Mustang Sees Tourist Influx During Tihar Holidays

Mustang

Mustang. The number of tourists visiting the Himalayan district of Mustang on the occasion of the Tihar holiday is increasing. Due to the long government holidays before and after Tihar, the number of tourists visiting Mustang has increased.

This year, due to adverse weather conditions, tourists did not come to Mustang as expected before and after Dashain. Due to heavy rain, snowfall, avalanches, and storms, and the projection of natural risks, the number of tourists this year was not as expected compared to previous years. However, as the weather has been becoming favorable with Tihar approaching, the arrival of domestic and foreign tourists has increased, according to the District Police Office Mustang.

According to police inspector and information officer Santosh Basnyal, with Tihar approaching, the number of domestic tourists has increased by two-thirds compared to foreign tourists. Police inspector Basnyal mentioned that schools, colleges, government and non-governmental offices, banks and financial institutions, cooperatives, and community groups visit Mustang during the Tihar festival.

According to the data of the District Police Office Mustang, 35,858 tourists entered Mustang from November 1 to 15. Among them, 27,107 were domestic tourists and 8,751 were foreign tourists, informed police inspector Basnyal.

Among foreign tourists, 7,714 came from SAARC nations and 1,037 from other countries visited Mustang, he said. Most of the tourists who came to Mustang during Tihar visited the Muktinath temple before returning, and some tourists reached the Korala pass. Although the winter cold has increased significantly in Mustang, tourism entrepreneurs say that domestic tourists will continue to arrive until Chhath festival due to government holidays.

Tourism entrepreneur Suraj Gurung of Muktinath mentioned that Mustang is becoming the preferred destination for young people during Tihar and Chhath. Tourism entrepreneur Gurung informed that the tourists who came in this way visit various tourist destinations in Mustang under the pretext of visiting Muktinath temple before returning.

In Mustang, a religious and tourist Himalayan district, the number of tourists has been increasing every year with the improvement of road transportation. Although the obstruction of the Beni-Jomsom road this year and adverse weather conditions for some time have affected tourist movement, the arrival numbers have not been affected compared to last year. Thousands of tourists visit Mustang daily in favorable tourism conditions, and school and college students come to visit Mustang during festivals like Dashain, Tihar, and Chhath.

The first destination for tourists visiting Mustang is the Muktinath temple. After that, tourists visit and return from various tourist destinations including the Korala pass, Lo Manthang Durbar, Jhong Cave, Ghar Gumba, Damodarkunda Tirtha, Chhusi Cave, Dhumba Lake, Kagbeni, Jomsom, Marpha, and Sekung Lake, Bhutarcho Lake, and Titi Lake in Thasang Rural Municipality.

They return after observing the historical, religious, and cultural heritage, biodiversity, lifestyle, attire, and Himalayan civilization of the Himalayan district. In recent times, the Nepal-China northern Korala pass has been becoming an important tourist destination for domestic tourists.