Mt. Dhaulagiri trekking route to be developed as a new destination

KATHMANDU, Feb 15: The Dhaulagiri circuit trek route in Myagdi is going to be developed as a new destination. The seventh highest mountain in the world is located in Dhaulagiri rural municipality-4.

Gandaki Province Industry, Tourism, Forest and Environment Minister Resham Jugjali, Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality President Prem Prasad Pun, Vice President Resham Pun Magar and officials of Trekking Agencies Association Nepal (TAAN) discussed the issue of making Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek route  a new destination in Pokhara.

Chairman of TAAN Gandaki Province Dharma Panthi said that discussions have been held to make the Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek route a new destination. After realizing the need to develop Dhaulagiri as an alternative new destination after the old Annapurna Circuit Trek of Gandaki was shortened, we have discussed with the municipality and the state government, he said.

Tourism Minister Jugjali said that according to the wishes and needs of tourists, they should work together with the municipality and the federal government to bring tourists to new destinations such as Dhaulagiri, Dhorpatan hunting base, Annapurna base camp.

He said that the provincial government will adopt a policy of finding, developing and promoting new destinations instead of the old trekking routes that have been cut off by roads. Pune, Chairman of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, said that since the limited resources of the municipality are not enough, the support of the state and federal government is needed to build infrastructure in Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek .

The number of tourists who come to visit Dhaulagiri Circuit Trek route and climb Dhaulagiri mountain through Darwang, Mudi, Bagar, Dobhan in Myagdi and pass through Dhaulagiri base camp to Mustang.

As the climbers reach the base camp directly by helicopter and return, the villagers on the trekking route  have not been able to benefit. Vice President Resham Punmagar said that the rural municipality is going to prepare a DPR in the first phase for the expansion of trekking routes, bridges, housing, drinking water and communication facilities.

Tourism entrepreneur have suggested that the work of putting up signboards and information boards should be done immediately. Vice President Pun said that the issue of expanding the communication facilities of the latest technology was also discussed.

They have run tea shops in Bagar, Nowra and Sallaghari, Dobhan and Italy base camps. Until the hotels are operational for accommodation facilities, camping trekking is required on this trekking route. Around 200 tourists reach Dhaulagiri base camp every year for mountain climbing and trekking.

The main attraction of Dhaulagiri circuit trek route is the sight of tall waterfalls, secluded forest environment, nearby mangroves, natural hot water pools, honey hunting , musk deer, danfe, taal talaiya, glaciers along with picturesque snow ranges.

In the last five years, the state and federal tourism ministries have invested more than two crores to widen roads and trekking routes in dangerous areas of jungle. The rural municipality has also spent more than one crore rupees on the infrastructure of this trekking route.

According to the rural municipality, the need has been identified through on-site study to construct suspension bridges and small sewers at 12 different locations.

A building has been constructed for the operation of a check post at the Italian base camp to keep tourist data, provide information and first aid services. Mobile service has been extended to Bagar by placing a BTS tower in Deurali.