Himalayas Beckon These Unexpected Tourists

With loose gravel and scree under my feet, I focused hard on traversing the jagged pathways of Nepal’s Langtang National Park. Across the valley from the narrow path where I trekked cautiously, the sinking sun glazed over clouds and craggy hills with scant vegetation, giving way to fog and darkness. One bad step would send me rolling down the steep slope of stones and boulders. Yet this route — which offers glimpses of the damage wrought by a major earthquake in 2015 — is the only way to reach Kyanjin Gompa, the highest point on this trail system.

Nepal is a haven for trekkers, though historically the country’s trekking industry has catered to foreign tourists. But in the autumn of 2020, when international borders were closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic but local travel restrictions had eased, I knew it was time to explore my home country. And there I was, doing my first-ever trek in Nepal’s Langtang Valley, as a local tourist.

In the early 2000s, there was scant local travel culture in Nepal. But the introduction of social media sparked the beginnings of a cultural shift. According to Niki Shrestha, a tourism specialist who was part of the Visit Nepal campaign, photographers, YouTubers and TV stations began to highlight local destinations as potentially appealing to nearby residents. Shrestha says a rise in local influencers who shared experiences in their blogs and vlogs, featuring unknown trails and scenery, has encouraged more Nepalis to trek and travel locally.

Jayaram Thapaliya, founder of Base Camp Hike, says that, “When travelers post photos and videos on social media platforms — TikTok, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram — these graphics of previously unseen locations creates a curiosity and stirs a discussion online with friends and families.”

I couldn’t disagree with this statement, as my own experience was shaped this way. I chose the Langtang Valley trek after seeing the picturesque Langtang glaciers on my friend’s Instagram feed. The pandemic, meanwhile, seems to have fueled what was already a nascent trend. Borders were closed to international visitors, but the treasures of Nepal’s extraordinary geography awaited the country’s own people.

Today, Nepal is enjoying a boom in local tourism, and I’m a part of it.

Ashish Shrestha, CEO of HoneyGuide, an online travel company specializing in treks and heli-tours in Nepal’s Everest region, says that locals are seeking relief from their routines. This trend is particularly pronounced among Nepal’s younger generations. “Weekend trips have grown in popularity among young people who seek out adventures,” he explained, noting that such trips are now seen as “cool.” He also said these excursions are a welcome relief for persons with jobs that keep them sedentary all week long.

Shrestha said the younger generations are seeking out itineraries packed not only with adventure but also culture. This reminded me of my visit to the Langtang cheese factory, where I devoured delicious yak cheese — and took back a few kilograms as a souvenir for my friends and family.

What’s especially noteworthy is that even older generations are now becoming interested in local tourism.

“Older people are catching on with hiking, trekking and cycling because of the health benefits,” said Shreshtha, adding that many religious travel sites across the country — such as Gosaikund, in central Nepal, and Pathibhara, in the northeastern region — are appealing to some tourists of a more senior age.

Given the ruggedness of this Himalayan nation’s terrain, many trekking routes are not feasible for those of advanced age or who have health concerns. “Issues like arthritis, asthma and adapting to high altitudes can be a challenge,” said Thapaliya. But some municipalities and local governing bodies have made it a priority to improve the accessibility of trails. The construction of shorter routes with better access to roads and bus service has encouraged more locals to venture out.

A growing fad on these trails are helicopter rides along trekking routes in the national parks. Although Thapaliya notes that only a wealthy few can afford a helicopter trip, Shrestha, whose company specializes in such excursions, noted that older folks in particular opt for helicopter tours.

I chartered a helicopter to fly into Kathmandu Valley after hiking to Langtang National Park in 2020. In about 30 minutes, the chopper flew over a trail that takes more than five days to complete on foot. Shrestha confirmed that, during the pandemic, helicopter prices were drastically reduced, which explains why I was able to afford the trip.

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There are always drawbacks when a natural landscape becomes a popular tourist destination. While the trails on my Langtang trek were very clean, I was disappointed in my most recent trek to Mardi Himal, in the Annapurna Conservation Area. The trail, which is a huge hit among the locals, was scattered with litter, as there are no trash bins en route.

Trekkers had discarded their trash — chocolate wrappers, plastic bottles, tetra packs and beer cans — across these trails lined with blooming rhododendrons.

Sudip Gautam, promoter of the popular Mardi Himal trek, told me that there used to be trash bins, but they created other problems and had to be removed. “When strong winds blow, dustbins are displaced, scattering litter, which wildlife end up eating,” said Gautam. Most trails, however, are managed by local bodies that regularly facilitate awareness campaigns and cleanup drives to educate trekkers to carry out their waste.

“Trash is a serious problem,” said Ashish Shrestha. Citing examples of the Shivapuri Nagarjun National Park and the Chandragiri Hills, two well-known weekend hiking paths in the Kathmandu area, he lamented, “There is so much garbage there. You go to the mountains to appreciate the beauty of nature, so why leave it worse than how you found it?” He offered a solution: “Carry your waste back. It is not heavy.”

Another approach has involved using art for waste awareness. In Langtang National Park, I saw a plastic pavilion constructed by a Nepal-based social development organization as a “pause point” for hikers. Built with 2,447 plastic bottles collected from the park, this pavilion seeks to raise awareness about plastic pollution in the Himalayas.

I got the message. During my Langtang trek, I didn’t carry back my waste but discarded it in the bins at my overnight accommodations. I later learned from Gautam that lodge proprietors bury trash in the ground. I have since successfully achieved one zero-waste trek.

Young trekkers opine that the government could do more than just working with local organizations to reduce litter. Mudita Singhania, an avid hiker who started trekking during the pandemic, pointed out that the fee for entering Nepal’s national parks is currently less than $1 for locals, noting, “With the inflow of Nepalis to these areas only increasing, the government could add a separate tariff to the fee for managing the trails better.”

What destinations are in your travel plans — and how have your plans changed since the pandemic?