, welcomed the decision of building trekking trails, stating that locals will benefit from movement of tourists. "Local people will get an alternative source of income generation," he added.
He, however, said that the provincial government should hold discussions with tourism entrepreneurs and locals affected areas while implementing such programs.
Similarly, Raju Acharya, a tourism entrepreneur from Dailekh, said that the provincial government should prioritize destinations included in the list of 100 tourism destinations unveiled recently by the tourism ministry of the federal government.
(With inputs from Dhanbahadur Budha of JUMLA and GOVINDA KC of DAILEKH
