Humla is slowly increasing its interest towards tourism. This district doesn’t even have access to roadways because of its remote geographical condition. Some of the villages of Humla including Simikot are benefited from tourism as they are the entrance to Mansarobar in Tibet. With the aim of developing tourism in the district, recently a new tourist destination Nyin Valley has been introduced. This new trekking route covers north-eastern area from Simikot providing various tourist destinations to the tourists. The masterplan of the project has already been prepared with the help of SNV and the promotional activities are being done rapidly. 

 

Department for International Development (DFID) has provided grant for the promotion of this Valley as branch trekking route of The Great Himalaya Trail (GHT). GHT has been identifying and promoting such trekking routes with the coordination of Ministry for Tourism, District Development Committee and Tourism Development Committee of related districts. The programmes conducted by GHT in various 16 districts have been promoting local tourism. Along with main trekking route, it also has been promoting new trekking routes. 

 

Bhavana Adhikari, Communications and Outreach Advisor at GHT said that they have been conducting five day tour package including remote VDCs of the district to promote the district as a whole. GHT has promoted the route from Simikot to Buraunse, Torpa, Nimatang, Ralingumba, Bargaun, Thehe and Khurpanath. As a part of promotion, first home stay in the district also has been started at Buraunse. Micro-entrepreneurship also is provided at all the places from where the trekking route passes. 

 

Jung Bahadur Lama, Marketing and Sales Director of Firante Treks and Expedition said that a proper tourism package is introduced for more effective results. But the area and districts for home stay has to be increased to conduct tourism package in the district. He said that the tasks of promotion of home stay as well as package formation from local tour agents have already been started. 

 

The Great Himalaya Trail has expanded from eastern region to far-western region covering 16 mountain districts. The starting of this trekking route was from Dolpa and Humla. For the promotion of the trekking trial of Humla, GHT has developed Nyin Valley trekking trail from Bar Gaun VDC to Raling Gumba. A five-day package has been prepared for the promotion of this place and an eight-day package is developed for the tourists going from Kathmandu to the village. 

 

At the same time, the introduction of Great Himalaya Trail has provided tourists with new experience of trekking and also endowed the people of Gorkha district with employment opportunities that have enhanced their living standard. 

 

It’s been long since the people of southern part of Gorkha district started moving to foreign countries seeking employment opportunities. Dil Bahadur Gurung, Principal of Dewalswara Primary School, Ghyachhok said, “There are around 400 houses in Ghyachhok and the food produced here is sufficient only for 200 houses. The scarcity of food has led the people to the foreign countries.” Rice doesn’t grow in the area, and the local farmers focus only on traditional methods of farming. Prem Bahadur Gurung, one of the locals said that at least two to three members of a family have gone to foreign countries for employment. 

According to 2011 census, more than 10 per cent, that is 28,104 people, of the population of this district, was out of the district and majority of them had gone for foreign employment. But the trend is reversing though slowly and the credit goes to the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) that passes through this village. Dil Bahadur of Uhia VDC had gone to Qatar in search of employment, but now he has returned beck. His wife was running an inn in Khorla Besi some months ago, but now she has opened an inn at her own house. She said, “I used to earn around Rs 20,000 – 25, 000 in Khorla Besi during tourist arriving seasons, but now the arrival of tourist is increasing in our own village and it is easier for me to work here.” The locals of the VDC also have started vegetable farming. The tourists mainly arrive in two seasons yearly. October to December and March to May are considered as tourist arrival seasons here. 

 

Dil Bahadur took cook training from SNV Nepal under the Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme after returning to Nepal. Now the couple is running the inn business and is self employed. Their inn is at seven hours walking distance from Laprak and since there are no other hotels on the way; they are doing a very good business. They are also planning to convert the inn into a Home Stay format. Along with Dil Bahadur, 90 other people of this district have received training from Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme and are in the process of being self employed. 

 

Great Himalaya Trail Project has developed trekking trail from Siran Danda of Gorkha to Lamjung which has provided self employment opportunities to numerous people. According to the locals, the tourists trekking along this trail not only get to know about the culture and lifestyle of Himalayan region but also get to taste the local cuisines. The home stay system also arranges cultural programmes and ethnic dance for the entertainment of the tourists. 

 

The people of Gorkha district have direct income options after the introduction of the trail. As the number of tourists is increasing, 21 households have already started Home Stay services and three households are planning for the same. Manush Ghale, President of Local Home Stay Management Committee said that 900 foreign and domestic tourists have stayed on the village under the Home Stay system till now. She said that around 60 tourists had stayed in the first year, and gradually the number of tourists increased. Ghale stressed on further promotion of the trail as the people are earning money through home stay business, but they still are not able to sustain their livelihood solely from this business. 

 

Foreigners are charged Rs 1000 and domestic tourists have to pay Rs 700 for accommodation and food for a day. The increasing number of tourists in the area has also increased the prospect of income and the people have started opened numerous inns as Laprak VDC is renowned as a village of guides. Five locals of the VDC have been running trekking agencies in Kathmandu and around 50 per cent of the youths have taken tourist guide profession in the village. Still this profession has not been growing commercially. 

 

Recently, Great Himalaya Trail has also started providing guide training. Raj Gurung, a Laprak local said that this training will help them to be a professional guide and the income source will also increase accordingly. Other local youth are also attracted towards this training. 

 

Great Himalaya Trail Development Programme has provided skill development trainings to 62 locals, leadership development training to 91, trekking guide training to 25 and other capacity building training to 98 people till now. An information centre has also been established in Gorkha which helps tourists to get information about the tourist destination. The Programme also has been constructing bridges, foot trails, and drinking water projects in different place of the district. Also, it has been influencing the locals for proper utilization and promotion of the environment.