Manang: Tilicho Lake that lies at an altitude of 4919 metres in Manang district has now access to internet connectivity. The newly lunched service is for convenience of tourists visiting the lake in the mountainous district Manang, it has been said. It is expected to be highly effective for communications in case of altitude sickness and other emergency, said Cholpa Gurung, ward chair of Manang Dinsang Rural Municipality-9.
“The availability of the facility is expected to reduce incidents of visiting people going missing or falling ill. Visiting people can have a contact with their families and relatives,” he said. The service has come into operation to facilitate visiting tourists in coordination with tourism and hotel entrepreneurs, said a hotel entrepreneur Karma Dendu Gurung. “Internet connectivity has been set up to serve the need of tourists,” he said.
With the inflow of tourists during the tourist season, the service has been a boon for them, said tourism entrepreneurs. Tourist arrival is increasing in Manang. Tourists, both domestic and foreign, visit the tourist spot to view sceneries of the mountains, hill, culture and lifestyle of the local people. Mountaineers and trekkers wanting to climb mountains or trekking many routes go through the district. Over 200 foreign tourists visit the district on a daily basis, said Bhupendra Gurung, chief of the tourist check and information centre of the Area Office, Dharapani and the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP).
The pressure of tourists may increase during Dashain and Tihar. The Annapurna Circuit is connected with five districts, Lamjung, Manang, Kaski, Mustang and Myagdi. In eight months, over 14,200 tourists have trekked the route. Most of the trekkers were from Israel, France and Germany, said the centre. However, according to the centre, it does not have exact data of domestic tourists hiking the route.
The increasing inflow of tourists, both domestic and foreign of late, has encouraged tourism entrepreneurs. In view of health of visiting tourists, a temporary health post has been set up in the area in coordination with the rural municipality and the Area Office, ACAP. The ACAP provides information to tourists visiting Tilicho Lake and Thorangla Bhanjyang about possible health hazard and risks that may take place in course of a journey.
