Highest alpine walking GHT changes face of Humla

The development of the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT), the longest and highest alpine walking track in the world, has changed the face of Humla district.

Due to increased tourist movement, hotels and restaurant business has been flourishing here. Tourist-standard hoteld/restaurants are an hour’s walk apart.

Tourist movement has increased mostly along the Hilsa-Darm trek. The GHT extends from Humla in the west to Kanchenjunga in the east, and takes some 157 days to trek. Hilsa, a border with Tibet, is also a gateway to Mt Kailash and the mythical Lake Manasarovar.

With increasing income generating activities, locals have started shifting to hospitality business from their traditional occupation. According to locals, the number of both domestic and foreign tourists has been increasing.
Sunam Lama, a local from district headquarters Simikot, was a potter a few years ago. But now he operates a hotel and a guest house in his home. “I now earn more than Rs 300,000 annually.” Thirteen years ago, Lama used to earn Rs 150 daily as a potter.

This year, four-five new restaurants opened in Simikot alone. Not only in Simikot, the hotel business is flourishing everywhere from in Hilsa to Darm. Even Nara, which is 4,000 metres above the sea level, has a hotel. Lama said locals are competing to open new hotels, lodges and restaurants.

Tourist started visiting Humla two decades ago when the government lifted restriction to foreigners in Limi and Muchu village development committees, the villages bordering with China.

In 2011, Humla welcomed 563 Indian and 900 foreigners. According to the district police office, the district saw 827 Indian and 558 foreign visitors in 2012.

Increase in tourism activities has also created employment opportunities. SNV Netherlands Development Organisation, through GHT Development Programme, has been providing hospitality and other skill development training to locals.

Rakesh Shahi, programme coordinator of SNV, said that the organisation, in coordination with Nepal Trust, has been providing training and conducting various activities along the Hilsa-Darm trekking route to create awareness among people.

“Local entrepreneurs in the Hilsa-Chakali region near Mugu border have been benefited with training and other capacity development programmes,” Shahi said.

Local can now provide tourist-standard facilities and proper sanitation facilities to visitors. The GHT is divided into 10 sections across 16 districts.