Maoist tourism

The Maoists were at one point a tourist attraction in Nepal. In this report from November 2004, foreigners narrate their close encounters with friendly mountain guerrillas who charged them a 'revolutionary tax'.

Excerpts of the report published 20 years ago this week in issue #220, 5-11 November 2004:

It was bound to happen sooner or later: Maoists have become Nepal's latest tourist attraction. Trekking lodges along the Annapurna Base Camp trail are abuzz with hikers exchanging experiences on their encounters with the rebels and passing around precious souvenirs: Maoist tax receipts emblazoned with portraits of Lenin, Stalin and Mao.

Compared to last year, when many tourists were apprehensive about meeting Maoists and felt uncomfortable about paying a 'revolutionary tax' to a group espousing violence, this season's trekkers seem to have taken the rebels in stride.

"They behaved like friends," said Joni Lundstrom from Sweden, "they gave us a receipt for Rs 1,000 and told us they would provide us with security."

There is an apparent paradox here: anywhere else in the world news of violence dissuades tourists but in Nepal it seems to be turning out to be something of a draw. Part of the reason is that the young Maoists that trekkers have met on the Annapurna Base Camp trail are non-threatening, friendly and helpful. The result is that the Annapurna trail has seen a spurt in trekking compared to the last season when publicity about firefights near Ghandruk forced many to go to Khumbu instead.

Although the war tax is mandatory, it doesn't seem to bother individual trekkers much, they see it as just another fee that tourists have to pay the authorities every step of the way in Nepal.

For archived material of Nepali Times of the past 20 years, site search: nepalitimes.com