To enhance the experience of tourists, signposts and information boards have been installed along the trekking routes in Upper Mustang. The Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) Office in Lomanthang has placed these signposts to assist with route identification and provide informative details about the tourist, religious, and historical sites, as well as messages on wildlife conservation.
ACAP Lomanthang Ranger Madan Poudel shared that the signposts, information boards, and hoarding boards have been installed at 48 locations across Chhusang, Lo-Ghekar Damodar Kunda, and Lomanthang of Baragung Muktikshetra Rural Municipality and Lomanthang Rural Municipality. “These signposts are intended to help tourists easily identify their destinations without getting lost, ensuring a smooth journey,” he explained. “We have placed information boards with maps detailing the significance of historical, natural, religious, and tourist sites like caves, lakes, monasteries, and palaces.”
The hoarding boards also aim to promote the conservation of rare wildlife in the area, such as the snow leopard, red panda, and Tibetan argali, and provide cautionary messages to reduce human-wildlife conflict. This initiative serves to inform tourists and ensure their safety while exploring the region.
ACAP Chief Pramod Raj Regmi highlighted that ranging poles and signposts have been placed along roads and trails to prevent tourists from getting lost or taking longer, winding routes. The scattered human settlements and barren, rugged mountains make navigation challenging, hence the necessity for clear signposting.
Ganesh Gurung (Suren), a resident of Annapurna Rural Municipality-5, recently returned from a trek to Damodar Kunda and noted that the information boards and signposts indicating elevation, distance, travel time, and unique features made his journey much easier. He emphasized the need for more such installations in other locations.
Upper Mustang, part of the Annapurna Conservation Area (ACAP), boasts numerous tourist and religious sites, including Lomanthang, a walled settlement, as well as historic palaces, monasteries, caves, and Damodar Kunda. The region’s distinctive culture, lifestyle, and geography are key attractions for visitors.
In 2023, a total of 3,484 foreign tourists visited Upper Mustang. However, domestic tourism has seen a rise in recent times. Upper Mustang is a restricted area, and foreign tourists are required to pay a fee of 500 USD for a 10-day permit. For visits exceeding 10 days, an additional charge of 50 USD per day applies.
Despite its allure, the high fees for restricted areas have somewhat limited the expected increase in tourist numbers, which has affected the local economy. Tashi Nurbu Gurung, Chairperson of Lomanthang Rural Municipality, has called for the removal of the restricted status to boost tourism and improve the livelihoods of locals.
