People are doing three-month treks across Nepal’s mountains along the Great Himalayan Trail, they are even running ultra-marathons from east to west. Now, make way for mountain bikers. It took Welshman Richard Williams 29 days to bike west-to-east across Nepal from Dadeldhura to Phidim -- 1,650 horizontal kilometres, but we are left to calculate how many vertical metres up and down that meant. Williams has chronicled his journey in a book titled simply, The Road, which is not just a description of his journey but also a guidebook for cross-country bicycling aficionados.&nbsp; Each day is chronicled like a diary, capturing the culture and current mood of the country through cuisine and conversations, and it is well illustrated with photographs and useful maps and graphs.&nbsp; Williams lives in Switzerland and started biking in the eastern Himalaya in India because he was spooked by reckless bus drivers on roads with nightmarish drops.&nbsp; He then did the Yak Attack in Nepal in 2013, a multistage mountain bike race in the Annapurnas. After the 2015 earthquake, he came to Nepal frequently to help rebuild schools, and the idea for The Road started to develop.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140624_91e58281194b39e34c236f18c89ad2dc6bebc912890dc0f2d51869060b1e0f34.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20240622140624_91e58281194b39e34c236f18c89ad2dc6bebc912890dc0f2d51869060b1e0f34" data-rendition-name="original" width="2250" height="1501" loading="lazy" alt="Richard Williams"> <figcaption>Richard Williams has chronicled his biking journey in a book titled The Road.</figcaption> </figure>  “Nepal is associated with extreme adventure, but there are plenty of opportunities for mellower activities,” Williams told us in Kathmandu. He hopes this book will open up mountain biking in Nepal to a wider demographic. “Roads are much better now, and drivers are safer.” &nbsp; The Road is ideal to see as much of the country as possible while having a challenging enough ride in not-so-extreme temperatures. Biking across the country along The Great Himalayan Trail, has been done but it is cold, high, and sometimes requires carrying the bikes over high passes.&nbsp; Biking on the East-West Highway along the Tarai is hot, flat, and dangerous. The road across the mild climate of the scenic mid-mountains is much more enjoyable. &nbsp; Since Nepal’s rivers mostly flow north to south, traversing the country does mean lots of ups and downs for bicyclists.&nbsp; The Road starts with an introduction to Nepali culture, a history of mountain biking, and Willimas fills the middle with journal entries. Interviews with professional Nepali mountain bikers serve as a bookend. &nbsp; Photographs by Manish Maharjan and Ananta Poudel are appealing, and drone shots of the trail and landscapes of the remote far western Nepal are blown up over two pages. Portraits of Nepalis work and play means that the book is not just about biking, but also about the people and places along the way. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_4b444967aeb82a8b14e47b382e8078946520ab5cba39b07ed74e7a5ca5da65ad.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20240621190656_4b444967aeb82a8b14e47b382e8078946520ab5cba39b07ed74e7a5ca5da65ad" data-rendition-name="original" width="1082" height="751" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> <figcaption>It took Richard Williams 29 days to bike west-to-east across Nepal from Dadeldhura to Phidim.</figcaption> </figure>  On maps, the routes are marked as small red lines that zig-zag through serpentine roads, and elevation graphs depict altitudes gained and lost. Cartographer Mark Murphy, who turned 61 during the trip, rode alongside Williams put the maps together.&nbsp; Most days, the events are pretty similar: tough ‘undulating’ climbs, steep descents, great views, and conversations with locals often over food and beer, chyang, or tongba. &nbsp; Williams observes Nepal perceptively, and notices that there are very few men in the villages because of outmigration, and the remittance economy is buoyant.&nbsp; Another time he talks to a group at a chiya pasal who are frustrated with the government (surprise, surprise) and vent their ire.&nbsp; The book is dotted with colloquial Nepali phrases like “Tei ta,” “Ek Chin,” “Estai ho,” and “Ke Garne” – perhaps summing up a stoic Nepali spirit somewhere between helplessness and sarcasm. &nbsp;Williams find the Nepalis' resignation to their fate remarkable. &nbsp; Perhaps these attitudes are also behind what Williams admires &nbsp;about Nepal. “There is a much stronger sense of community, and people are so friendly,” he says. “Life in the West is good but everybody is individualistic, and working all the time.”  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_81548880eb221741c789930c76de69c443adf5785351c9f37f210d95bbe92811.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240621190656_81548880eb221741c789930c76de69c443adf5785351c9f37f210d95bbe92811" data-rendition-name="original" width="1499" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> </figure>  He notes his appreciation for the laid back, content culture, and marvelled at how resourceful Nepali biking guides could be. “Once during Yak Attack a guide used a coke bottle to fix a puncture and the biker went on for 40km like that,” he remembers.&nbsp; The book is also ethnographic. Williams stayed with Dalits and met Rautes, and especially liked biking through the remote parts of Western Nepal that haven’t yet been reached by mass tourism. In one entry he details locals amused at the sight of the team, and two children initially apprehensive about meeting a stranger hijacked his bike for a quick joyride.&nbsp; A lot of Williams’ descriptions are of food and drink on the go. He describes scrambled eggs for breakfast and the uniqueness of every dal bhat along the way.&nbsp; “This was real, authentic Nepali food,” he says. Williams is especially taken with tongba, the warm fermented millet drink that one has to sip through a bamboo straw. Then he passes the outsized cement monument of a giant tongba container at an intersection in Myanglung. &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_a3bccfb770c65fea82bc7c9fc887772b90a4cb87c4f14f60578dc8b2cfe76ff6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20240621190656_a3bccfb770c65fea82bc7c9fc887772b90a4cb87c4f14f60578dc8b2cfe76ff6" data-rendition-name="original" width="1499" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> </figure>  The book is a guide as well, and advises readers on where to stay and eat, and what to expect. While an ‘intrepid’ rider might want to ‘bikepack’ the route independently, Williams strongly recommends a guide and a support vehicle. Packages for The Road are currently offered at Himalayan Single Track, a bike shop and mountain bike tour company in Thamel.&nbsp; “It is hard to sell the entire trail because of how long it is, but we have packages for people to do parts of it, with different levels of support,” explains Australian expat and co-founder Jenny Caunt, who also wrote several chapters of the book.&nbsp; Mountain biking tourists are on the rise in Nepal, and they mostly come from Germany, Denmark, the UK or the US. Caunt reckons 90% of them come to Nepal exclusively for a mountain biking holiday.&nbsp; “Routes on the Annapurna Circuit and Upper Mustang are popular. Most of our clients are foreigners, but many Nepalis like to bike independently,” she adds. “Some of the back country routes between Kathmandu and Pokhara are perfect to ride.” &nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240621190656_bfe2bfba6f651834c3643d4d57963e3f81521a5bca6f0b7abf038b576cfd7b39.jpg" data-media-id="editor_4" data-image-id="20240621190656_bfe2bfba6f651834c3643d4d57963e3f81521a5bca6f0b7abf038b576cfd7b39" data-rendition-name="original" width="1136" height="702" loading="lazy" alt="Been there, not done that NT"> </figure>  <h2> The Great Himal Race</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140620_e8317641b697ba8d4a6f6a42ba070e6130a8834fb1197abf23814b5cce484fef.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240622140620_e8317641b697ba8d4a6f6a42ba070e6130a8834fb1197abf23814b5cce484fef" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2690" loading="lazy" alt="The Great Himal Race NT"> <figcaption>Photo: FLEURY ROUX</figcaption> </figure>  The multistage race across the length of Nepal Himalaya was first held in 2017 by Bruno Poirier from France who himself ran from one end of the country to the other in 1994. Outdoors instructor and tourism entrepreneur Jagan Timilsina was the winner in 2017 when participants ran from Khang La on the eastern border between Nepal and Sikkim, to Hilsa in the country’s northwestern corner. This time, the runners went west to east instead, starting at Hilsa and ending at Kangchenjunga Base Camp. Ultrarunners from France, Switzerland, the US, Greece and Nepal participated in this 51-stage, 60-day journey that borrows much of its routes from the Great Himalayan Trail. There were three joint winners: Swiss national Jules-Henri Gabioud, Frenchman Fleury Roux, and Nepal’s Upendra Sunuwar, all with a time of 264 hours and 31 minutes. Two women: Asimina Inglezou from Greece and Rachelle Komarnisky from Canada also finished the race. After the race, the runners walked from the base camp to Taplejung over a few days before taking a bus to Bhadrapur and flying back to Kathmandu. Awards of victory and completion were handed out at Hotel Manaslu. <h2>Everest Marathon</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140624_a0e26aeb6d1873beaa5c9ed399988d09ef3e023c39ea70f9d5afc090359ec9fe.jpg" data-media-id="editor_6" data-image-id="20240622140624_a0e26aeb6d1873beaa5c9ed399988d09ef3e023c39ea70f9d5afc090359ec9fe" data-rendition-name="original" width="3000" height="2000" loading="lazy" alt="Everest Marathon NT"> <figcaption>Photo:TENZING HILLARY EVEREST MARATHON / FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  The Everest Marathon honours Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay’s first successful ascent of the highest peak in 1953 being held every year on 29 May for the last 19 years. The route goes from Everest Base Camp to Kala Patthar and Namche Bazar. Runners may choose between three categories: a standard 42.195km route, a 21km half marathon, or a 70km ultramarathon. There were participants from all over the world, including the UAE, Australia and Lithuania, but most of the top finishers were Nepalis. Arjun Rai Kulung was first in the standard category with a time of 03:53:02. Kulung is a professional runner who started out as a porter and ran his first Everest Marathon at 19, finishing in the top ten despite running in trekking boots. He is signed to The North Face Asia Pacific Adventures. Gopal Tamang finished first with a time of 08:18:04 in the 70km extreme ultra category. <h2>Everest 135</h2>  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240622140620_dcebdaf28c228915e5bdffecff0f29eba018adeec9ddcb7552f09822a9f7aa45.jpg" data-media-id="editor_7" data-image-id="20240622140620_dcebdaf28c228915e5bdffecff0f29eba018adeec9ddcb7552f09822a9f7aa45" data-rendition-name="original" width="1750" height="2848" loading="lazy" alt="Everest 135"> <figcaption>PHOTO: EVEREST 135 / FACEBOOK</figcaption> </figure>  The Everest 135 is an ultramarathon which, as the name suggests, is 135 miles long, more than five times longer than a standard marathon. This is the first race longer than a hundred miles in the Everest region. An annual race was held for the first time since 2019 last month because of the pandemic, and was jointly organised by Nepal’s Himalayan Trail Running and the Guwin International Sports Club in China. Participants ran from Jiri to Thame, Rinzo La Pass and Everest Base Camp before looping back to Lukla. They experienced a cumulative elevation gain of 13,900m and a total descent of 12,800m while reaching a maximum height of 5,517m. There is a cutoff at 150 hours, anybody taking longer is considered as a ‘did-not-finish’. For runners who want a more manageable challenge, the race has a 100km category as well. Elite runners from China, Australia, Japan and the US participated. This year, 49-year-old Wang Xiaolin from China won the 135-mile category with a time of 85:41:40. Runner-up to him was Niwa Kaori, also a 49-year-old from Japan and the only woman in the top 10.&nbsp;

Vishad Raj Onta

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Been there, not done that

There are certain activities that demand absolute focus. The surroundings blur as vision narrows, tension rings in the ears. The closer to danger, the more exciting it gets.&nbsp; Thrill is what adventure sports like mountaineering, canyoning and white water rafting are all about. Now, a new kind of outdoor activity is taking advantage of Nepal’s vertical terrain and scenery: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/wheeling-in-the-woods">mountain biking</a>. The sport is going viral as passionate, trailblazing Nepalis turn what used to be trekking paths into biking trails, and post GoPro videos of their adventures. Now, the sport is going international and at the forefront is Phaplu Mountain Bike Club that held its second <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/yak-attack-single-track-edition">Enduro</a> Ratnange Race in March. “Last year was all about proving the viability of the event. We worked hard to figure out every single detail,” says club founder Ang Tsering Lama, who this year got support from the local government and sponsors.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020452_bbe3d7448ec3463a0bffa747ca008bdfbecad75d0b5361e5aeabf4a24975ea91.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20240406020452_bbe3d7448ec3463a0bffa747ca008bdfbecad75d0b5361e5aeabf4a24975ea91" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Some of the best mountain bikers in the world attended, among them acclaimed French rider Rémy Absalon, who told us: “Ratnange trails are some of the best in the world, the mixture of loam and dust is just awesome to ride on. I have travelled a lot, but never seen a country like Nepal where we are so well received.”&nbsp; The Ratnange Trail Center is a network of 13 routes spanning 60km used solely for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/bicycling-in-waling">mountain biking</a> with a selection of narrow, technical, wide, or single tracks that need the complete concentration of riders. The rest stops offer stunning views of the Everest region. Lama designed the route on existing foot trails, and works with the local community to maintain them. He raises funds by renting out paths to private companies, who name trails after their brand for Rs20,000 a year.&nbsp; Explains Lama: “The trails roll through the forests and the route is designed based on what you want it to be. Do you want it to flow? Do you want switchbacks? Drops? Jumps?”&nbsp; Flowy trails have kind curves that allow bikers to maintain momentum and a smooth speed, while switchbacks are zig zags built into a steep trail to reduce speed on descent. Drops are where the trail falls away. Jumps consist of takeoffs and landings, and vary in the time the rider is airborne. &nbsp; When blazing a new trail, a good road must always be close by for urgent medical attention. The risk of serious injury is ever present. Safety precautions include helmets, knee and elbow pads, and chest and back guards. Even then, concussions, fractures, discolations, and broken wrists are common.&nbsp; Lama advises matching ability to the choice of trail, but riders always want to push their limits. One way they train, is at <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/news/kathmandu-gets-first-pump-track">pump tracks</a>, which are artificial dirt circuits. The bike club built one of these in Phaplu where young ‘rippers’ learn to control bikes.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020456_fdee77cb19a67c56aa8e9e6aaef197f57e1d53c00b056ae8477d843fc253320c.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="20240406020456_fdee77cb19a67c56aa8e9e6aaef197f57e1d53c00b056ae8477d843fc253320c" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1000" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Another way to train for <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/downhill-all-the-way">the downhill</a> is actually the uphill. “The uphill builds the mental endurance needed for the downhill,” explains Lama. It also builds physical strength. Riders need strong, endurable legs, a sturdy core, and a solid grip. “But on the downhills, a state of complete focus and presence washes over you, and all of your sensations and abilities are heightened. It is taxing on the body, but still meditative.”&nbsp; Lama runs The Happy House in Phaplu, a family lodge where Edmund Hillary used to stay and call his “happy place”. When he formed Phaplu Mountain Bike Club, Lama wrote to bike shops and friends, who donated two-wheelers. Before long, local young children started coming in after school to zoom around the track.&nbsp; Club members did well at <a href="https://enduroratnange.com/">Enduro Ratnange</a>, inspiring a new generation of young riders to dream of careers as mountain bike athletes or biking guides, who make $25 an hour to a trekking guide’s $15.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020456_d083b2b6b2f8632e5befa8ec775dcbebdaf5b38e28c9a7b1293f13f37191055f.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20240406020456_d083b2b6b2f8632e5befa8ec775dcbebdaf5b38e28c9a7b1293f13f37191055f" data-rendition-name="original" width="1125" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Despite the popularity of the sport and possibilities to compete at higher levels, the bureaucracy, government ignorance, and a lack of infrastructure are setbacks. &nbsp; The club makes sure that it is inclusive: there is no membership fee, and bikes are set aside exclusively for girls. The main trainer, Mingma Yangzi Sherpa, is a woman.&nbsp; <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/pedalling-for-life">Mountain biking is also good for the soul</a>, says Lama. “Getting good at this sport requires discipline, and a sense of camaraderie. Bikers seem to develop a deep respect for the environment.”&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240406020456_a61ba3ac33c2daba9f8f516f4e1652051ef4a31788af290397779a67d0780fbf.jpg" data-media-id="editor_10" data-image-id="20240406020456_a61ba3ac33c2daba9f8f516f4e1652051ef4a31788af290397779a67d0780fbf" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="1125" loading="lazy" alt="Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism NT 1"> </figure>  Mountain biking tourists are great for Phaplu’s economy as well. Trekkers who pass through Phaplu stay for a day, while bikers may stay for four or five. Mountain biking destinations in Wales, Canada, and the Alps see millions of tourists every year. Nepal already has the terrain, the trails, the hospitality and unsurpassed views.&nbsp; <a href="https://www.facebook.com/phaplumtbclub/">Phaplu Club</a> is already looking forward to next year and hopes to organise Asia-wide events with top talents. There is also potential to stage Ratnange-like projects in Makalu and Ilam.&nbsp; Kathmandu to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/So-far-so-good/going-to-phaplu-in-winter,1107">Phaplu</a> is a now a nine hour drive on the Sindhuli Highway via Okhaldhunga, or a 30 minute flight to Phaplu. Riders can then pedal up to the start of the trail or take a shuttle for themselves and their wheels. Just so you’re not, you know, two tyred.

Nepal pushes mountain bike tourism

As he does every weekend, Saman Shrestha sets up his tent in Hattiban's pine forest overlooking Kathmandu Valley. He unpacks a long length of webbing rope from his bag on which he will be walking across 50m above the ground between two trees. Around him, there is the sound of cicada and birds.
Shrestha, 31, is a professional climber and athlete, and in 2017 was the winner of the first season of Himalaya Roadies, the Nepali edition of the hit Indian reality series MTV Roadies that pushes adventure seekers to their limits.
But this avid adventurer started small. “I heard about <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=13292">wall climbing</a> for the first time from my brother,” he recalls. “This was at Pasang Lhamu Foundation and you could climb up almost 5 storeys. This piqued my interest.”
Later, with a school friend Shrestha often went there and practice. In 2011, he even competed in a national climbing competition. “It was a hasty preparation, and I had a lot of expectations and fear of the public. But the failure made me want to climb more and better,” he adds.
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Shrestha’s journey to becoming a national climber began after that, as he participated in more competitions such as the Climbing World Cup in 2016 and 2017. Around the same time, he also coached children aged 12-16 in climbing and sports at Niten Memorial School in Tokha.
“I started climbing later in life, at 24,” Shrestha adds, “But I realised that kids can do even better if they start early.”
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Hattiban forest offers a breathtaking vista of the mountains on a clear day and the city below, he looks to introduce a new form of adventure: Highlining.
“I came upon highlining only five years ago. I had never seen anyone do it before then, not even on the internet and I just got hooked into it,” says Shrestha. “I find it very pure as there is nothing in your mind when you are on a highline.”
Highlining is an extreme <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/downhill-all-the-way/">adventure sport</a> new to Nepal. Perfect for adrenaline junkies, it is akin to slacklining, which is essentially walking on a tightrope between two anchor points. In urban areas, especially in American colleges and universities, it is called urbanlining and is often done a couple of feet above the ground.
But highlining – widely considered the pinnacle of slacklining – takes this to a much higher elevation. The other difference is that you are carabined for safety from a great fall.
“Highlining comes with more safety,” assures Shrestha. “There is a leash tied in with a harness to you. So even if you fall, it can catch you. It is 99.99% secure, and we have backups, even for the anchor, to take care of the remaining 0.01% risk.”
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Nevertheless, the fear of heights comes naturally to many of us. And this is heightened even more if one is walking on thin webbing high above the ground.
But Shrestha is fully attuned to the rush that comes with extreme adventure. He stands on the line, walks steadily, performs a few tricks, and then sits across the webbing. The secret he says is training one’s mind with a lot of patience, practice and experience.
“When you are up there you instinctively think you might die but once you start to trust the process, the anchor, the webbing, your body will get used to it and then it will get easier,” he explains.
He has one more tip: “If you overthink, you cannot walk, let alone stand. So you have to empty your mind. Only then will you be able to freely move your body.”
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Nepal’s topography and climate make it a thrilling haven for extreme adventures. Bungee, paragliding, canyoning, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/the-worlds-best-whitewater,3266">rafting</a>, rock climbing and <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/downhill-all-the-way/">mountain biking</a> are perhaps the more popular ones: now, highlining is added to the list.
And with a countless number of rivers, hills and gorges, Nepal has a high potential of becoming a highlining destination. “Furthermore, it sends out a message that nature and adventure should go together, and it is our responsibility as humans to save nature to enjoy the adventure to the fullest,” adds Shrestha.
But investing in highlining is expensive especially as the sport is still at the early stages in Nepal and importing the necessary gearincurs a significant cost. Shrestha himself brought some second-hand gear from foreigners in Nepal, a few more from abroad and even asked friends outside the country to bring the rest when they were coming home.
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Dedicated to a lifetime of adventure, Shrestha says he is not doing this for fame or to set some records. “I’m in it just for an adventure,” he says.
His longest personal record is 100m and the highest is at 2,000m above sea level in Kakani. He hopes to scale the line in Kusma, 550m above the Kaligandaki River one day. “It’s so massive, so big and dark. But maybe in a few years when I have enough experience,” he adds.
For now, Shrestha is planning to set a line on a tall building somewhere in the city for urban highlining. He is also interested in highlining in Bethanchok which is at 3,000m.
He says: “Every time I’m on a line, I try to stay calm and just enjoy it. I try not to overthink. Whether in highlining or life, overthinking can mess up everything.”
Read more: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-high-life/">The high life</a>, Nepali Times

Monika Deupala

Taking the high line

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161152/636d1e7c9c7e80680e0af410jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2400" height="1600"/><figcaption>A tourist enjoying paragliding against the backdrop of Machhapuchre in Pokhara this week. Photo: RSS</figcaption></figure>As <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/cleared-to-land/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pokhara’s new international airport</a> prepares to open by mid-2022, paragliding and ultralight companies that draw hundreds of thousands of visitors a year to the city will have to relocate. But given Central Nepal’s stunning terrain and scenery, there are plenty of even more exciting options.Pokhara’s Sarangkot Hill is a popular jump off point for paragliders but it falls within the 26 x 6km airspace that the new international airport will require for medium-haul twin jets that it will handle. The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has now concluded that there is <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/latest/pokhara-paragliders-to-relocate/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">no alternative but to relocate them</a>.“Air safety rules prohibit recreational flights inside this airspace which is why we have to move paragliding and ultralight activities elsewhere,” explained Dev Chandra Lal Karna of CAAN, adding that tourism operators have been advised to take their business to adjoining Syangja, Parbat and Baglung districts.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161152/636d1e7f9c7e80680e0af411jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="4032" height="2268"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>It is not just the parargliders that will be affected, but also the ultralight companies that currently operate from the existing airport. They, too, must move because of the heavier and faster aircraft that will be landing and taking off in <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/pokhara-nepals-new-aviation-gateway/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">the new facility</a>.But local aerial sports operators have been reluctant to relocate, saying they can continue from Pokhara if proper safety guidelines are issued. They have purposed a flight curfew two hours a day either in the morning or in the afternoon to allocate that time for paragliding and ultralight flights.“CAAN says we can’t run ultralight and paragliding here but they haven’t told us how to proceed from here nor given us any alternatives,” complained Balaram Acharya of the Nepal Air Sports Association who is runs a paragliding company in Pokhara.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161152/636d1e829c7e80680e0af412jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="2400" height="3168"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>However, aviation experts say flight curfews do not make sense and there are plenty of alternatives for the aerial sports companies – including <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/Connecting-dots/Sano-Babu-paragliding-world-cup,1029" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Syangja for paragliding</a> and Baglung’s unused airfield for ultralights.International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) standards do not allow any aircraft to operate within the airspace of an international airport and neither is it safe to do so."It is technically impossible to fly paragliders and ultralights near what is going be a busy airport, it has to follow strict international safety guidelines," says infrastructure expert Surya Raj Acharya. “There should be no other activities within its airspace.”Indeed, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/what-to-do-with-pokharas-extra-airport/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pokhara’s existing airport</a> is already operating at maximum capacity with up to 40 domestic flights a day to Kathmandu, Jomsom, Bhairawa, Bharatpur, Simara, Biratnagar and Nepalganj. More flights are planned to Janakpur and Bhadrapur by private airlines.In addition to catering to increased domestic flight frequency, the new airport will also handle international flights to India, China, the Gulf and Malaysia. The current airport does not have night landing facilities, although the new one will.Acharya is also of the opinion that airports should be built away from populated tourist destinations. "Today we face paragliding problem, tomorrow it will be noise pollution," he adds. “A fast-track Butwal-Pokhara highway would have meant that flights would not be needed between the two cities.”Commercial paragliding started in Pokhara in 2001 and now has over 69 registered companies, collectively with an annual turnover of Rs1 billion. There are three ultralight companies operating from the current airport, and one hot air balloon operator.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110161152/636d1e859c7e80680e0af413jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1080" height="608"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>All companies had been hit by the Covid-19 pandemic and the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/survive-revive-thrive/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">collapse of tourism</a>, and business has just started to pick up with mainly Nepali adventure-seekers. There are 1,200 people employed by aerial sports companies.Paragliding operators are also reluctant to relocate because they think it will cause further losses, as they had already established <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=6573#.Yb73lWhByUk" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Pokhara as the hub for adventure sports</a> in Nepal.Says Pom Narayan Shrestha of Pokhara Tourism Council: “Those interested in adventure tourism know Pokhara is the place to go but moving away means rebranding their products from scratch, and this would impact the entire tourism sector.”Tourism planners say it is economically viable to move adventure sports activities from Pokhara to sites in nearby districts, but no more than one and a half hours away and have already come up with some suggestions.The article was translated by Aryan Sitaula from the <a href="https://www.himalkhabar.com/news/127236" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Nepali original in Himalkhabar</a>.

Pokhara’s paragliders must relocate, but where?

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb3d9c7e80680e08bbb0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683"/><figcaption>Pokhara's much-delayed new international airport is scheduled to open early next year. Photo: Krishna Mani Baral</figcaption></figure>2020 was a write-off for Nepal’s tourism, and for Pokhara, the country’s prime destination, it was catastrophic. But guess who have come to rescue the city from complete ruin: Nepali travellers.Pokhara’s hotels, bars, paragliding and ultralight clubs for which international tourists were the main source of income have, at least partially, recovered because of domestic visitors.To be sure, Lakeside wears a forlorn look—especially since Phewa has been drained for dam repairs. The trekking trails of Annapurna Base Camp, Mardi, Sikles, or Ghorepani for which Pokhara served as a base camp, are also largely deserted.One year on after the pandemic scare sent visitors home in a hurry, Pokhara has never really recovered. More than 25% of hotels, restaurants and shops that depended on tourism have permanently closed, others are for sale.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb3f9c7e80680e08bbb1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>Some Pokhara restaurants like Mughlan are open for business.</figcaption></figure>“Pokhara has more than 700 hotels with 30,000 beds, but the pandemic has affected all of them, including restaurants, paragliding and ultralight companies, zipline,” says Gopi Bhattarai of Pokhara Tourism Council. “They all need a stimulus, tax breaks or debt rescue from the government.”But Pokhara has survived. The city’s hospitality industry now sees light at the end of the tunnel with the new vaccines, a drop in Covid-19 cases in Nepal, the completion of Pokhara’s new international airport. But most of all , it is the arrival of fellow-Nepalis that offers respite.Many urban Nepalis fed up of being locked down for months yearned to escape. For those  planning to get away from Kathmandu’s pollution, or the damp cold of fog-bound Tarai cities, Pokhara became the ideal escape.“We have at least 50-60 Nepali passengers on package tours to Pokhara from Kathmandu every day through our Buddha Holidays subsidiary,” says Buddha Air Managing Director Birendra Bahadur Basnet<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb429c7e80680e08bbb2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720"><figcaption>Photo: Niranjan Shrestha</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb459c7e80680e08bbb3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1778" height="1000"><figcaption>Photo: Tulsi Rauniyar</figcaption></figure>Basnet has big plans to make Pokhara’s new airport the hub for his expansion into western Nepal in 2023 with a new aircraft that can operate in remote airfields with short runways. He also sees huge potential for Indian tourists after the border is re-opened, for which he plans Nepalganj-Pokhara flights.After the lockdown, the tourism industry here realised that internal visitors could sustain the sector until international tourists returned. It launched the Jaun Hai Pokhara campaign in eastern Nepal in December, and in the Western Tarai in April. Pokhara’s businesses also lobbied hard with the government to declare a 5-day work week in an effort to tap weekend visitors.“If the government introduces two-day weekends, that would support internal tourism, while providing Nepalis with a much-needed stress relief caused by the pandemic,” says Bhattarai at the Pokhara Tourism Council. “But now is the time to also diversify our destinations, we cannot depend on the same landmarks like the lake, waterfall and cave.”<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb489c7e80680e08bbb4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1583" height="776">Airlines, hotels and travel agencies are waiting for the much-delayed Pokhara International Airport opening early next year so that more domestic flights can be accommodated, and international tourists can bypass Kathmandu.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb4b9c7e80680e08bbb5jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="3000" height="1688"><figcaption>Drone image of Pokhara's new airport looking east.</figcaption></figure>Says Binesh Munankarmi, manager of the airport project: “Domestic tourists will now be able to come to Pokhara for  weekends, which has not been feasible due to the restricted flights. And Pokhara will be connected directly to the outside world.”Kashi Raj Bhandari, head of Gandaki Province for Nepal Tourism Board thinks that post-pandemic the airport can start flying in tourists from neighbouring countries. He says, “Since Covid-19 is under control, we must open our borders to visitors from China and India. Later, we can also think of European, North American and East Asia visitors. There is  a lot of pent-up demand for wilderness adventures in Nepal.”However, even though the coronavirus numbers are not as frightening as before, some business owners here are not so optimistic about the return of international tourists. Of the two 5-star hotels in Pokhara, only one is functioning, four 4-star hotels are open but they all have only 10% occupancy even with domestic tourists.“Foreign tourism is zero, and it does not look like they will return until the conditions improve,” says Bikal Tulachan of the Paschimanchal Hotel Association. “Even if the Covid-19 numbers are down, political instability is hurting travel and shutdowns have started again.”Some, however, have taken the opportunity of the lockdown to expand, maintain and upgrade their hotels in the hope that travel will pick up and even exceed pre-Covid levels. Raniban resort is spending NRs60 million to add 14 more rooms.“Local tourists have started coming, but until international guests return we will not be able to sustain the business and keep paying staff salaries,” says Raniban’s Aksab Shrestha. ‘Despite all this the future of tourism in Pokhara is bright. That is why we are investing on expansion.”<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb4e9c7e80680e08bbb6jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="960" height="1280"><figcaption>Annapurna II and IV by moonlight from the window of Barahi Hotel on Sarangkot. Photo: Niranjan Shrestha</figcaption></figure>At the Shangri-La Village resort in the city occupancy over new year was 90% thanks to Nepali guests. “We would not have had so many Nepalis staying before the pandemic,” says manager Gupta Giri.Along Lakeside, there used to be more than 200 restaurants and bars. Many had been shuttered, but with the return of Nepali tourists, a few have reopened. “We see a glimmer of hope as visitors have started to return to Pokhara,” says Laxman Baral of the Restaurant and Bar Association of Nepal (REBAN, Pokhara).Small clothing and handicraft shop owners at Lakeside note that although domestic tourists do not splurge as much as their foreign counterparts, the purchases are crucial to keep them afloat. Taxi owners like Keshav Raj Baral now makes only five local sightseeing trips, but says there are Nepalis who book his car for the whole day.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb509c7e80680e08bbb7jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1778" height="1000"><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb539c7e80680e08bbb8jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="768"><figcaption>Mt Machapuchre (6,990m) from Sarangkot. Photos: Niranjan Shrestha</figcaption></figure>Live music still floats out of numerous bars and restaurants during the evening, but the pandemic has affected Pokhara’s once-vibrant nightlife. “The business is alright during the weekends with Nepalis but there is not much traffic on weekdays,” says Yogesh Bhattarai of the popular Busy Bee bar.Catwalk is also gearing up to open its doors. “We were closed for a year, but did not wait any longer,” says the night club’s Amrit Pahari.Dorjee Lama’s Moondance Restaurant reopened after the lockdown and has been operating with less than 10 staff. He says that although the pandemic wrought havoc in the restaurant business, he has not given up hope. “We survived an insurgency and an economic blockade, so this crisis doesn’t faze us,” says Lama, expressing Pokhara’s indomitable spirit. “We see the hope of brighter days.”Although Nepali visitors have rescued businesses for now, Gopi Bhattarai of Pokhara Tourism Council says: “Because of the investment that has been made by Pokhara’s tourism entrepreneurs, it is clear that we cannot survive just on the income from domestic tourists.”______________________________________________________<h2>Thrills and Spills</h2><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb559c7e80680e08bbb9jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1489" height="820">One of the most dramatic growths in Pokhara has been in paragliding off Sarangkot and surrounding hills. There are now 60 paragliding companies which employ 350 licensed pilots. After the lockdown was lifted in September, paragliding took off as companies offered 50% discounts for Nepalis.“There are now young Nepali tourists from Kathmandu, Chitwan, Butwal and other cities making up to 300 flights a day,” says Krishna Bhandari of the Nepal Airsports Association.Even as the streets are emptier than usual, the skies are dotted with the colourful paragliders. Up at the jump-off point in Sarangkot, the excitement is palpable among Nepali tourists lining up to buy tickets. As he checks on his equipment in preparation of a flight, pilot Aayush Shah notes that he has seen more Nepalis lining up to paraglide lately than before the pandemic.Nepalis have been attracted by discounts for flights. Says Krishna Bhandari, “Usually, Nepalis make up 30% of the total paragliders annually, this year it is 100%.”Paragliding companies did a total of 800 flights a day on average during the Dasain holidays after the lockdown, now it averages 300 a day.The three ultralight companies which operate sight-seeing flights to the Annapurna from Pokhara airport have also seen an increase in interest from Nepali guests. Pokhara also has zip-line and bungee jumping, but these have not seen a tourism rebound as the other adventure sports.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb589c7e80680e08bbbajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1778" height="1000"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb5b9c7e80680e08bbbbjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1024" height="683">HighGround Adventures gets only four to five passengers for its 1,865 meter feet zip-line but is still keeping itself operational. HighGround’s Hari Chapai says, “It is shortsighted to close down a business because of the current situation. We have to send the message that we are up and running.”Because of social media posts, the numbers of Nepalis taking the plunge to bungee jump is picking up. “We have introduced the tandem jump after the lockdown targeting domestic tourists,” says HighGround’s Dinesh Maharjan. “The response has been very encouraging.”______________________________________________________<h2>Hike Hype</h2><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb5d9c7e80680e08bbbcjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption>Dog on the Mardi Ridge Trek. Photo: Tulsi Rauniyar</figcaption></figure>Nepal Tourism Board has used the pandemic period to come up with new trekking trails and destinations, including the Sikles-Tanting Trail, Kapuche Lake Trek and the Maurice Herzog Trail to North Annapurna Base Camp.The best promotion has been Nepalis posting photos and videos of their treks to Mardi Himal, Mulde Peak, or Kapuche Lake – turning these to new destinations besides the usual Poon Hill and Ghandruk.Indeed, Shuvabi Pradhan from Kathmandu decided it would be well worth a visit to the Gurung village of Sikles after having watched travelogues and blog posts. When a video of an avalanche at Kapuche Lake went viral last month, there was a spurt in trekkers to Sikles."The trails around Pokhara has a place for everyone and every adventure,” says Pradhan. “It has always been the perfect getaway location for me, be it solo or with family and friends. Since foreign travel is restricted, Nepalis are discovering Nepal.”<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221110101156/636ccb609c7e80680e08bbbdjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1189" height="1444"><figcaption>Kapuche Lake near Sikles is the lowest glacial lake in Nepal.</figcaption></figure>Realising this, Nepal Tourism Board is forming a Domestic Tourism Revival Committee that will work towards strategising ways to encourage domestic tourism to destinations like Pokhara. “Domestic tourism needs to be more organised. NTB’s effort will create opportunities for organized trekking and mountaineering among domestic tourists.”There is a silver lining in the absence of international trekkers, the fact that Nepalis are venturing forth where they did not go before.“Revenue wise, the mountain tourism industry is at a zero right now. There’s no revival, only survival,’ says Sushil Poudel, the Chairman of Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal. But he says it is encouraging to see adventurous Nepalis on the trails.For domestic backpackers, the pandemic has proven to be an opportunity to discover their country. “With the lockdown, many were seen returning to their villages and ancestral homes. Many started exploring beyond the normal trekking routes and discovered new trekking trails while showcasing them to other Nepali backpackers on social media,” says Rishav, one of the five members of Ghumante, a band of young Nepali travellers based in Pokhara.

Cleared to land

https://vimeo.com/383697369?fbclid=IwAR19iBQhXtMidmuMYcGdoy8JBnFs3Ms_Mk5vgTj4ejYTKritL7LdTBxNRmwReigning 3-time winner, and current 3-time 24-Hour Mountain Bike Race World Champion, Cory Wallace, defends his title, while Nepali Budhi Bahadur Tamang (Roan) takes 2nd and uses the training to win the South Asian Games Cross-Country Mountain Bike Gold two weeks later.The Yak Attack organising team wanted to change the race this year and added two stages full of singletrack, a new trail on Stage 3, and the world’s highest timed ‘Enduro’ section to make this edition an unforgettable one.Stage 1 was a loop around Besisahar of Lamjung district, allowing racers to experience the trails and views before the race started climbing around the circuit. Three-time reigning champion Cory Wallace, determined to start his title defense properly, won the stage followed by Roan Tamang.Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Yak,278" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yak attack 2013</a>, Tyler McMahon<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101116/636b70019c7e80680e060055jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/><figcaption>All Photos: FLAWSONE PICTURES</figcaption></figure>Stage 2 is one of the harder stages from Besisahar to Chame 2,900m with the first 40 km undulating. Wallace, looking to put a gap on the rest, rode the 66-km stage in under 4 hours, a new course record and nearly an hour ahead of second place Tamang.Stage 3 took riders to Manang village (3,500 meters) adding a diversion to previous years that included a new singletrack climbing and descending via Ghyaruin to Manang. Wallace and Tamang continued their hold on the race finishing 1-2 again.After the rest day, Stage 4 took riders on 100% singletrack from Manang to Phedi, a 16km stage that is one of the hardest riding. Wallace and Tamang continued to lead, but 3rd place was a battle between 4 riders all within less than 20 minutes.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101116/636b70049c7e80680e060056jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Stage 5 crosses Thorong La at 5,416m, and is the most-feared stage of Yak Attack and can completely change the results. At 27km it is not the longest stage, but the first3 km is a near-vertical ascent that can take up to 4 hours for the average racer.Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/nepali-bikers-in-sri-lanka,1854" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Nepali bikers in Lanka</a>, Tyler McmahonThe downhill after the pass included a timed ‘Enduro’ section, the highest in the world. While Wallace won the overall stage, followed closely by Tamang, fellow Canadian and Kona Bikes teammate, Rhys Verner, tied Tamang on the timed Enduro stage. He also finished 3rd overall for the day, a comfortable 29 min ahead of 4th place, securing him 3rd overall in the race.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101116/636b70079c7e80680e060057jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Stage 6 was the new ‘Single Track’ that took riders on a loop from Kagbeni and Lubra Valley bringing them back to the finish. Wallace continued his dominance, while Verner finished a close second. Tamang had a slower day finishing off the podium, but kept enough of a lead to remain in second place for the race.The final stage took riders from Kagbeni to Tatopani for a soak in the hot springs before the group ride and bus transfer to Pokhara for the closing ceremony. Wallace easily closed his 4th straight Yak Attack victory, while Tamang finished in 2nd place and Verner in 3rd. Claire Demarquet won the female category, while Harka Lama won the 40+ age group for the second straight year.Yak Attack will return in 2020 with a similar singletrack version and is currently offering a first-come, first-serve, early entry sale.Read also: <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Nepal-mountain-bike-champs,1234" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Make way for Nepal’s mountain bike champs</a>, Tyler Mcmahon<h2>South Asian Games Segway</h2><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101116/636b700a9c7e80680e060058jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1050" height="700"><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101116/636b700d9c7e80680e060059jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1050" height="700">Following the Yak Attack, former National Champion, Roan, who had missed qualifications due to injury, was a last minute call up to the South Asian Games XCO Mountain Bike Race. Using his fitness from Yak Attack, he dominated the race from the starting gun, leading start to finish to win the Gold Medal as Nepalis swept the podium in all mountain bike events for the Games.<h2>Pokhara IV</h2><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221109101116/636b700f9c7e80680e06005ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427">Coming up in  January 2020 is the Pokhara IV, a 4-day stage race based out of Pokhara. Initiated by MTB-Worldwide, the creators of Yak Attack, it is an entry-level mountain bike stage race for riders to experience Nepal without the risk of altitude. The clover leaf format starting and finishing each day at Lakeside through iconic landmarks like the World Peace Pagoda and Begnas Lake with plenty of course shortcuts.New for 2020 is the option to just participate for the two days of the weekend (25-26 January)to coincide with Chinese New Year. Pokhara IV takes place 25-28 January and entries are still open, with special discounts for local and expat riders.

Yak Attack: Single Track Edition

<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a96e09c7e80680e05dc91jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"/>Eighty women enrolled in the Nepal Mountain Academy’s training for trekking guides this year, more than double the number last year. No doubt some had heard that the demand for female guides is so high that they can earn more than men.Till now, female guides have been a rare sight in trekking and mountaineering, even though Nepal’s first female-run trekking company, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=9452#.XX90kvAza70">Three Sisters</a>, was founded 20 years ago in Pokhara. Of the total 17,164 licensed guides in the country only 886 are female, but their numbers are growing faster than male guides.Lhakpa Bhuti Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountain Academy (NMA), remembers when male colleagues asked what was the point in training women as trekking guides when they couldn’t obtain a license. “Why not?” she recalls replying.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a96e39c7e80680e05dc92jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Indeed, as women get more educated and travel more, they see opportunities in being guides. Many trekking groups are all-female or have many women among their members and <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=16195#.XX92XvAza70">they prefer women guides</a>, who seem to understand their needs better.Today, guide training draws women from all walks of life. “We have women here who have climbed Everest, conservationists, financial managers, graduate students and even homemakers. I feel very proud to see them getting the confidence to join,” says Sherpa, who adds that having a course dedicated for women makes participants more empowered and motivated.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a96e69c7e80680e05dc93jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Besides 35 days of intense training, prospective guides must complete field work and classes. Some of the practical training includes <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=2698#.XX92LPAza70">rock climbing techniques</a>, emergency response, environmental awareness, and learning about the cultures and habits of the various countries their trekking clients come from.“I cannot wait to lead my first trek,” says Sunita Dahal, 28, who is married and has just finished her guide training.Shanti Rai was awarded a fellowship in 2018 for Solo Women Travellers, and the experience convinced her about what she should do with her life. “After my 90 days travelling alone through Nepal, I felt what I had seen and experienced was so authentic that I wanted to share these stories and journeys with the rest of the world, and to inspire other travellers like me,” says Rai. She adds that being a licensed trekking guide is a perfect way to combine her love for Nepal’s great outdoors with earning a living.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a96e99c7e80680e05dc94jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Deurali Chamling, 35, climbed Mt Everest in 2018, but says society is always putting limits on what women can and cannot do. She thinks being a trekking guide gives her both the freedom to travel and economic independence. She says: “I can travel to places, earn and meet a whole range of interesting people from all over the world -- there are so many advantages.”The government has now allocated Rs1 million yearly to promote female guide training, in part to prepare women guides for Visit Nepal 2020.“Today female guides are in high demand. This is the only sector where females can earn more than males because they are so few and the demand is high,” says Lakpa Bhuti Sherpa of NMA, who started our as a porter, kitchen worker and then a guide. She says the number of trekking agencies run by women is growing, and so are the number of female guides they hire.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108181148/636a96ec9c7e80680e05dc95jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000">Phunjo Jangmo Lama, a resident of Tsum Valley, is the first female helicopter long line rescuer and an Everest summiteer and is convinced she is now more <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=18972#.XX92FPAza70">confident and independent</a>, adding that women guides can understand the needs of clients better than male ones.She says: “Mountains and trekking know no gender – it is the strength of an individual that matters. If female are given any opportunity they can perform any kind of strength work.”

Nepal’s female guides prepare for trekking season

<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41c59c7e80680e04a694jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050"/><figcaption>Pic: 4ST</figcaption></figure>As Nepal rebuilds many heritage sites and trekking trails that were damaged in the 2015 earthquake, activists say this is an opportunity to make them barrier free. Such improvements would render the facilities accessible not just for different kinds of tourists, but also for local people with disabilities, along with the elderly.Accessible tourism simply means adapting facilities so they are easier to travel in, whether the visitors are people with disabilities or not. This gives tourists opportunities to visit areas they have been dreaming to see, but could not visit because of access difficulties. Inclusive tourism accepts everyone, no matter their physical state.“There is still a lot of work to be done to make Nepal an accessible destination, and we need a partnership between the state, tourism service providers and advocacy groups,” says Pankaj Pradhananga of <a href="https://www.go-nepal.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Four Seasons Travel (4ST)</a>, a key player in creating accessible tourism experiences in Nepal.A milestone in promoting <a href="https://www.nfdn.org.np/papers/accessible-tourism.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accessible tourism</a> in this country was the visit five years ago by the late American inclusive tourism advocate, <a href="http://www.rollingrains.com/">Scott Rains</a>, who worked with Nepali tourism entrepreneurs to develop an accessible tourism strategy.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/three-toots-for-tootle/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Three toots for tootle</a>, Sonia AwaleThen, two months after the 2015 earthquake, 4ST organised a day trip to Godavari Botanical Garden for 50 people in wheelchairs who were living in a temporary shelter in Jawalakhel. Since then, the visually impaired and double amputees have climbed Mt Everest, completed difficult treks, and have been participating in relatively easier experiences, like taking mountain sightseeing flights out of Kathmandu.In 2016, 4ST helped organise the ‘Wounded Heroes Trek to Nepal’, in which a group of amputee veterans trekked with prosthetics in the Annapurna Region (above). Last year, the organisation worked with Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the National Federation of Disabled Nepal to host the inaugural <a href="https://www.eturbonews.com/182285/nepal-commits-to-accessible-tourism-initiatives/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">International Conference on Accessible Adventure (ICAA 2018)</a> in Pokhara, during which Nepal’s first ever accessible trail, near Sarangkot, was inaugurated by late Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari. (See box, below)Freedom of movement and the right to mobility and travel are considered basic human rights in an international covenant signed by most of the world’s countries. However, accessible tourism is still not a reality in many places, including in developed destinations. In Nepal, the concept is new and since most travel products involve adventure, inclusive tourism is still a long way off.However, a start has been made with recent initiatives that use tourism to raise awareness among local people about the need to offer wheelchair access and make infrastructure safe and easy to navigate for people with disabilities.More than 4,000 Nepalis were left with physical disabilities as a result of the 2015 earthquake. They join an estimated 600,000 people in this country with physical handicaps.“It is actually more important to build accessible infrastructure for the benefit of the locals than for foreign tourists,” says Pradhananga.Suman Timsina of the Washington-based International Development Institute, which organised the Annapurna trek for veterans on prosthetics adds: “There are many advantages to promoting accessible tourism: it will open up Nepal as a new destination for people with disabilities, and senior citizens, and it will spread awareness among locals to care for people with special needs. Accessible tourism is not an easy thing to do but the right thing to do.”Monika Deupala<h2>Jeeza’s journeys</h2><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41c89c7e80680e04a695jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="1200"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>In 2010, international river and mountain guide <a style="background-color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/100756072/tetraplegic-paraglider-jezza-williams-marks-first-solo-coastal-flight-in-christchurch" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Jeeza Williams</a> (pictured) fell off a waterfall while canyoning in Switzerland, his spinal injuries paralysing him chest down and confining him to a wheelchair for life. But the 43-year-old New Zealander was always into sports and the tetraplegic has not let his injury stop him from seeking adventures around the world, while helping to adapt travel for those with disabilities.Williams has been in Nepal for the past two weeks, having a whooping good time paragliding in Pokhara, rafting down the Trisuli River and going on a safari in Chitwan. “Waiting for a glimpse of Annapurna at sunrise from Sarangkot was heavenly,” Williams told Nepali Times. “I am grateful to people who have been helping me from day one. This has been the most exciting and most adventurous trip so far.”Williams is a licensed paragliding pilot, and flies in his special three-wheel, self-designed buggy harnessed below the wing. It was while recovering from his injury in a Swiss rehab centre that he made up his mind to continue his adventure tourism career, but Williams was soon shocked at how little infrastructure exists to make tourism friendly to people with disabilities.https://youtu.be/fFk6n1WtepUSo he set up the <a style="background-color: #ffffff; letter-spacing: 0.01em;" href="https://www.makingtrax.co.nz/About-Us/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">non-profit Makingtrax</a> to promote inclusive tourism, so that all kinds of people could enjoy adventure sports. Williams started attending talk programs and visited travel companies and adventure planners to spread his message.Last year in Brussels, he met Pankaj Pradhananga from Nepal’s Four Seasons Travels (see main story, above) at the Inclusive Tourism Summit and the two found they had lots in common.“We had a synergy as we started talking about superb destinations in New Zealand and Nepal and how Nepalis and Kiwis have adventure in our blood,” says Williams, who adds it is difficult to make a historic city like Kathmandu completely accessible, but it can be made inclusive.“We can make it friendly for all disabled people. Start with little things like widening doors to hotels or washrooms and provide trained adventure guides who can help with equipment that those with disabilities need,” he told a gathering on Wednesday at Hotel Manaslu.Monika Deupala<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41cb9c7e80680e04a696jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure><h2>Pokhara’s first accessible trek trail</h2>Yuvaraj Shrestha in PokharaNepal’s tourism city may not have wheelchair-friendly streets or <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-right-of-passage/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sidewalk guiding blocks</a> for the visually impaired, but it now has an <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/hiking-up-the-benefits-of-tourism/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">accessible trail</a> nearby designed for hikers with disabilities.A 3km stretch of the trekking trail between Kaskikot and Naudanda has been made wheelchair friendly for day hikers. There are no steps and guardrails have been built along cliff sections as the trail winds its way through thick forests and ridge meadows with full frontal views of the Annapurnas. There are wheelchair-friendly toilets along the way, and parts of the trail are also stone-paved.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41ce9c7e80680e04a697jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="900"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Tourists in wheelchairs can now ride in a vehicle from Pokhara to Sarangkot for the sunrise view, drive on to Kaskikot, and then hit the trail in wheelchairs up to Naudanda, a distance that can be covered by lunchtime. Lodges and eateries along the way have built ramps and disabled-friendly bathrooms.“We built this trail as a model, so more and more trekking paths in Nepal should be made like this,” says Bishnu Hari Sharma, who heads a local committee that built the trail. “After all, those with disabilities also want to be in the outdoors to admire the scenery. Please spread the word.”<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41d19c7e80680e04a698jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1000"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Heman Gurung of the advocacy group Swabhalamban in Pokhara says: “It is short, but exciting. It is a great experience for those who are wheelchair bound, not only for us in Nepal, but for those like us from all over the world.”The trail offers a stunning panorama of the Annapurna Range, Dhaulagiri and Machhapuchhre to the north, and Phewa Lake and Pokhara city to the south and east. Most hikers can return to Pokhara from Naudanda along the Baglung Highway. The easy gradient means that the trail can also be used by the elderly and those who have problems with steep climbs.The trail was built as a model with a Rs1.9 million grant from the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB), which is adding more guardrails and pavement. It was inaugurated by the late Tourism Minister Rabindra Adhikari in 2018 as a pilot project.“This trail is also designed to spread awareness among the general public about the special needs of people with disabilities, and also to show the world that Nepal is accessible to all,” says NTB CEO Deepak Raj Joshi.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41d49c7e80680e04a699jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1500" height="1125"><h2>Nepal opens doors to a different world</h2>If people with disabilities are seen as potential customers, all hotels would be wheelchair-friendlyPrabhas Pokharel<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41d79c7e80680e04a69ajpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>Yami Jhakri Magar (pictured behind desk) rides fearlessly and comfortably in her wheelchair inside Hardik Hotel, where she has worked for nearly four years. Most infrastructure in Kathmandu is inaccessible for wheelchair users like Magar, but in her workplace she feels completely independent as she requires no help from peers to use the bathroom or move about the workplace.Hardik Hotel is one of those rare establishments in Kathmandu that have tried to address the mobility of people with disabilities, many of whom cannot find work because workplaces are not wheelchair friendly. And even if employers want to hire people with disabilities, most cannot provide the needed environment.“If more hotels, even five-star hotels, start building such infrastructure their hiring policy could be very inclusive for persons with disabilities like me,” says Magar.Read also:<a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Our-job-to-reach-out,995" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Our job to reach out</a>, Samira Shakya<a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/thebrief/2016/07/27/disability-friendly-jorpati/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Disability-friendly Jorpati</a>, From the Nepali Presshttps://youtu.be/uOr0nHVwRlUOpened seven years ago, Hardik Hotel in Bagbazar is still one of few, non-5-star hotels in Kathmandu with accessible rooms, bathrooms, hallways and wheelchair ramps. For manager Ramesh Pandey it was not an easy journey. At first the incline on the ramps was too steep and wheelchair users had to be pushed up. (Video online.)“When people hear accessibility they think it is costly, but if you include those elements during the initial design and not as an afterthought, the cost of ramps is the same as for stairwells. It does not cost a fortune.”Pandey was inspired to make a disabled-friendly hotel after watching a wheelchair user having to skip lunch because the only way to the food was via stairs. “It affected me deeply at a personal level, and I decided that my hotel had to have accessible infrastructure,” he recalls.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/20221108121144/636a41db9c7e80680e04a69bjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="427"><figcaption> </figcaption></figure>The move has been a plus for business. Many conferences and programs, not just ones for the differently-abled, now use Hardik as a venue. Ramps link the parking area to meeting halls and guest rooms with accessible bathrooms.Says Sagar Prasai of the advocacy group Diverse Patterns: “As a person using a wheelchair, my major concern whenever I am invited to events is whether the bathroom is accessible to us.”Pandey says it is a mindset problem: most hotel owners do not regard people with disabilities as potential customers or employees. “Making a facility wheelchair friendly is only the first step,” he explains. “What is the point in just making a hotel wheelchair friendly? Look at the state of our roads and sidewalks — how will people get to the hotel in the first place?” he asks.Also, while wheelchair ramps are the most visible symbols of accessibility, they are of no help to other differently-abled persons, such as those having visual or hearing impairments. Pandey now plans to create a mobile app so the visually impaired can navigate the premises.

Making Nepal accessible to all

Being one of the world’s most vertical countries, with six directions (east, west, north south, up and down) it was only a question of time before racing downhill on <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=1346#.XMrUIzAzaUk" target="_blank">mountain bikes</a> became a popular sport here.
Now it has. Pedal-powered, two wheel downhill races are gaining adherents looking for adrenalin and adventure. With the world’s most rugged terrain to practice in, Nepalis are even <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nepali-times-buzz/nepal-mountain-bike-champs,1234" target="_blank">winning international championships</a>.
Adventure seekers hurl themselves down steep slopes on their dirt bikes, careening throiugh narrow trails, dodging cattle, goats, people, trees and rocks, all the while striving to maintain balance and prevent themselves from losing control and veering off the path &nbsp;to the valley below.
Possibly the first daredevil mountain bikers here were Craig Moffet and Brad Grunewald, who rode all the way to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/on-thin-ice-in-the-khumbu/" target="_blank">Everest Base Camp</a> and back in 1983. Since then, as <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15361#.XMrUKjAzaUk" target="_blank">roads have opened up Nepal</a>, adventure bikers have been venturing further afield into wilder parts of the country.
“Because trekking routes have been turned into motorable roads, many young people are taking up cycling,” explains Diwaslal Pradhan of the group Pangro.
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Mustang is gaining popularity for cross-country riders, but there are challenging ridge trails right here on the Kathmandu Valley rim, in Chobar, Dakshinkali, Pharping and Godavari.
And as they gain experience, many young Nepalis want to take part in competitive downhill races. “More than 20% of the participants in our last race were youth,” says Shyam Limbu of Grand Himalayan Enduro, adding that the sport is not just fun, but also a healthy, environment-friendly activity.
Grand Himalayan Enduro is now famous worldwide for its challenging terrain and tough competition. Cycle enthusiasts from 21 countries flew to Nepal for the 2019 downhill race earlier this year.
“There are 15-20 international participants who come to Nepal every year just to take part in the race. This year more than half of our participants were foreigners,” explains Limbu. He points out that while Nepalis are increasingly drawn to the risky sport, the proportion of foreigners is increasing as word spreads about Nepal’s challenging terrain.
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Besides Enduro, other international cross-country biking competitions in Nepal include <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/nepali-bikers-in-sri-lanka,1854" target="_blank">Yak Attack</a> and the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/celebrating-the-himalayan-outdoors/" target="_blank">Himalayan Outdoor</a>.
Adventure is risk, and it is this risk that seems to attract downhill racers. The danger does not seem to deter women riders either, whose numbers are increasing through platforms such as the Ladies Mountain League, which introduced women to outdoor sports like swimming, <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rock-climbing-nepal,1579" target="_blank">rock-climbing</a>, <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/no-city-for-cyclists/" target="_blank">cycling</a>, hiking and kayaking.
“The platform for women gives access to sports by providing equipment, such as bikes, via a mountain-biking ‘library’, and at the same time women can get training,” says Jenny Lama from Himalayan Single Track, a branch of the Ladies Mountain League that has trained 30-35 women in the past year, three of whom participated in the National Downhill Championship. Others took part in cross-country racing, and some became so addicted to the outdoors they went on to become mountain guides.
Says Sailendra Dongol of the National Cycle Association and co-owner of Pangro: “Just organising races should not be our goal, we need to develop more athletes.”
<h2>Karma's karma</h2>
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Fed up with 12-year-old Karma Sherpa playing video games all day long, his aunt took him for a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/riding-above-the-haze/" target="_blank">biking</a> trip to Chobar four years ago.
That is all it took to get the young lad hooked to mountain biking. Now 16, Sherpa and his bicycle are inseparable, and besides winning many national races, in December he came second in the under-18 International Chiang Mai Enduro.
“I believe I was a pretty notorious kid,” he admits with a shy smile. “I didn’t like doing homework, so I was out and about in the mountains around Kathmandu in my bike every chance I got.”
The Chiang Mai race was a morale booster for the Nepali teenager, who realised he could compete with the best in the world, and was also inspired by meeting the big names in downhill <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/Buzz-race-to-the-top,588" target="_blank">biking</a>.
“The competition was five days after my final exams in Kathmandu, so I could not practice much but the race went well,” Sherpa said, hinting that he could have even come first if he had enough training time.
The boy’s first race was the Kathmandu Mountain Bike Festival, when he was 13. &nbsp;Despite being nervous he finished seventh, then built on the experience winning three of his next six races.
Sherpa credits his trainer and mentor, Shyam Limbu of Grand Himalayan Enduro. “He is my biggest inspiration,” says the racer, explaining how Limbu is a holistic trainer, monitoring his technique, mental maturity, concentration and nutrition.
“He also tells me to be less shy and talk to people more. It is good advice and has allowed me to make many international friends,” adds Sherpa, who also looks up to Nepali bikers Rajesh Magar and Suman Tamang.
Sherpa’s foster parents are very supportive, and took him to Switzerland for bike training. He has been told his performance is much improved after that, thanks also to better gear.
Downhill racing is dangerous, and even at 13 Karma was already battle-scarred. He broke his collar bone while training in Switzerland and proudly shows us an x-ray of his shoulder on the cracked screen of his smart phone.
“I have broken my collar bone in the exact same place twice. I also broke this mobile screen in one practice,” he adds smiling.
The teen biker’s ultimate goal is to participate in and win the Red Bull Hardline, one of the toughest downhill mountain bike races in the world. He says: “One victory is not enough, I need to win more.”
Reeti KC

Downhill all the way

https://youtu.be/-9rP1yNydLs<h2>Beat the crowd to Khayer Lake</h2>Sewa Bhattarai in MyagdiThe Ghorepani-Poon Hill Trek? That is so last century. Now that road access makes the scenic viewpoint easily reachable with a night stop, more and more trekkers venture on up the ridge to Tadapani, Khopra and the hidden holy Khayer Lake.This extension to the traditional Poon Hill hike is worth it even for those who have done Ghorepani-Ghandruk Ridge before. Strike off the path through rhododendron forest at Tadapani to Mulde Peak for a overnight stop, and then it is another day’s walk to <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/news.php?id=15474" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Khopra.</a> An alternative route from Ghorepani is to descend to Swanta and up again to gain the ridge.The only warning to trekkers is to make sure there is a tea house as night falls, and to keep your eyes on the narrow trail because the views of Annapurna, Machapuchre and Dhaulagiri are so dramatic. <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/mulde-peak,1759" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mulde Peak</a> itself is about 700m higher than Poon Hill and beats the view from there by leaps and bounds. The view of a full moon rise from behind Machapuchre is an out of this world sight.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29d59c7e80680e0458ebjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050"/><figcaption>Photos: SEWA BHATTARAI</figcaption></figure>Khayer Lake with Annapurna I peering over the ridge (pictured above) is a further 5-6 hours walk away with a small temple of Khayera Bharani sacred to the local Magar community. Hindu pilgrims from down valley also walk up to the lake on Janai Purnima festival in July-August.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/go-take-a-hike/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Go take a hike</a>, Sewa BhattaraiDuring the monsoon, the slopes are ablaze with fresh flowers and you do not want to step on them and spoil the beauty. Shepherds graze herds of sheep on the fresh young grass, and people buy sheep from them to sacrifice at the Khayer Bharani shrine.At this time of year, the lake is partially frozen and the ground is still brown and barren. The trekking season has not started yet, so the trails are deserted.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29da9c7e80680e0458ecjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050">“About twenty years ago when this area was uninhabited, we used to see big groups of foreigners trek up to the lake to camp and bring their own food and we saw the potential for a lodge here,” says Bhakta Tilija, who operates the lodge at Khopra Ridge. Word about the ethereal beauty of Khayer Lake is now spreading and in the trekking season the dozen rooms at Khopra are full, and so are the outhouses made for porters and unsuspecting Nepali guests.Social entrepreneur and rural internet pioneer <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/blogs/kundadixit/2013/02/19/innovating-a-new-nepal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mahabir Pun</a> founded the lodge in 2007 with prize money from his Ramon Magsaysay award. The proceeds from the lodge go to a school in the nearby Paudwar village. He has set up a string of eight other lodges in the area, including in <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/nation/Wonders-of-Nepal,1240" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Mohare Danda.</a>“We know that we need to expand the facilities, and we are looking for funds to build another lodge,” Pun told us. “Mostly, tourism does not benefit the local community so much. We try to get the community to run the lodges and plough the profits locally.”<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29dd9c7e80680e0458edjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="1050">Proceeds from the lodges have been invested in building a 50KW micro hydropower plant, which supplies electricity to the lodges for lighting, heating and wifi routers. “Eventually we intend to make the lodges smoke-less zero carbon,” says Pun.As the better travelled destinations become passé and remote ones become more attractive, Khopra Ridge (pictured, above) is poised to rival the more popular ABC Trek this spring.And with the road access now making the Annapurna Circuit less pristine, Khopra and the neighbouring Mardi Ridge to the east will be attracting more visitors. The question is how soon the facility will manage to <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/regular-columns/GUEST-COLUMN/nepal-trekking-needs-a-quality-upgrade,383" target="_blank" rel="noopener">keep up with the influx</a>.<h2>Gosain Kunda's Six Lakes in Spring</h2>Sikuma Rai in Rasuwa<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29e19c7e80680e0458eejpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption>DIVINE REFLECTIONS: Many people do not know that besides the main Gosain Kunda (pictured) there are six sacred lakes in the vicinity. They are Nilkantha, Barda Kunda, Rakta Kunda, Chandra Kunda, Ama Kunda and Surya Kunda.</figcaption></figure>Gosain Kunda is a place to avoid in July-August when tens of thousands ascend to the holy waters at 4,380m for the Janai Purnima festival. But now is the time to go as the winter snow starts melting, the rhododendrons start coming out in full bloom, and the trails are relatively deserted. You will have the mountains, and the lakes, all to yourself.Being so close to the city, the <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/buzz-gosainkunda,639" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gosain Kunda</a> trek is a quick getaway for trekkers and pilgrims. The forest path may look easy at first, but it can be a grueling two-day climb from Dhunche at 2,090m on the highway.<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29e49c7e80680e0458efjpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800"><figcaption>Nilkantha. Photo: AVIV ADHIKARI</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29e79c7e80680e0458f0jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1200" height="800"><figcaption>Barda Kunda. Photo: RAVI RAUT</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29eb9c7e80680e0458f1jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption>Rakta Kunda. Photo: RAVI RAUT</figcaption></figure>Gosain Kunda can be either a destination, a stopover, or a traverse. As a destination, it can be done in a relaxed way in five days, giving oneself enough time to acclimatise and take in the views. It is better not to rush it.Trekkers can also just stopover in Gosain Kunda and continue along a narrow path around a steep spur and descend to <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-reincarnation-of-a-holy-valley/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Langtang Valley</a> two days away. As a traverse, hikers from Dhunche can cross the pass and descend to Helambu and back to Kathmandu. Or, if you really want to punish yourself, you can do that route counter-clockwise. The trails are now much more stable after the <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/editorial/aint-seen-nothing-yet/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">earthquake</a> four years ago.The simplest itinerary is to take a 5-7 hour bumpy jeep ride to Dhunche, and if you want to get away from the sound of trucks, head off immediately to Deurali for the night. Those relatively more fit can climb on to Sing Gompa at 3,250m, a smallish settlement with tea houses and a monastery. It also has a government dairy outlet run by Chatra Bahadur Tamang where you can stock up on yak cheese.Read also: <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/banner/the-tamu-trek-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Tamu Trek Trail</a>, Jit Gurung<figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29ee9c7e80680e0458f2jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="933"><figcaption>ChandraKunda. Photo: RAVI RAUT</figcaption></figure><figure><img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29f19c7e80680e0458f3jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="1400" height="934"><figcaption>Ama Kunda. Photo: SIKUMA RAI</figcaption></figure>After morning breakfast in Sing Gompa the trail goes up and up to Lauri Binayak (3,700m). More and more of the mesmerising vista of Ganesh Himal, Langtang Lirung, and Manaslu become visible as you gain altitude, and the scenery energises exhausted walkers. This time of year, rhododendron buds are popping open all over the forest.The really steep bit comes after Lauri Binayak, and this is where the pace will get slower on the endless uphill. The tea shops at Gosain Kunda look deceptively close, and it is still another few hours of hard slog to reach the ridge to look down at Saraswati Kunda.<img src="https://superdesk-pro-c.s3.amazonaws.com/sd-nepalitimes/2022110811114/636a29f59c7e80680e0458f4jpeg.jpg" alt="" width="693" height="417">When you get there, you find that Gosain Kunda is not one but a series of lakes at over 4,380m. The air is thin and crystalline, and the mirror surface of the lakes reflect the sunset in all its hues. The stunning views, the sacred energy of the spot, and the exhilaration of the climb will make even the most non-religious person slightly spiritual. For true Hindu, Buddhist or Animistic believers, however, this is a <a href="https://www.nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-power-and-pull-of-pathibhara/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">pilgrimage</a> of a lifetime.Those still not sated by the view can <a href="http://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/trekking-in-Nepal-turns-50,2658" target="_blank" rel="noopener">trek</a> on to Lauribina La (4,610m) to inspect six other lakes, and the trip is rewarding and therapeutic as the lakes hidden behind ridges glisten like jewels in the sun.There are 108 lakes in the Langtang National Park region but more are popping up due to global warming, and many do not even have names yet.

Holy Waters

Nepal’s only international aviation gateway, at Kathmandu airport, will cut night-time operation hours to allow construction of taxiways, and airlines have been told to curtail flights. This is expected to lead to more than normal chaos during the height of peak autumn and spring tourist seasons at an airport that is congested even at the best of times. The airport will close from 10PM to 8AM from 8 November-31 March 2025. The taxiways will now connect to the thresholds at both ends of the runway, making the airport more efficient in handling higher frequencies of landings and takeoffs. The parallel taxiway extension will allow international flights to land every 4 minutes instead of the current every 7 minutes. At present planes have to wait to land until a plane taking off backtracks along the runway.&nbsp; Kathmandu is Nepal’s only airport with international operations, and it has only one runway that is only one way in from the south over the mountains. With the taxiway improvement, the airport will be able to handle 42 aircraft landings and takeoffs per hour — double the current capacity.&nbsp; The Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) has been trying to entice international airlines to also start flying to and from the other two international airports at Pokhara and Bhairawa (Lumbini) by slashing landing and handling charges. But so far only Nepal Airlines operates a weekly flight to Bhairawa from Kuala Lumpur.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241018161016_046569e53d1d66cd445cc66c697c0ef724810aec9f54bdf827481e3cd6b80c32" data-rendition-name="original" width="2356" height="1134" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport expansion"> <figcaption>Kathmandu Airport Expansion plan with extension of taxiways to the thresholds of runways 02 and 20 that will limit airport operations from 8 November 2024 - 31 March 2025. Areas in blue are existing structures, including the international terminal which in future will be the domestic airport, and the new international terminal near the north end of the runway,</figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241018121028_6e17cc2ee87c1b02d78cb54905825b7aa15299b7a00f5eddb01a59579ab85c1a" data-rendition-name="original" width="1353" height="1328" loading="lazy" alt="Kathmandu airport NT"> </figure>  CAAN has reportedly told international airlines to cut their flight frequency to Kathmandu citing the shorter operation hours and has told budget airlines to shift some of their flights to Pokhara or Bhairawa, or face cuts. Many airlines currently operate regular flights to and from Kathmandu between 10PM and 8AM: Air Arabia to Sharjah, Fly Dubai to Dubai, Jazeera Airways to Kuwait, Cathay Pacific to Hong Kong, Singapore Airlines, several Nepal Airlines flights, and one of four daily flights by Qatar Airways to Doha. Jazeera Airways, FlyDubai, and Thai AirAsia have applied and got permission from CAAN to begin regular flights to Bhairawa’s Gautam Buddha International Airport. Starting 9 November, FlyDubai will start making a stopover in Bhairawa before flying on to Kathmandu. Immigration, customs and security are all fully functional in Bhairawa. In Kathmandu, the next phase of the airport upgrade includes converting the current international terminal for domestic operations, the construction of a new international terminal where the domestic departure area is now, as well as moving the hangars and the Nepal Army Air Wing to the eastern side of the runway. The apron area will also double its parking space for widebody jets. This is part of a Airport Capacity Enhancement Project that was initially funded through a $80 million loan from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the entire masterplan is expected to cost $800 million. This project is the latest upgrade to Nepal’s only international airport since it saw its first flight in 1949. The current international and domestic terminals are too small to handle the current annual traffic volume of 8.5 million passengers a year that is growing at 20% a year.

Kathmandu airport to cut flight hours

As Kathmandu becomes more congested and polluted, and with remote online work becoming the norm, many professional Nepalis are planning to retire in Pokhara, or move there.&nbsp; With its stunning mountain panorama, balmy winters and proximity to a profusion of wilderness areas, builders are responding to this demand with new townhouses, housing development and apartments. One such block of flats is the 10-storey <a href="https://sungavaapartment.com/">Sungava Apartment</a> located at Phulbari above the Seti River, near the point where it flows into and under Pokhara. The imposing structure near Manipal Hospital is almost complete, and on a recent visit the site was strewn with huge boulders unearthed while digging the foundation.&nbsp; The Seti brought down these boulders during a gigantic flood that geologists estimate happened 800 years ago when a chunk of Annapurna IV broke off and ploughed into the glacier below. Today, Sungava (means ‘orchid’) sits safely on a high terrace, 100m above the blue-green Seti and commands a view of Dhaulagiri, Annapurna South, Machapuchre, Annapurna III and IV.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="2024102411104_5f8fc736c86ea3c08d7bef43bb727081d3cc1a2caa55ae2b441717e6044de7e9" data-rendition-name="original" width="2016" height="1512" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  The soil here is conglomerate that has solidified like concrete, and the boulders were extracted by heavy earthmovers. It is intriguing to think that these metamorphic rocks as big as cars, rounded by glacial grinding, were once a part of a much higher Annapurna IV. Even for those with little interest in geology, Sungava is an ideal place to contemplate the tectonic forces that pushed these peaks into the sky to be sculpted into delicate shapes by wind, snow, earthquake and avalanche over millions of years. The view of the Himalayan panorama from Sungava’s many balconies are breathtaking when not obscured by clouds, or the haze that drifts in from across the southern border. On most days, just watching the towering pyramid of Machapuchre (Tamu name: कतासुँ क्लिको) play hide and seek with the clouds is mesmerising. There are rocks aplenty at Phulbari, and it is probably the flowers that grew along the flat terraces e that gave the place its flowery name. The boulders will hopefully be turned into a rock garden while landscaping. An nearby restaurant complex is making the best use of the stones in its design, using flat rocks as outdoor benches and tables. Sungava was designed by the husband-wife architect team of Deepak Sherchan and Jyoti Joshi of <a href="https://thedarkmermaidamarbshrestha.blogspot.com/2013/12/creative-builders-collaborative-cbc.html">Creative Builders Collaborative (CBC)</a>, which also built Heritage Plaza, Indreni Apartment and numerous other projects in Nepal. Sadbhavana retains CBC’s trademark Newari-style masonry and here it borrows from the orange brickwork of the old town of Pokhara, integrating it with modern design elements. A few of those heritage houses are still standing in Ganesh Tole and Ram Krishna Tole in Pokhara’s old quarter.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="2024102411108_5eb64a4885961b6d30781cefeb1e8a313da313ac5227c7a66b60f0c7d48d6fab" data-rendition-name="original" width="1362" height="595" loading="lazy" alt="High living below the Himalaya NT"> </figure>  About 400m from the apartment past a bend on the river, and down below three tiers of terraces in the canyon is a suspension bridge. Below it, the Seti is still swollen with post-monsoon flow as it tumbles away in a hurry to head down south.&nbsp; Back at the apartment, it is quiet, far away from the hubbub of Lakeside a 15 minute drive away, and in the lap of greenery. There are 52 units at Sungava and it already has a close-knit prospective community of professionals, including doctors, publishers, engineers, and businesspeople from the renewable energy and IT sectors.&nbsp; Some residents say they opted for a second home in Pokhara to make it a ‘base camp’ to explore the Annapurnas with its many hiking trails made newly accessible with new roads. With the NRN citizenship law, overseas Nepalis can now also buy the flats. &nbsp; The floor plans include options for north and south-facing 3-bedroom apartments with verandas, and the facility has underground parking has EV charging, heated pool, sauna and gym. There are still some unsold apartments with panoramic views of the mountains and one can imagine oneself at the kitchen with its huge window, humming a ditty while preparing breakfast: “खाना पकाउँ हिमाल हेरेर...”

High living below the Himalaya

When the United Nations held its Summit of the Future at its headquarters in New York in September, many world leaders, including Nepal’s Prime Minister K P Oli, highlighted the effect of climate breakdown in increasing the frequency and intensity of natural disasters. What did not get as much attention was the long term impact of the climate crisis on food production. In fact, heat stress, weather extremes and the consequences on rain-fed agriculture is already being felt worldwide, undermining the chances of the <a href="https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/">UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)</a> being met by 2030.&nbsp; The SDG’s 17 targets commit countries like Nepal to reduce poverty and inequality, end malnutrition, protect the natural environment, and ensure that citizens all enjoy health, justice and prosperity without leaving anyone behind.&nbsp; However, besides the impact of climate breakdown on agricultural production, in Nepal the area under cultivation is impacted by urban expansion, falling productivity and the need for expensive inputs like fertiliser and pesticides.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241019041052_626413c5baf4dae407ac9579231b41daeb51510aa636b75aeb7489d94cca6a62" data-rendition-name="original" width="999" height="1500" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Kathmandu's urban sprawl is eating into its fertile cultivable lands. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  Now, a new study led by Nepali researcher Prajal Pradhan at the University of Groningen in The Netherlands looks at how urban agriculture may offer a solution to falling food production and meeting SDG targets. The researchers evaluated 1,450 publications exploring the contributions of urban agriculture with both positive and negative effects, and published their findings in the journal Cells Report Sustainability. Urban agriculture can help achieve 17 SDGs, positively influencing 81 targets. However, it could also undermine 51 goals.&nbsp; Read also: <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/here-now/the-vanishing-land">The vanishing land</a>, Taylor Mason “Urban agriculture offers immense potential for sustainable development, but realising this potential depends crucially on adopting practices that minimise its adverse effects while maximising its benefits,” Pradhan explains. Urban agriculture can substantially enhance urban food security, provide employment to the urban poor, serve as ground water recharge in built-up areas, and preserve open spaces that can serve as safe havens during disasters like earthquakes. However, it also presents problems like the potential health risks from contamination and the need for expensive inputs. &nbsp; “Urban agriculture plays a definitive role in advancing the SDGs, but achieving this requires tailored, context-specific solutions that address the unique challenges of different regions,” says Yuanchao Hu of Wuhan University in China and who is a researcher at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. “But it needs equitable access and rigorous management of environmental risks.”&nbsp; Rapid urbanisation is eating into Nepal’s most fertile agricultural land, which means farming in remaining open spaces inside cities can be a viable alternative, especially as food prices rise.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241019041052_7b7c9413086226fbdc630d45acf772cfa1ced77a8970b9056ec5ec7e5226fdf8" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>A vegetable patch in between new houses in Thimi. Photo: TAYLOR MASON</figcaption> </figure>  “The conversion of Nepal’s most fertile land into cities is a severe problem,” Pradhan told Nepali Times. “Crop cultivation, horticulture, agroforestry, beekeeping, livestock rearing, or aquaculture can all be farming activities within and around cities.”&nbsp; The study makes recommendations for sustainable practices that build on the positive aspects of urban agriculture while mitigating the downsides, thereby promoting more resilient cities in future. Research shows that urban agriculture has been helping many countries attain SDG targets by enhancing food security and biodiversity while helping education and preservation of open spaces.&nbsp; Indeed, many farmers from the hinterland who have settled in Kathmandu Valley or other urban areas of the country have been practicing urban agriculture, leasing neighbourhood patches or cultivating roof gardens both out of necessity because of inflation and falling income to grow their own food, and also as a fulfilling hobby. Saurav Dhakal, a sustainability advocate with Story Cycle and now research fellow at the Asian Institute of Technology in Thailand, says there are socio-economic and environmental benefits of urban agriculture. “It provides benefits to all urban dwellers, regardless of their income status,” says Dhakal, “families get fresh food, and there are many other benefits like water retention, heat regulation and biodiversity. These are all public goods, so special government incentives may be needed.” It is not unusual to see vegetable patches and even paddy fields within inner city Kathmandu where an older generation of farmers are using available fertile land and <a href="https://archive.nepalitimes.com/article/Nepali-Times-Buzz/rooftop-gardens-kathmandu,1415">roof gardens to produce fresh, nutritious food </a>to reduce their dependence on food items that have to be bought after being trucked in from large distances.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77.jpg" data-media-id="editor_5" data-image-id="2024101905100_1291ce98dbbb8caed8702ac4b1d469b3e13016d7ecaaf3bfd5f91c974d3c0c77" data-rendition-name="original" width="1500" height="999" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>An older generation of farmers are using any available fertile land to continue farming but it is getting more and more difficult. Photo: TAYLOR MASON </figcaption> </figure>  Nepal’s urban population grew rapidly from only 3.6% in 1991 to 25% today. There is large outmigration from the mountains to peri-urban areas of the Tarai, to Kathmandu Valley and Pokhara, with many young men then moving abroad for work. Kathmandu Valley’s population has swelled to nearly 3 million, and is growing at 6.5% a year. Dilip Shrestha, 71, used to work for Nepal Food Corporation, so he knew firsthand about inflation, shortages and vegetables with pesticide residue. So, when he designed his new house in Kathmandu, he built a spacious roof where he grows cucumber, ginger, garlic, coriander, onions, tomatoes, chili, beans, okra, pumpkin and lettuce. His family eats healthier, and he has reduced dependence on the market.&nbsp; The co-author of the Cell Reports Sustainability journal article, Daya Raj Subedi who is a PhD candidate at Beijing Forestry University, says urban agriculture also promotes inclusion and psycho-social wellbeing.&nbsp; He says, “A crucial finding of the study is the identification of opportunities and challenges associated with urban agriculture, it can promote sustainable transformation of society.” In Banepa, 55-year-old Bijaya Manandhar in her lifetime has watched the fertile farms of her neighbourhood that used to supply vegetables to Kathmandu, now completely built up with no open space left. The pandemic lockdown prompted her to turn to the family’s <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world">ancestral livelihood by growing food</a> not on terrace farms, but on the roof terrace. Manandhar is now a part of <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/banner/rooftop-agriculture-on-the-roof-of-the-world%5C%5C">कौसी खेती र करेसाबारी क्रान्ती</a> (Rooftop Farming and Garden Revolution) which has an online membership of 52,000, and awards annual prizes to women who excel in urban agriculture.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d.jpg" data-media-id="editor_8" data-image-id="20241019041052_7257f5def8f823f35a799fa6f6825e153f2ffa406ac11325d4fe74049b79e96d" data-rendition-name="original" width="1600" height="736" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> <figcaption>Rooftop farming is gaining popularity as a form of urban agriculture. </figcaption> </figure>   <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed.jpg" data-media-id="editor_9" data-image-id="20241019041052_beff1a4494ce896dd8fd383ee1f518e5448bcf7ea8bb138255391c7bcb9769ed" data-rendition-name="original" width="4000" height="3000" loading="lazy" alt="urban agriculture in Kathmandu"> </figure>  Pradhan says the challenge now is to upscale such examples of successful urban agricultural practices so they support Neal’s efforts to meet SDG targets. He adds, “Crop cultivation around cities can be protected by land use plans and regulations. Promoting community-based agriculture, including rooftop gardens, requires community engagement and public-private partnerships across the food value chain.”&nbsp; Such support would accelerate the popularity of existing rooftop farming and community gardens in Kathmandu Valley, or kitchen garden initiatives in Pokhara, and building on traditional farming practices that are preserved and integrated into urban settings like in Bhaktapur and Banepa. In Lalitpur, the Women Entrepreneurship Facilitation Center promotes urban farming enhancing both sustainability and empowerment.&nbsp; Another co-author of the report, Yuanchao Hu from China says followup research of the team will aim to identify good practices in local urban agriculture practices. He adds, “There are examples of urban agriculture that optimise sustainability, ensuring that it remains a viable solution for cities globally while countries try to meet SDG targets.” Prajal Pradhan, Daya Raj Subedi, Kshitij Dahal, Yuanchao Hu, Prakriti Gurung, Sijal Pokharel, Sagar Kafle, Biplav Khatri, Sudeeksha Basyal, Monika Gurung, and Aruna Joshi. Urban Agriculture matters for sustainable development. Cell Reports Sustainability, 1:100217, 2024. [DOI: 10.1016/j.crsus.2024.100217] Prajal Pradhan (<a href="mailto:p.pradhan@rug.nl">p.pradhan@rug.nl</a>) This article is brought to you by <a href="https://nepalitimes.com/" target="_blank">Nepali Times</a>, in collaboration with <a href="https://inpsjapan.com/en/" target="_blank">INPS Japan</a> and <a href="https://sgi-peace.org/" target="_blank">Soka Gakkai International</a>, in consultative status with UN ECOSOC.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758.jpg" data-media-id="editor_14" data-image-id="20240630110640_30c3782f9c09219bf1c249b51483a3cfb7a53a06d117d2aebd23ca7080d12758" data-rendition-name="original" width="680" height="103" loading="lazy" alt="SDG logo"> </figure>

Back to the land in the cities

The 700-year-old Lakshmi Narasingha temple in Bhaktapur houses a rare half-lion and half-human incarnation of Lord Vishnu carrying the Goddess Lakshmi. The temple was destroyed in the 1934 mega earthquake that killed 10,000 people and destroyed many monuments in Kathmandu Valley. It was rebuilt by a German project in the 1980s, but as a single-storey structure instead of its original two-tier pagoda design.&nbsp; With new findings from in-depth research, Bhaktapur municipality began re-restoring the temple in 2021, preserving its original architecture.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18.jpg" data-media-id="editor_0" data-image-id="20241017131016_2fae38cce543ad7b1f6de632feb3e212e08ed1acedd747830e949d7b8e878f18" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “Our temples and heritage sites hold deep meaning. It is disheartening to witness how often they lose their original elements, whether by design or accident,” explains Kumar Chawal of the Consumer Committee of Bhaktapur. “There is a need to preserve our architecture and protect its historical value for future generations. Otherwise, we risk losing a vital part of our identity.” The Laksmi Narsingha restoration is similar to the Bhai Dega temple in Patan Darbar Square which also collapsed in 1934, but was rebuilt with a Moghul-style dome by the Rana government at the time. Only two months before the 2015 earthquake, heritage conservationists had started to rebuild Bhai Dega as the original three-tier based on early photographs. But priorities shifted when four other temples in the square were brought down by the 7.8M earthquake on 25 April 2015.&nbsp;  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130.jpg" data-media-id="editor_1" data-image-id="20241017131016_697ea707d9ad163be5de5f2efbf5b70d3cab771adcc22f0fae6bf937c6cb0130" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  This showed how damage to monuments in Kathmandu Valley spanned from one earthquake to the next. Bhai Dega restoration remains half-complete to this day because money for its restoration ran out.&nbsp; Whereas Bhai Dega restoration was done by the Kathmandu Valley Preservation Trust with grants from western embassies and international foundations, in Bhaktapur it is the municipality itself that allocated the Rs30.7 million needed to restore the Lakshmi Narasingha temple. The expected date of completion is early 2025. The municipality and local communities are focusing on two main aspects: preserving the past and promoting localisation. The restoration team has designed a blueprint for the temple by using historical photographs and insights from older generations.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30.jpg" data-media-id="editor_2" data-image-id="20241017131016_182882fdc393c99e70d1d0490319e415229563666c4934e3a582426ebf00ca30" data-rendition-name="original" width="1200" height="560" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “At first, the Lakshmi Narasingha temple had only one entrance, but during the demolition process, we uncovered the foundations of four doors. Now, we are restoring all of them. This is an example of how our ancient structures have changed over time, often without our knowledge,” says Chawal. “Constructing temples is not like building houses. They carry historical and spiritual values, which is why they hold a special place in our hearts,” he adds. By replicating ancient design elements and rebuilding the temple as accurately as possible to its original form, the team has stayed true to Bhaktapur’s soul. But the restoration also revived ancient techniques that were in danger of being forgotten, generating employment for woodcarvers, masons, and contractors. The community of Bhaktapur’s Gahiti neighbourhood near the famous Nyatapola Temple has also set aside specific days for locals to volunteer in the reconstruction work. This has encouraged young people to take pride in ownership of their heritage. Families have also supported the effort by donating funds for bells, the temple pinnacle, and other structural features to the temple.  <figure> <img src="https://publisher-publish.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/pb-nepalitimes/swp/asv65r/media/20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6.jpg" data-media-id="editor_3" data-image-id="20241017131016_db850ec0c084cdbe54f65bee92dad2ad8122d20fd60ec87ec086fbb9d2f72bd6" data-rendition-name="original" width="2048" height="1365" loading="lazy" alt="In with the old in Nepal NT"> </figure>  “I feel at peace knowing I have contributed my sweat to restoring this temple,” said one volunteer. “It is our duty to preserve our temples and heritage. The Nyatapola area will look magical once this temple is completed.” Community mobilisation is a long-standing tradition in Bhaktapur. In the past, locals have actively participated in the restoration of other temples in the city, such as Bhairav and Nyatapola fostering a strong sense of ownership. This collective engagement has not only been crucial in preserving the city's historical monuments but also in strengthening the bond between local communities and their heritage, says officials at the municipality. While securing funding is essential, and the municipality showed it values heritage conservation, the Lakshmi Narasingha restoration is proof that active involvement and sense of responsibility of the local community is as important, if not more. Local involvement also means that the monuments will be cared for into the future, When locals take ownership of these efforts, the restored monuments are not only protected in the present but are also cared for in the future.

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