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TIMS Counter opened in Thamel

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TIMS Counter opened in Thamel

Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has opened Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) Counter in Manang Plaza, Thamel.

Taan

Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has opened Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) Counter in Manang Plaza, Thamel.


Secretary at the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation Suresh Man Shrestha inaugurated the new counter amid a function on Tuesday morning.
TAAN believes the new counter will save time as trekking agencies and foreigners can get TIMS cards in Thamel – the tourist hotspot in Kathmandu Valley – itself. The counter will open from 7 am till 6 in the evening and from 10 am till 1 pm on public holidays. Now onwards, foreign trekkers — both FITs and those travelling in groups — can get TIMS card from the counter.

taan1

TIMS Counter opened in Thamel


Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Secretary Shrestha said the new counter will facilitate foreign trekkers. “I would like to thank and congratulate TAAN for taking initiative for improving service delivery for foreign tourists,” Shrestha said, adding, “The government is a mere facilitator, private sector has to take necessary initiatives for tourism development.”
Secretary Shrestha also promised TAAN all possible support to make TIMS more effective. He also said the government was mulling over introducing TIMS to other trekking areas of the country.
At present, TIMS has been implemented in three major trekking areas of the country – Everest Region, Langtang Region and the Annapurna Region. Foreigners travelling in groups have to pay a fee of US$ 10 each for TIMS card, while FITs need to pay $20 each. Similarly, FITs and group trekkers from SAARC countries are required to pay $6 and $3, respectively.

TIMS-Counter-opened-in-Thamel

Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has opened Trekkers’ Information Management System (TIMS) Counter in Manang Plaza, Thamel.


TAAN President Ramesh Prasad Dhamala said TAAN would work with the government to make TIMS more effective and transparent. He also requested Secretary Shrestha to implement TIMS in other trekking areas of the country.
On the occasion, Deepak Mahat, former president of TAAN, said TIMS was necessary to discourage illegal operation of trekking business by different individuals and groups. Similarly, TAAN General Secretary Sagar Pandey apprised Secretary Shrestha of the difficulties that TAAN has been facing in TIMS implementation.

Wi-Fi in Mt. Everest Base Camp

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Wi-Fi in Mt. Everest Base Camp

The base-camps of the Mount Everest and Amadablam peak have come under the ambit of internet wi-fi service.

Mt Everest is 8848 metres and Ama Dablam is 6812 meters high from the sea level respectively.

everest-base-camp-trek

Wi-Fi in Mt. Everest Base Camp

Everest Link, an internet service provider organisation, rendered the service up to the base camp in course of extending its services in the Khumbu Area of the district. With the installation of the internet services in the areas as Namche, Khumjung, Gokyo, among others have come to the access of internet service.

According to Buddhi Tamang, the proprietor of Everest Link, as of now some 70% of the district’s villages enjoy access to internet with the speed of 20 mbps. “We are planning to increase the speed by double in near future,” Tamang said.Tourists visiting the district are elated with the far and wide access of the internet in the remote areas in the district including the base camp. RSSMt Everest is 8848 metres and Ama Dablam is 6812 meters high from the sea level respectively.

Everest Link, an internet service provider organisation, rendered the service up to the base camp in course of extending its services in the Khumbu Area of the district. With the installation of the internet services in the areas as Namche, Khumjung, Gokyo, among others have come to the access of internet service.

According to Buddhi Tamang, the proprietor of Everest Link, as of now some 70% of the district’s villages enjoy access to internet with the speed of 20 mbps.

“We are planning to increase the speed by double in near future,” Tamang said.Tourists visiting the district are elated with the far and wide access of the internet in the remote areas in the district including the base camp.

Source: Setopati

New Trekking Route “Loluphera” Identified

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A new trekking route has been established by integrating religious, historical and natural beauty embedded in the west Nepal.

The trekking route namely ‘Loluphera’ has been identified including over a dozen tourism sites of Dhaulagiri, Gandaki, Lumbini and Karnali zones.

The task of geographical mapping is underway after undertaking a primary feasibility study as part of the implementation of an idea of establishing trekking route connecting Lomanthang of Mustang to Lumbini and Fewa Lake of Pokhara to Rara Lake of Mugu, said Loluphera Trekking Route Campaign Coordinator Krishna KC said.

He further said discussions are being held from local residents of trekking route zone to Ministry of Tourism and political leadership for the operation of trekking route.

The campaigners´ team has already carried out feasibility study of proposed sites connecting trekking routes in Kaski, Parbat, Baglung, Dolpa, Mugu, Mustang, Manang and Myagdi districts.

The team comprising tourism experts and technicians which has arrived in Beni of Myagdi via Mustang is studying probability of trekking route linking Gulmi, Palpa and Lumbini, KC informed.

There is huge potential of attracting religious tourists with the prevalence of natural beauty, historical sites, mountain series, art, culture, hilly life and mind-blowing landscape along with the availability of religious sites including Lumbini, Muktinath and Damodar Kunda, KC added. -RSS

Khumbu listed among Lonely Planet’s 10 best regions

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Lonely Planet has placed Nepal’s Khumbu region among the 10 best regions to explore in 2015. Khumbu is also known as the Everest region.

The Australian-based world’s largest travel guide publisher has also cautioned would-be visitors about recent mishaps in Nepal. The guide book has placed Nepal in the sixth spot after Gallipoli in Turkey, Rocky Mountain National Park in the US, Toledo in Belize, Tasmania in Australia and Norway Arctic in Norway.

Rights Managed

It said that Everest was a classic journey following in the footsteps of Tenzing and Hillary into the planet’s most jaw-dropping mountain arena, home to the world’s highest peak. “With Nepal’s Maoist uprising firmly behind it, trekkers are rediscovering the region’s remoter trails. We don’t really need to sell you on the mountain glories of the Khumbu region; just a whisper of the word ‘Everest’ and everyone in the room snaps to attention,” it said.

“Try the high-altitude Three Passes trek or adventurous Mera Peak expedition. And since 2015 marks a half-century since Major Jimmy Roberts organized the first commercial trek in Nepal, it might be time to dust off those trekking boots,” the guide book said.

“If you want something more authentic, tread the old-school approach routes to Everest from Jiri and Tumlingtar, along parts of the 1,700-km-long Great Himalaya Trail. Already popular, the trails to Everest are only going to get busier in future seasons. Why trek to Everest? Well, as Mallory famously quipped, ‘Because it’s there’.”

It said that this month’s tragic events in Annapurna which killed dozens of trekkers have pushed mountain safety to the top of the agenda. Extreme weather can occur in the Himalaya at any time, and it is essential to monitor local weather conditions and seek shelter if conditions deteriorate.

“On any trek, make sure you are properly equipped, inform people of where you are going and when you will be back, and seek local advice as you trek.”

With 60 flights arriving daily at Lukla airport in the peak season and 200 people queuing up to attempt Everest on a good day, overcrowding on the trails is an ever-pressing issue.

Finding a sustainable way to deal with the waste produced by so many trekkers and porters in such a remote region is a complex problem, though solar-powered technology is making a difference in many trekking lodges.

The book added, “Fans of the bizarre will want to hike up to Khumjung Monastery to get a peek at its yeti scalp. Nearby Pangboche Monastery had its famous yeti hand stolen in 1991, but a replica is now on display.

From this year, each Everest climber is required to carry 8 kg of waste off the mountain. It said that air safety in Nepal is another concern, after air crashes in 2010, 2011 and 2012 killed dozens of trekkers and Nepali staff en route to or from the region.

The Everest region receives around 36,000 trekkers and mountaineers annually. The local Sherpa people are what make trekking in the Everest region such a joy.

“Many of the lodges you stay in will be run by retired summiteers, and most families have at least one member employed as a climbing porter or trekking guide.”

Source: ekantipur

Indian kid successfully climbs Kalapatthar

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Indian kid successfully climbs Kalapatthar

A five year and 11 month old Indian boy claimed to have set a new world record by successfully climbing Kalapatthar peak, some 200 metre above the base camp of Mount Everest in Nepal.

Harshit Saumitra, the son a famous mountaineer from India, reached 5,554 m high Kalapatthar on October 17.Harshit’s climbing team included his father Rajeev Saumitra and two Sherpa guides.

Harshit had embarked towards the Everest base camp on October 7, when he landed at Lukla Airport by a helicopter.It took the boy 10 days to reach the base camp, for which ordinary people take 7 days.

“I had taken special precaution for his safety and his health condition is perfectly sound,” said his father.Harshit was moving towards the base camp located in North-East Nepal at a time when dozens of people, mostly foreigners, lost their lives in the Himalayas, due to snow blizzard in North-West Nepal.

Everest-KalaPatthar

“We took two days’ rest at a tent on way to the base camp to protect from the blizzard,” Rajeev said.He has not shown any symptoms of headache or high altitude sickness during the climbing, despite his young age, he added.

“Jay Hind, India is the great,” Harshit said waving the Indian tri-colour after reaching Kalapatthar.The peak is higher than the highest peaks of three continents, Europe’s Mount Blanc (4,810 m), Antartica’s Vinson Massif (4,892 m) and Australia’s Punack Jaya or Carstensz Pyramid (4,884 m).

Harshit has set a world record by breaking earlier records, claimed his father Rajeev at a press conference in Kathmandu.The boy had broken the record set by seven-year-old Aryan Balaji, another Indian boy, who had reached the Everest base camp and Kalapatthar in May 2012.

Harshit’s father said that he will start the process of registering the name of Harshit for Limca Book of Records from tomorrow.”We will provide all the evidences including his birth certificate and the video clippings of the climbing,” he said.

“We are also considering to apply for Guinness World Records for our claim of setting a world record shortly,” he added.

Nepal celebrates 35th World Tourism Day

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Nepal celebrates 35th World Tourism Day

With the theme, ‘Development of Tourism and Community’ International Tourism Day-2014 was observed in the Capital Kathmandu.

The International Tourism Day is marked every year on September 27 since 1980, following the United Nations World Tourism Organization’s (UNWTO) decision so as to raise awareness on the social, cultural, economical and financial importance of tourism through such a worldwide celebration.

tourism-day

Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA), Nepal Tourism Board and Private sector organizations organized a rally on Saturday morning.

On the same occasion, Sureshman Shrestha, the Chairman of Nepal Tourism Board, declared ‘Kaulepani Gaun’ of Lamjung district as a ‘World Tourism Day Village’ for 2014/15.

Chairman Shrestha urged for a unity between government agencies and private companies to promote tourism in the country.

He also informed that another international airport will be constructed in Bhairawaha in view with the promotion of tourism expanding the air connectivity.

Similarly, Forum for Village Tourism Promotion’s Chairman Chitra Bahadur Gurung underscored the need for the village-centered tourism rather than the city-oriented one.

While some 0.8 million tourists visited Nepal in 2013, the government aims to increase the influx of the tourists to 0.9 million at the end of this fiscal year, Shrestha added.

According to the Main Organizing Committee, the International Tourism Day was observed with fanfare in all 75 districts across the country.

Source: Nepalmountainnews