Mountain Tourism in Nepal

There are many things to do in Nepal. There are many places to visit in Nepal. and There are many tourist attraction points in Nepal. Because Nepal is one of the most beautiful country in the world. Mountain tourism in Nepal is one of the best tourism sector.

Tourism is an ancient phenomenon and an inherent nomadic urge in man. From the very earliest historical period, travel has remained a fascination to man. In ancient time pilgrims, traders, explorers, adventurer and some scholars had undertaken journey in order to fulfill their respective requirements and needs.

The progress of tourism development is related with human evolution. To search for basic needs of life; food, cloth and shelter, human beings used to move from one place to another place. Travelling in those times was difficult because of severe constraint of well equipped transport, lack of safety and comforts.

Gradually, when permanent settlement started, different religions and trade emerged which motivated people to travel different places.

Tourism in the pure sense is essentially a pleasure activity and involves a discretionary use of freely disposable incomes and free time.

The hilly region is located in between the Mountain and the Terai. It lies between the altitudes of 610 metres to 4,877 metres above the sea level. The region comprises a number of valleys and river basins. It covers the largest share i.e. 42 percent of the land area of the country. The Terai region lies on the southern part of the country

Nepal is a dominantly mountainous country. About two third of its total area is covered with mountains and hills which embodies the tounsm-agnatic diversity of nature and culture. Within its territory different world famous 14 highest mountains like Mt.

Everest (8,848 m), Kanchenjunga (8,586 m), Lhotse (8,516 m), Makalu (8,463 m), Cho Oyu (8,201m), Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), Manaslu (8.163 m) and Annapurna -I (8,091 m) are located.

The third pole, Mt. Everest (Sagarmatha), the highest mountain in the world along with other high Himalayan peaks have been inviting many adventurous tourists to Nepal. The snow-capped Himalayas are the major characteristics of Nepalese geography.

Mountain tourism is one of the considerable sectors of Nepalese tourism. Mountaineering and trekking are well thought-out as major parts of Nepalese mountain tourism. It is the mountaineering and trekking that increases the length of tourists stay, which ultimately supports rural economy and has pivotal impact upon the entire tourism industry of the country.

In fact, tourism started with mountaineering in Nepal. The first recorded successful ascent on one of the 14 over eight thousand metres high mountains of the world was made on Mount Annapurna-I (8,091 m.) by French team namely Mr. Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal on 3 June 1950. After the successful ascent of Mt. Annapurna, many mountaineers have visited Nepal as a country of attraction. Similarly, after the three year conquest of Mt.

Annapurna I (8,091m.), another successful ascent on Mt. Everest (8,848 m) by Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary was made on 29 May 1953. Since then, Nepal has become a country of attraction from mountaineering poinl of view throughout the world.

It is only after 1950 that Nepal became a place, an attraction to the tourists. In the same year, Annapurna-I (8091 m.) was climbed by French nationals. If we survey the first expedition record on various high mountains, all the peaks except Dhaulagiri, were climbed in the fifties.

These successful expeditions brought large publicity to Nepal and it was this very decade which popularized Nepal in rest of the world and established Nepal as one of the best ‘Adventure Tourism Destinations’ which still holds true and will continue to be in the future as well.

During 1950s all the mountains with 8,000 m. have been joined with caravan route up to the base camps. The same caravan routes are still in use in the name of trekking route now. The expedition teams were followed by support teams of friends and relatives to help them for successful mountain climbing.

During the early sixties, a team of foreigners came for the first time to trek in the remote villages of Gurkha Soldiers. To organize this type of visit for the British Army’s personnel and other interested foreigners, Colonel Jan Robert pioneered the first trekking company by establishing a trekking company named ‘Mountain Travel’ on 15 June 1965. At present, there are over 480 trekking companies, out of which 444 are the associate members of Nepal Mountaineering Association.

With the establishment of more trekking companies, they have explored new routes ol interest-areas and suitable destinations for trekkers. This trend of exploration drives many companies to know many unexplored destinations and undefined areas.

From the point of view of tourism, the Himalayas of Nepal are indeed the great sources of fascination as well as great challenges for all the tourists attracted to Nepal. The mighty Himalayas with their grandeur and majestic attraction have always remained unique and distinct through ages.

The Himalayan range is the highest mountain range in the world. It stretches as far as Myanmar in the east to almost the border of Afghanistan in the west, covering approximately 2400 km. length. Almost one third, i.e. 800 km., the largest and highest central part of the Himalayas lies in Nepal.

There are some divisions of the Himalayas. Among them, Nepal’s Himalayan range has its own outstanding charm and beauty. It is, therefore, the Nepal Himalayas that has remained the centre of attraction to the people throughout the world for ages. It is equally a suitable and charming place for a saint or a philosopher or a researcher or for an adventurer or a conqueror.

Now, mountain tourism has become major sector of development to enhance tourism industry as a whole. It has been growing rapidly with a sound impact upon various aspects of national economy for the last five decades. In modern times, the number of mountaineers and trekkers is increasing rapidly. Hence, the contribution made by the mountain tourism to earn foreign currency, balance of payments as well as to expand employment, generate income opportunities, boost up self-dependence and empowerment is appreciative.

Though, the country has formally opened its mountains for foreign mountaineers since 1949, mountaineering in Nepal have become popular and wider in a short time. Moreover, it has been able to occupy a distinct position in our national economy with its tremendous growth within a very short span of time.

Since, the first recorded successful ascent made on Mt. Annapuma-I (8,091 m.) by French duo, namely Mr. Mourice Herzog and Louis Lachenal on 3 June 1950, many mountaineers have been attracted to visit in Nepal. Similarly, after the three year conquest of Mt. Annapurna-1, the first successful ascent on Mt. Everest (8,848 m.) by two historical heroes Sir Edmund Hillary and Mr. Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, has glorified the lives of mountaineers on towards Nepal-Himalayas for mountaineers with grand achievement.

Today, Nepal Himalayas have become irresistible, since mountaineers from different countries have been making various attempts in reach the top of various mountain peaks with a great thirst to establish their national flags with their glorious names.

source: mountain tourism in Nepal by Rak Raj Gurung. Visit our facebook page.