Gandaki. Daily tourists have been coming to reach the base camp of Annapurna Mountain even during the rainy season. Despite the monsoon season, more than 50 tourists still visit annapurna base camp every day.

Dilip Gurung, secretary of Chomrong Tourism Management Committee, said that in this season, the fast blooming and wilting bookie flowers as well as flowers of different species and the greenery and streams seen here attract anyone coming here. The trekking route to Annapurna Base Camp has earned interest and discussion among the best trekking routes in the world in the field of trekking tourism. The tourism entrepreneurs here are excited as tourists are arriving even during the monsoon season.

Till about four and a half decades ago, tourists had to stay in the sheep sheds as well as the huts made by the locals. Secretary Gurung said that the compulsion has been removed due to the well-equipped hotels built here now.

Until a few years ago, there were 26 hotels operating in Sinuwa, Bambo, Himalaya, Dobhan, Deurali, Machhapuchhre base camp and Annapurna base camp.

Annapurna Area Conservation Project (ACAP), which has been protecting the area since 2043 BS, had 156 rooms at the rate of 6 in each hotel as per the criteria set by ACAP. However, in view of the increasing attraction of tourists in recent times, hotels have been expanded with the upgradation of hotels here.

Secretary Gurung informed that 34 hotels have come into operation in Sinuwa and above in the recent past. With the expansion of the number of hotels, tourist-oriented facilities have also been increased here. Recently, four hotels are operating in Sinuwa, six in Bambo, three in Himalaya, five in Devan, five in Deurali, five in Machhapuchhre base camp and six in Annapurna base camp.

“With the expansion of the capacity along with the number of hotels, tourists coming to the area can now accommodate 500 to 600 people daily,” he said. ’

The entrepreneurs here have been regularly cleaning the trekking route targeting the arrival of tourists. Regular cleaning of this trekking route is carried out in the first week of July and the last week of July.

With the main trekking season of April-April, the garbage on the trekking route since then is cleaned in the first week of June. Secretary Gurung informed that 290 bags of glass and plastic waste were collected from the trekking route this year alone and sent to the Green Waste Management Zone in Pokhara.

According to tourism entrepreneurs, the number of tourists will increase from the first week of August. Preparations have been started targeting the increase in tourist arrivals. Annapurna Century Tourism Committee has been organizing the International Annapurna Marathon every year from Annapurna Base Camp to Ghandruk. Lalit Gurung, chairman of Annapurna Century Tourism Committee, said that the marathon competition has been organized since 2075 BS on the occasion of Annapurna Mountaineering Day.

Stating that the fifth edition of Annapurna Marathon has been completed so far, he said it has also contributed significantly to the promotion of trekking tourism in the region at home and abroad.

On June 3, 1950, the team of French citizen Maurice Herzog set a world record by climbing Mount Annapurna I. The day is celebrated on the occasion of Annapurna Climbing Day by organizing various programs.

On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary climbed the world’s highest peak Mt Everest.

In 1966, a decade and a half after climbing Mount Annapurna, world-renowned trekker Eric Shipton trekked to the 4,130-meter-high Annapurna Base Camp.