A newly developed circular hiking trail in Ghandruk village of Kaski district has begun attracting tourists with its scenic mountain views, lush forests, traditional settlements, and peaceful natural surroundings.
Located in Wards 10 and 11 of Annapurna Rural Municipality, the trail has become a popular short hiking route for visitors staying in Ghandruk. The route passes through Kotgaon, Balache Garden, Deurali, Navri Theb, Meshram Baraha Temple, Kochama Pwa, Nego, tea estates, and Dandagaon before ending at the Ghandruk Bus Park.
Chairperson of the Ghandruk Tourism Management Committee, Bikram Gurung, said that around 60 percent of the construction work on the circular trail has been completed. The project was launched three years ago under the initiative of the committee.
According to him, the Nepal Tourism Board has provided NPR 2 million this year for additional construction work. The project has also received support from federal, provincial, and local governments, as well as local donors.
Infrastructure development, including parks, resting places, and gazebos, is currently underway along the trail. Organizers believe the project will help increase tourists’ length of stay in Ghandruk and further strengthen tourism in the region.
Tourism entrepreneur Amrit Lama Gurung said the short hiking route has become popular among tourists seeking a peaceful experience away from busy city life. He added that visitors can enjoy sunrise views, forests, valleys, and traditional Gurung culture during the walk.
The Meshram Baraha Temple, located along the trail, is also attracting religious visitors, especially from the Gurung community.
So far, around NPR 5.3 million has been spent on the construction of the trail. Organizers said the trail is being built in a traditional style using locally available materials. Two parks are also being developed along the route.
Chief of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Area Conservation Office, Bhim Prasad Upadhyay, said the trail is expected to become a new tourism attraction in Ghandruk. He added that the number of Indian and domestic tourists visiting the area has increased significantly in recent years.
According to tourism officials, nearly 2,000 to 3,000 tourists visit Ghandruk daily during the peak tourism season. The village currently has around 80 hotels and resorts, along with 35 homestays, making tourism one of the major sources of local income and employment.
