MYAGDI: The scenic Maurice Herzog Trail leading to the North Annapurna Base Camp in Annapurna Rural Municipality–4, Narchyang, has been facing a major communication gap despite rising tourist numbers this trekking season.
Though hotels and trail management have improved significantly in recent years, the absence of mobile network and electricity along the upper section of the route has become a growing inconvenience for trekkers and locals alike.
According to local tourism entrepreneur and trail campaigner Tej Gurung, between 150 to 300 tourists are visiting the base camp area daily since the start of October. However, due to the lack of connectivity, visitors have to reach hotels and lodges without prior contact or booking, often causing problems with accommodation.
“Mobile service and electricity reach only up to Humkhola. Beyond that, there’s neither signal nor power supply,” said Gurung. “A faint Nepal Telecom signal is available at Guransedanda in Sandhikharka, but once tourists head toward the base camp, they are out of contact for about two days. For both safety and convenience, communication access has become essential.”
The construction of the Maurice Herzog Trail, named after the French mountaineer who first summited Annapurna I in 1950, began in 2011 under local initiative. A motorable road now connects Pokharebagar, the rural municipality center, to Humkhola, about 20 kilometers away. From there, a 16-kilometer trekking trail leads toward the base camp, dotted with several lodges and tented camps.
With its picturesque Panchakunda Lake, waterfalls, streams, and alpine scenery, the route has become increasingly popular among domestic tourists. Yet, hotel operators say managing food and lodging has become difficult when tourist flow exceeds capacity, especially without advance communication.
Mohan Atal, a visitor from Biratnagar, said that while the trail’s natural beauty was unmatched, the lack of basic facilities was a concern.
“We couldn’t contact lodges ahead of time due to poor signal,” he said. “The government should extend mobile and internet connectivity for both tourists and businesses operating here.”
Hotels have been set up in areas such as Humkhola, Phutphute waterfall, Sandhikharka, Gufaphant, Bhusketmela, and the Panchakunda Lake zone, offering tented stays and basic amenities. But with no electricity grid, operators rely on expensive generators for lighting and cooking gas. The absence of reliable communication, they say, has also complicated rescue operations during illnesses or snowstorms.
“When sudden snowfall or avalanches occur, there’s no way for tourists to request help,” said tourism entrepreneur Indra Singh Sherchan, who has long been involved in Himalayan rescue efforts. “Search operations become difficult without any signal. At least satellite or walkie-talkie systems should be installed in the lodges.”
Though mountaineering teams use satellite phones, most trekkers have no such access. Sherchan and other local operators have urged authorities to ensure at least partial network coverage to support emergency response and improve visitor safety.
Annapurna I, the first mountain above 8,000 meters ever climbed, on June 3, 1950, by a team led by Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, remains a site of immense historical and mountaineering value. As tourism rebounds and new infrastructure takes shape, locals say expanding electricity and communication services along the trail is now crucial to sustain the area’s growing popularity.
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