Mustang Restores and Upgrades Tourist Trails

Mustang. Repair and upgrading of tourist trails in Mustang have begun. With the aim of promoting tourism, the National Trust for Nature Conservation, Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Jomsom, and Lomanthang Rural Municipality have focused on repairing and upgrading dilapidated trails.

Due to the construction of infrastructure such as the Kaligandaki Corridor (Benighat–Jomsom–Koral) road and branch roads, some tourist trails here have been erased. With the objective of conserving, developing, and promoting such trails and extending the stay of tourists coming here, ACAP Jomsom and Lomanthang have recently been repairing and upgrading trails in all five local levels.

The ACAP Jomsom office, with its work area from Thasang Rural Municipality–4 Pairothapla to Waragung Muktikshetra–3 Chusang, has allocated 3.26 million rupees for the repair and upgrading of 11 tourist trails for the current fiscal year. Rajesh Gupta, office chief of ACAP Jomsom, informed that out of the 11 tourist trails to be repaired in the ACAP Jomsom work area, three have been completed and other tourist trails are in the process of repair and upgrading. According to him, work is underway to widen trails in Thasang, Gharapjhong, and Waragung Muktikshetra, clean them, lay stone slabs on risky trails, and install gabion walls and railings to support the trails.

ACAP Jomsom is currently repairing and upgrading the trails connecting Chokhopani to Sauru, the trail around Bhutarcho lake, the trail leading into Chimaang village, the Thangmedanda trail from Sauru to Sirkhum, and the trail from Titi to Lupsang Kharka in the current fiscal year. Office chief Gupta stated that a new alternative trail from Thasang's Chhoyo to Titital and the trail from Jhipra Deurali to Pyaachu are being upgraded.

Similarly, within Gharapjhong Rural Municipality, the trail leading into Samle village and the tourist trail from Namkhulek to Tilicho Lake have been repaired and upgraded. Within Waragung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality, the tourist trail from Thorongphedi to Chhenggur for foreign tourists arriving from Manang and the old tourist trail from Muktinath Ranipauwa Purang to Jharikot village are being repaired and upgraded.

Last year, ACAP Jomsom had allocated a budget of 2.79 million rupees for the repair and upgrading of tourist trails here. According to that budget, six tourist trails, including the construction of a new tourist trail from Kalopani to Dhulodada in Thasang Rural Municipality, were repaired and upgraded.

ACAP Lomanthang is also focusing on the repair, improvement, and upgrading of tourist trails here. Office chief Umesh Poudel informed that 1.4 million rupees have been allocated for this in the current fiscal year. According to Chief Poudel, ACAP Lomanthang is currently repairing and upgrading the trails from Chusang to Tetang, Tangya to Pa, Chhoser to Konjeling, and Marang to Lomanthang this year. He added that over the last three fiscal years, 20 km of trails have been repaired and upgraded in Upper Mustang.