GANDAKI: Tourism entrepreneurs have emphasized the importance of preserving the originality of Sikles, a tourist village in Kaski.
During an interaction organized by the Gurung Tourism Entrepreneurs Association of Gandaki Province on Saturday, participants stressed that the unique character of Sikles must be maintained at all costs.
The event was part of a trekking promotion program that aims to boost tourism from Sikles to Pokhara, passing through Kapuche, Kori, Kholasonthar, and Yangjakot.
Kisam Kumari Gurung, Chairperson of the Association, highlighted that the culture of Sikles is its core identity.
She urged the need to balance tourism development with the preservation of this originality.
Bobar Jung Gurung, Founder President of the Association for Gandaki Province and Programme Coordinator, stated that the area is a significant historical site for the Gurung community.
He mentioned ongoing efforts to develop the Gurung Heritage Trekking Route, which will incorporate the villages of Kapuche, Kori, and Kholasonthar, along with Sikles.
Devi Jung Gurung, Ward Chair of Madi Rural Municipality-1, noted that Sikles is the place where the Gurung people first migrated from Kholasonthar, marking it as a key historical site.
Bikash Gurung, Chairperson of the Nepal Mountaineering Association’s Gandaki Province chapter, expressed that the Gurung Heritage Trekking Route would be a valuable alternative, especially as many existing trekking routes in the country are being impacted by increased settlement development.
Sikles is home to several attractions, including a Peace Monument, which symbolizes the starting point of Nepal’s peace process, and the Eco Museum, among others.
The promotion of this trekking route is supported by the Nepal Tourism Board, the Ministry of Industry and Tourism of Gandaki Province, Madi Rural Municipality, and the Gurung Tourism Entrepreneurs Association.
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