MYAGDI: Annapurna Base Camp and the Maurice Herzog Trek in Narchyang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4 of Myagdi district, have witnessed a surge in tourist arrivals during the Dashain and Tihar holidays, with favourable weather attracting visitors from Nepal and abroad.
The 8,091-metre Annapurna I, Panchkunda Lake and the Maurice Herzog Trek have become increasingly popular among holidaymakers seeking adventure and natural beauty.
According to Tej Gurung, a promoter of the Maurice Herzog Trek, around 200 domestic and international tourists have been visiting the base camp daily since Dashain.
“Young people and working professionals have chosen Annapurna Base Camp as a holiday destination. The trekking route and surrounding areas remained safe despite the monsoon-related disasters in Asoj, and restaurants and camps along the trail are currently crowded,” Gurung said.
Situated at an altitude of around 4,050 metres above sea level, the base camp has emerged as an attractive new destination for adventure tourism. Tourism entrepreneurs in Beni, Bhurung-Tatopani and Narchyang have expressed optimism over the growing number of visitors.
Manita Rayamajhi, a professor at Myagdi Multiple Campus who recently returned to Beni after visiting the base camp with her family, said the trek offered an enjoyable combination of adventure, natural beauty and accessibility.
She said the journey could be completed within two to three days, making it an appealing option for visitors with limited holidays.
To accommodate the growing number of trekkers, temporary facilities have been established at several locations along the route from Humkhola to the base camp. Tea shops, snack outlets and accommodation facilities have also been brought into operation.
Shelters have been constructed in Sandhikharka, Bhusket Mela and Panchkunda Lake, while tourism infrastructure, including drinking water facilities and toilets, has been developed at Humkhola, Phutphute Waterfall, Gufaphat, Bhusket and Panchkunda.
The trekking trail and suspension bridges have also undergone maintenance with financial support from the federal, provincial and rural municipal governments.
The base camp features statues of the first climbers of Annapurna I, Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal, as well as Nepali support staff member Sonam Wangchuk Sherpa. An open-air museum has also been established to highlight the area’s mountaineering history.
Last week, a tourist information centre was set up at the entrance to the trekking route, using a bamboo boat-inspired structure. According to Lok Bahadur Fagami, chairperson of Ward No. 4 of Annapurna Rural Municipality, the trekking route was named the Maurice Herzog Trek in honour of the French mountaineer who led the first successful expedition to Annapurna I in 1950.
The trek provides access to the base area of Annapurna I, the first 8,000-metre peak to be successfully climbed. Visitors can travel approximately 20 kilometres by vehicle from Narchyang through Dobhan and Chhotepa to Humkhola, followed by a roughly 21-kilometre trek to reach the base camp. The walking section generally takes around two days.
Along the route, Phutphute Waterfall, the scenic Panchkunda Lake and spectacular mountain landscapes add to the attraction of the journey.
With improving tourism facilities, accessible trekking routes and growing visitor interest, the Maurice Herzog Trek is gradually establishing itself as an emerging destination for adventure and nature-based tourism in Myagdi.
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