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Tamang Heritage Trail reopens after quake
The Tamang Heritage Trail in Langtang has reopened after remaining closed for three months due to the April 25 earthquake.Local tourism entrepreneurs said the heritage trail was largely unaffected by the quake although Rasuwa district was one of the most-hit areas.
Ramesh Kumar Adhikari, chief administrator at Nepal Tourism Board, said tourists would not face difficulties on the trekking route. “It was a rumour that the trail was not safe,” he said, adding the Langtang area had not sustained damage as reported.
He said three foreigners have obtained the Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) to visit the Langtang area. “The area is ready to welcome the visitors,” he said.
Tourism entrepreneurs said the government should waive off the national park entry fee and trekking permit charges to attract more visitors. “If the government considers waiving off the taxes for the upcoming season, tourism will recover in the area,” said tourism entrepreneur Tshering Lama.
He said although the Tamang Heritage Trail remained intact, 90 percent of the houses in the Langtang area were destroyed in the earthquake. “As a result, it has become difficult to convince the visitors,” he said. “However, houses made up of wood are safe.”
The entrepreneurs said the existing infrastructure in the area was ready to host 200 tourists daily. Langtang is one of the nearest trekking destinations from Kathmandu, and features an unparalleled combination of natural beauty and cultural riches.
The Tamang Heritage Trail, in previously restricted area near the Tibetan border, was opened recently. The people are mostly of Mongoloid stock whose culture goes back to hundreds of years. The craftsmanship, dress, traditionally built stone-mud houses and the beautifully carved wooden porches reflect the solitude and the serenity of the Himalayan scenery.
The trekking trail passes through traditional Tamang and Tibetan villages and goes until the Tibetan border—Rasuwagadhi—passing though a natural hot spring in Tatopani.
Home stay facility is also possible along the route. From Syabrubensi, one can also follow the trail leading to popular trekking routes to Langtang and Gosaikunda.
Dhulikhel-Nagarkot hiking
Nagarkot Naldum Tourism Development Committee is organising an 18km hiking programme from Dhulikhel to Nagarkot on August 1 to inform domestic and international visitors that Nagarkot is safe and is back in business. The organisers said more than 400 national and international tourists are participating in the event. Nagarkot, some 24km east of Kathmandu, is located at an altitude of 2,100m from sea level. The place is popular for sunrise view, picnic spot and hiking route. After the April 25 earthquake, the number of visitors has steadily gone down. Nagarkot has over 100 hotels and restaurants.
“We are organizing the event to show Nagarkot is fully safe and is ready to welcome guests,” said Deepak Lamichhane, chairman of the committee.
He said the seven-hour hiking would disseminate the message to the world that Nepal is all safe. More than 43 hotels are under construction in Nagarkot, and over a dozen of hotels and restaurants are fully opened, said Lamichhane.
The hiking programme will start at 8:00 am from Dhulikhel Bazaar.