Nima Sherpa owned a lodge in Kutumsang in central Nepal when the earthquake of April 2015 struck and levelled every building in his village. Since then, he has had to build temporary wooden structures to house his family and to shelter trekkers.
The worst natural disaster to hit Nepal since 1934, the earthquake killed over 8,000 people, injured more than 21,000, and left two million homeless, with entire villages flattened across many districts of the country.
Yet last June, the Nepal Tourism Board advised that heritage sites were reopening, transport links were intact and most trekking areas were safe and open again for business. “The government of Nepal requests international travellers to visit the magnificent and bustling country of Nepal, and support by visiting it as she attempts to stand proudly on her feet once again. Walk the beautiful trails in the shadows of the most magnificent mountains on Earth as you help the Nepalese people reset their course on the path to prosperity.”
Late autumn is cold and clear in the Nepalese Himalayas, and in December we did the Gosainkund trek, a popular route for walkers and pilgrims on their way to see a series of sacred lakes in the high pass. Along the way, the lodge owners who sheltered and fed us talked about how the earthquake had affected their livelihoods.
Trekking is a lucrative industry for the country, and visitor numbers are down by more than half in the last 12 months. The government’s optimistic stance is certainly not reflected in the experience of those working as guides. The government has promised around £1,250 compensation for destroyed homes but none for guesthouses. Nima has received only a tenth of that amount. Government engineers are meant to approve any building project before it goes ahead, but there has been no sign of them yet.
The situation is even harder for Jimbu and Kanchi Sherpa in Thadepati Pass, as their business lies within the boundary of Langtang national park. Despite the destruction of their property and the subsequent nosedive in tourist traffic – which is down by 85% in the area – the park still demands payment of the annual royalty fee of about £575. Jimbu is desperate: “If we still have to pay the royalty, our only option will be to leave this place.”
In Phedi, Dawa and Lakpa Sherpa tell us that three and half years ago, the National Park Authority informed the guesthouse owners that in five years, the land their lodges reside on will be put up for tender, effectively sold to the highest bidder. The earthquakes and the fuel blockade by India last autumn mean they will have less money to bid on the plots than they would have had otherwise. They say they’ve lost business because the government has done nothing to repair the trail after the quake. Instead, herders and hotel owners have had to pick their way through the landslides and the trail is more challenging now.
As we ascend towards the sacred lakes, clouds begin to dust the ground with snow. We take shelter in an abandoned lodge and light a fire. The next morning we have a clear view of some of the world’s tallest mountains as we move along a pristine trail dotted with red panda prints, reminding us of what makes Nepal the world’s foremost trekking destination.
“Without tourism,” lodge owner Kanxa Sherpa says, “our life is very hard – impossible to live.” He’s still hopeful though; Nepal has dealt with political unrest and natural disasters before. The tourism industry has always bounced back.
Support from outside is coming from companies such as World Expeditions, which has been operating in Nepal for more than 40 years and had over 200 trekkers and staff in the region when the earthquake struck. It has run seven “Re-Build Nepal” community project trips during the 2015-16 trekking season, sending 1,000-plus travellers to the country. It will run two new projects in autumn 2016.
UK manager Gordon Steer, said: “Nepal is ‘open for business’ but trekking is down, which has had a knock-on effect – from porters in small villages to taxi drivers in Kathmandu and restaurants seeing less business. Now, more than ever, the people of Nepal need something back from us. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office advises that it is safe to travel throughout the country and we encourage travellers to consider visiting sooner rather than later.”
