MANANG, OCTOBER 15

Tilicho Lake that lies at an altitude of 4,919 metres in Manang district has now access to internet connectivity.

The newly launched service is for the convenience of tourists visiting the lake in the mountainous district of Manang, it has been said. It is expected to be highly effective for communications in case of altitude sickness and other emergency, according to Cholpa Gurung, ward chair of Manang Dinsang Rural Municipality-9.

'The availability of the facility is expected to reduce the incidents of visiting people going missing or falling ill. Visiting people can contact their families and relatives,' he said.

'The service has come into operation to facilitate the visiting tourists in coordination with tourism and hotel entrepreneurs,' said a hotel entrepreneur Karma Dendu Gurung. 'Internet connectivity has been set up to serve the need of tourists,' he said.

With the inflow of tourists during the tourist season, the service has been a boon for them, according to tourism entrepreneurs.

Tourist arrival is increasing in Manang. Tourists - both domestic and foreign - visit the tourist spot to view the sceneries of the mountains, hill, culture and lifestyle of the local people. Mountaineers and trekkers wanting to climb mountains or trekking many routes go through the district.

'Over 200 foreign tourists visit the district on a daily basis,' said Bhupendra Gurung, Chief of the tourist check and information centre of the Area Office, Dharapani and the Annapurna Conservation Area Project. The pressure of tourists may increase during Dashain and Tihar. The Annapurna Circuit is connected with five districts, including Lamjung, Manang, Kaski, Mustang and Myagdi.

'Over 14,200 tourists have trekked the route over the period of eight months. Most of the trekkers were from Israel, France and Germany,' said Gurung. However, according to the centre, it does not have exact data of domestic tourists hiking the route.

The increasing inflow of tourists, both domestic and foreign of late, has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs.

In view of the health of visiting tourists, a temporary health post has been set up in the area in coordination with the rural municipality and the Area Office, ACAP. The ACAP provides information to the tourists visiting Tilicho Lake and Thorangla Bhanjyang about the possible health hazard and risks that may take place in the course of a journey.

A version of this article appears in the print on October 16, 2023, of The Himalayan Times