MYAGDI, May 6: Annapurna Rural Municipality has announced a platinum jubilee celebration to mark the 75th anniversary of the first successful ascent of Mount Annapurna—a historic milestone that launched Nepal's mountaineering tourism.
The 8,091-meter-high Annapurna I, located at the border of Myagdi, Kaski, Manang, and Mustang districts, lies within Narchyang, Ward 4 of Annapurna Rural Municipality in Myagdi. This area also encompasses the official climbing route and base camp.
Mountaineers regard Annapurna as the "eldest" of the 8,000-meter peaks, as it was the first to be summited by humans. On June 3, 1950, French climbers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal led an expedition that reached the summit—three years before the first successful Everest ascent.
Annapurna Rural Municipality Chair Bharat Kumar Pun said the weeklong platinum jubilee celebration will run from June 16 to 22. "For the first time, we are organizing the celebration in the very region where the historic ascent took place," he said. "Herzog's expedition helped internationalize Nepal's mountaineering potential, which is why we are honoring it through this event."
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Previously, Annapurna Ascent Day was celebrated with programs in Kathmandu and Pokhara. This year, however, several special events are planned in the Annapurna region itself. According to Chairperson Pun, participants will trek from Narchyang to Annapurna Base Camp from May 30 to June 2.
On June 2, the family of first summiteer Maurice Herzog will hand over his original climbing equipment to the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara, operated by the Nepal Mountaineering Association. The event will also include the launch of Herzog's book The Annapurna, translated by the French Embassy.
On June 2 and 3, all eight wards of Annapurna Rural Municipality will participate in a cultural showcase featuring traditional Magar dances, processions, and an open dance competition. On June 20, organizers will host a marathon from the base camp to Narchyang. The day will also feature the unveiling of climbers' statues at the base camp, the inauguration of a new museum and the Maurice Herzog Trail, and a main ceremony with honors and prize distribution.
The festival will conclude on June 4 at the popular tourist destinations Ghorepani and Poon Hill.
Annapurna Rural Municipality is leading the platinum jubilee celebration in collaboration with the Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Mountaineering Association, and the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP). The Annapurna Rural Municipality Tourism Development Committee is serving as co-organizer.
To manage the festival, the municipality has assigned responsibilities to the Narchyang Ward Office, the Creative Mothers' Group, and local youth clubs such as Annapurna and Janajagaran. Under Chairperson Pun’s leadership, the main organizing committee has formed several subcommittees and begun preparations.
In 2011 (2068 BS), Tej Gurung of Narchyang led efforts to confirm that Mount Annapurna and its base camp lie within Myagdi district. The rural municipality subsequently named the trail to the base camp the “Maurice Herzog Trail.”
To promote the trail, the rural municipality organized the Annapurna Tourism Festival in 2020 (2077 BS) at Narchyang, the trail’s entry point. Two local governments in Kaski and Myagdi have been named after Mount Annapurna. The Annapurna Circuit, which encircles the mountain, remains one of the world's most iconic trekking routes.
