MANASLU MADE MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR TREKKERS AGAIN
Gorkha : The Manaslu Conservation Area has
long been popular amongst adventurous trekkers and trail runners in
the know. More remote than many of Nepal’s more established trekking areas,
this secluded wilderness offers insights into authentic Hindu and Tibetan-style
Buddhist villages and spectacular views of the two-horned Mt Manaslu (8,156m)
and four 7,000m peaks in the Ganesh massif.But the trails here serve a far more
important function than simply the enjoyment of tourists.
(A 195 meter steel cantilever pathway hugs the mountain face at a critical crossing of the Budhi Gandaki river. Photo credit: ITECO.)
They are the
lifeblood of Nepal’s mountain communities, connecting people with health posts
and government offices, providing access to essential commodities and enabling
children safer passage to schools.Upgrading these trails, for instance building
bridges across rivers and ravines, can shave hours off daily journeys, change
the price of local commodities like rice and lentils and also make it easier
for tourists to explore rural areas. Similarly, destroyed trails can have
a disastrous impact on peoples’ livelihoods.This was the case in Manaslu where
landslides triggered by the 2015 earthquake blocked the Budhi Gandaki river.
(The new pathway will be two hours faster and much safer than the alternative routes used after the earthquake. Photo credit: ITECO )
As a result the
river changed course eastwards and the trails at Jagat Gaun in Sirdibash and
Yaru Bagar in Kerauja were swept away. Villagers were forced to use lengthy and
dangerous diversions and tourism business dried up threatening people’s
livelihoods.UKaid has now funded construction of a 195 meter long steel
cantilever pathway, (the first of its kind Nepal). The pioneering passage runs
along the side of Yaru Bagar of the Budhi Gandaki river in Kerauja VDC of
Gorkha district. As well as serving around 8,000 local inhabitants the access
route will ensure that visitors can return to the Manaslu Circuit for the start
of this autumn trekking season.( Artical from Great Himalaya Trail)
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