KATHMANDU: A draft of the safety and hygiene guideline prepared by Nepal Tourism Board has recommended avoiding socialising, story-telling, dancing or forming crowds or campfires or showing any tendency that is likely to breach social distancing norms during treks.

Chances of infection will still be very high once the lockdown is over so it would be better to use precaution, states the guideline.

The guideline further mentions that trekking equipment must be sanitised and each trekker must maintain minimum distance of one metre while camping or in the accommodation area.

Likewise, the beds for each trekker must be set up at a distance of two metres from each other and one camp must be set up at a distance of 30 metres from another camp. Trekking guides must report at the local government every day during a trek.

In the Annapurna area, officials from Annapurna Conservation Area Project must maintain a logbook. Emergency help desk must be set up on trekking trails that must operate round-the-clock.

A version of this article appears in e-paper on May 9, 2020, of The Himalayan Times.