Mycotourism, an off-season prospect for growth

KATHMANDU, August 11: Under the concept of off-season tourism, wild mushroom tourism was started for the first time in Nepal's tourism history during the monsoon season last year. This year, the second trek on mycotourism held in the Annapurna region saw a group of seven American tourists and Nepalese mushroom experts.Participating tourism professionals have said that mushroom tourism has opened the doors of new possibilities in Nepal's tourism sector.
Last year, a similar trek to the Everest Base Camp via Kathmandu to Salleri citing prospects of wild mushroom tourism.
Wild mushrooms have been observed purely for tourism purposes without disturbing the mushroom ecosystem and not for the purpose of any scientific research.
Although there is a history of about 200 years of mushroom research in Nepal, the participating tourists said that the region is a virgin land for mushroom tourism.
Expert Shiv Devkota a participant of the trek informed that more than 120 mushrooms were recorded while observing wild mushrooms along the trek adding that further research is yet to be done. He shared that wild mushrooms can be found in Lamjung, Manang, Mustang, and Thorangla in the Annapurna region.
During the observation tour, public awareness was also given to the locals about poisonous mushrooms.