Myagdi Residents Build Trail Through Remote Wilderness to Boost Tourism

Myagdi. Residents of Dowa in Annapurna Rural Municipality-1 have set a remarkable example of courage and determination. To construct a trail in a geographically challenging and remote area far from their village, they spent approximately 45 days living in the forest to complete the project.

In a partnership between Annapurna Rural Municipality and the Manibarah Youth Club, a 4.406-kilometer trail has been constructed from Dowa through Patalkharka and Deuralidanda to the Haltude region. According to the Consumer Committee Chairman, Bikash Pun, 23 locals built temporary shelters with tarpaulins at the construction site and stayed there for 45 days because the commute from their homes was too time-consuming.

For this project, the Annapurna Rural Municipality allocated a budget of 1 million rupees for the current fiscal year. The Manibarah Youth Club added 425,765 rupees collected from the Dashain fair, while locals contributed labor worth 124,000 rupees. "We engaged in this infrastructure project with the goal of attracting tourists to Dowa, extending their stay, and creating local employment opportunities," said Chairman Pun.

During an inspection of the trail, Rural Municipality Vice-Chairperson Diwa Tilija Pun praised the club for setting a model example by supplementing government funds in such a remote area. According to Ward Chairperson Dilip Garbuja, an old path historically used for seasonal livestock migration has been developed into this new trail.

The trail aims to connect the popular Dhaulagiri Icefall trekking route with Dowa village. Offering views of rhododendron forests, mountainous terrain, and snow-capped peaks, the route is expected to add a new dimension to tourism in Myagdi and Mustang. Local representatives have proposed a broader plan to connect Dowa to Mustang via the Icefall route.