TAAN plans alternate route for Upper Manang

Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) will develop an alternate trekking route for Upper Manang trekkers.

“We are trying to develop a trekking route that will be separate from the route that is being used for general transportation,” said president of the association Mahendra Singh Thapa.

Due to the increasing volume of transportation in the trekking routes, trekking agencies are facing a tough time in assuring trekkers about quality trekking experience in the trekking route to Upper Manang.

According to trekking agencies, the trekking routes and tourist areas of various trekking regions have been overshadowed by fair weather roads staking their existence. Motorable roads constructed to various trekking destinations have adversely affected trekking routes.

“To provide quality trekking experience to trekkers, we are trying to develop a different route that will be used only for trekking purposes,” said Thapa.

The association has formed a team which will soon head towards Manang to identify the best route. According to TAAN, it is planning to develop a new route that will start from Lamjung and initially be linked with Ghale Gaun, and later the route will be connected to the Upper Manang region.

TAAN also hopes that the development of new trekking routes will help in the development of the communities which are still deprived as compared to communities residing along the older trekking routes.

“With the alternate trekking route, trekkers will have an option and the two different routes will also be useful if any one of the route is blocked due to bad weather,” said Thapa. He also informed that due to continuous snowfall in Upper Manang, it is quite difficult for trekkers to move forward.

In 2011, Upper Manang received around 100,000 trekkers and became most sought after trekking destination. “Though the route is covered with thick snow, trekkers are still willing to trek to Upper Manang. There are around 12 trekkers who have already reached Upper Manang,” informed Thapa.

Due to bad weather, most of the trekking routes are currently covered with snow, thus, disturbing normal life. “The trekking season for this year is almost over, therefore we want to start developing the route at earliest so that it can be launched in 2013,” Thapa said.

source: The Himalayan Times,13 Dec 2012