Kathmandu, March 31

Nepal’s first accessible trail was inaugurated by Minister for Culture, Tourism  and Civil Aviation Rabindra Adhikari amid a programme in Pokhara today.

The Deurali-Nauudanda trail spanning 1.3 km in length forms an attractive section of a 14-km-long hiking path on the ridge connecting Sarangkot to Nauudanda, and offers a magnificent view of Annapurna, Fisthtail and Manaslu range, as per a media release.

It was built by Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) under the management understanding with the local trail development committee. NTB has built the trail to enhance the prospect of attracting a strong segment of accessible tourists’ population.

Speaking on the occasion, Chief Executive Officer of NTB, Deepak Raj Joshi said that NTB has taken the initiative to build the trail to add innovation in product and to diversify the tourism trails to generate greater interest among visitors and to ensure that no one is left behind in experiencing the magnificence of Nepal’s beauty.

“We have chosen the trail after a systematic auditing from the GHT certified trail auditors under the supervision of NTB. We firmly believe this is in tune with the state’s policy to develop new products and to attract untapped but high-end segment of differently-abled domestic and international visitors,” the release has quoted Joshi as saying.

NTB had funded the project with a sum of Rs 1.9 million.

Tourism Minister Adhikari expressed his vision to take Nepal’s tourism to the next level in a couple of years. “We now have the fundamental prerequisite of a stable government. Under my leadership as the tourism minister, I am fully committed to execute the plans and I am also looking forward to promote and develop new products with the proper support from Nepal Tourism Board. This trail shall be a benchmark of our commitment to tourism and the ministry would look into this to establish it as a model trail in Nepal.”

The trail is well endowed with proper signage and has accessible washroom. The concerned authorities have pledged more support in the coming fiscal year to lay down all the standards and facilities to establish the trail as probably the best and leading trail in Asia.