KATHMANDU, Jan 31: Country’s first ice climbing festival is going to take place in Manang district, beginning February 2. 

Nepal Climbing Team has announced that the Ice Climbing Festival Manang 2019, a nine-day event, is being held at Humde of Manang. 

The event aims to establish Nepal as one of the major ice climbing hubs for the world. 

Ice climbing is a kind of adventure sport where participants climb inclined ice formations. Usually, ice climbing refers to a protected climbing of frozen waterfalls or rock slabs covered with ice, frozen from water flow. 

It could be established as winter season attraction for tourist in Nepal, according to the organizers. 

“Keeping in mind the motto of Visit Nepal Year 2020, we have come forth with this ice climbing project. Nepal is famous for mountaineering, trekking, world heritage sites, and biodiversity. The country’s natural resources allows for other adventure sports as well,” said Vinayak Malla, CEO of the Nepal Climbing Team. 

“The major objective of the event is to establish Nepal for adventure sports that could attract more tourists soon after the tourist season ends,” Malla added. 

He further said that the event aimed to promote awareness regarding the importance of ice climbing for tourism development of the country. 

According to Malla, December to February is a suitable time for ice climbing in Nepal. However, changes in climate affects the season for this sport. 

“After announcing the event, we have received large number of applications. However, since this event is the first of its own kind, we have selected only 20 participants,” he said, adding: “In the coming days, we will be adding number of participants.” 

It costs Rs 20,000 for Nepali participants and Rs 45,500 for foreign nationals to participate in the event. 

With a slogan of ‘Warmer the Climate, Lesser the Ice; Save Nature for Future Generation’, the event will take place with a number of offers: movie night, ice climbing courses, traditional archery, documentation of festival, skiing, slack-lining and other recreational activities. 

Besides, the event aims to spread awareness on climate change, make people in the tourism industry aware about the advantage of ice climbing. 

“Till date ice climbing has remained as hidden sports in Nepal. With this event, we want to dig it up and present it to the people,” said Malla.

 
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