Call from the farwest

It was a sunny day of 20th August, 2025. Our 865 km longest Api base camp journey began as we took an early morning flight from Kathmandu to Dhangadi. The weather was clear as we took off from Kathmandu watching beautiful mountain, hill side and settlements. We were excited as we both were visiting the far west region for the first time. We shared our presumptions and excitement throughout the one hour flight. After reaching Dhangadi, we met Mr Himalaya Bhatta, who also happens to be a local resident and the tourism ambassador of Darchula district. We had our lunch together and were notified about the Api trail route circuit. The place itself was surreal as we got to see some tourism related travel content created by Himalaya. All of this fueled us and we headed to get a ticket for the bus ride to Darchula. We spent the day roaming around the clean Dhangadi city and visited the local gears market for trek preparations.  Far from the capital, Dhangadi Sub-Metropolitan City has been doing some exemplary work in areas of waste management. It is among very few sub-metropolitan areas that earns from the waste generated in the city. All thanks to its integrated waste management system which was able to generate Nrs 2.5 million in revenues in 2023-2024 and is expected to generate Nrs 7.2 million in 2024-2025 (The Kathmandu Post, 2025). With a positive impression of Dhangadi, we eventually took the bus at around 6 pm for Gokuleshwar. 

On the second day, after a night long ride, we arrived in Gokuleshwor early in the morning. From there, we took another bus to Latinath. This three hour trip was exhilarating. The forests along the way were blooming with the monsoon weather while the road leading to Latinath was a bit thrilling with remains of landslides along the road. Passing through Chamelia hydropower we reached Chuirani and observed Binayek hill on the left. It is an alternative trekking route that connects Lathinath, Chiurani, Seri, Binayek, Sipti, Hoparigadh, Dallekh, Sela and Khalanga bazar. Thinking about this route, we reached Latinath located on the bank of Chaulani River. Latinath is a small village with a vibrant market that serves people living in the higher regions. It is a local hinterland where students living in upper Himalayan regions came for higher studies. We visited Lathinath temple and also took a brief stroll around the market, interacted with local community people including teachers. After breakfast, we took a jeep to reach Makarigad, which was the last stop of our ride. Makarigad is an entry point of Api Base Camp trek. We visited the information center developed by the local government. The local government was trying to promote locally produced organic products. We understood Api Base Camp is more of a local tourism destination for Yarsa herding and only a few tourists visited for trekking. The information official suggested we follow the traditional route through Ghusa village. The newly opened trail route through Khandeshwori village that connects Makarigad with Api Rural Municipality Office was damaged due to the rain. According to locals, this road impacted the traditional route which passes through the villages. We turned left and started trekking to Ghusa. We came across a hydropower project area. The region above and ahead from the hydropower, had no electricity and locals completely relied on solar energy. The hydropower project in the area didn’t serve the locals in the area which was quite surprising. The trail on the way was damaged at a few places due to landslides. We were informed to be careful as locals reported that there were a few incidents in the past of rocks falling and hurting trekkers on the trail. Slowly and carefully, we managed to reach Ghusa which is one of the oldest villages in the region. This village is also connected with upper hillside settlements of Api and Bayas regions. This upper trekking route to Api base camp passes from Khalanga bazar, Sela, Dallekh, Sina, Banna, Setkalli, Binayek Dhar, Sitola, Khadyan, Lithi and reaches Ghusa. We stayed for the night in the homestay in Ghusa operated by local teacher, Keshav Dhami. 

Into the heartland

The next day, we visited the community managed Mahadev secondary school. We interacted with the teachers and locals.  Most of them have realized the importance of tourism for improving community livelihoods. However, benefits from tourism are not equally shared among community members. Though, there’s no electricity in the village. It was a pleasant surprise to see a computer lab operated using solar electricity. The resources were locally mobilized. Thinking about their aspirations we headed to Siti. On our way, we met students from the school returning back to their homes in Siti. There’s only a lower secondary school in Siti, so the students had to walk to Ghusa for higher secondary education. We reached Siti at around 6 pm amidst heavy rainfall, freshened up and sat beside the fire talking to locals informally about their culture, food, history, education, tourism and many other things and ended our day.

The next morning, we strolled around the Siti village interacting with locals. The locals were cooperative and welcoming. We then passed through small scattered settlements and reached Khaiykot. It started raining very soon. A little ahead on the trail we came across the conservation post office. The checkpost is located slightly off the trail. As a result, many visitors fail to register themselves in the Khaiykot checkpost. Besides, the conservation office is overpowered by the local government and has not been able to lead conservation programs. From the revenue generated by the conservation office, some of the work done in the area coordinating with the local communities include: development of the Khaiykot checkpost and Khadeshwori Checkpost for tracking the visitors in the area, establishment of toilets in teahouses developed by NTB, added signage posts in places needed. The conservation office uses 30-50% of the revenue generated from the tourists to develop and promote tourism in the area through various activities within the community. We then continued on the trail through the forest and along the Chaulani River. The effects of monsoon rain was evident in this part of the trail. After a couple of hours, we reached Chirchire, where a rest stop was constructed by the tourism board. It was a small teahouse for a short break and lunch. Along the teahouse, several local workers were working to build houses using locally available resources: stone and wood. It had been raining all day so small streams had gradually started to grow and trails were flooded as we moved higher. We came across a few streams where it was hard to cross the stream without taking our boots off. The cold water and the slippery stones offered a challenging environment. Eventually, we reached Simar and ended our walk for the day. We met some fellow trekkers, a local licensed guide and a few local residents working nearby. 

The Ascent and the Revelation

On the fifth day, we started our trek early in the morning. The trail above Simar was a pleasant one with colorful flowering plants. The elevation was comfortable and the trail was in good condition too. Along the trail, we observed dustbins and trail signs supported by NTB.  Passing through the forest, we reached Domal greenery pasture land. The Himalayan goats were grazing around. We realized the potential to develop Himalayan goat farm as a learning center for the visitors and farmers. Besides, the center could also promote Himalayan goat (Chyangra) farming commercially in settlements inside the API Conservation Area.Thinking about this, we reached Dhauli Odar. Dhauli Odar marked the end of tree line and start of the beautiful high altitude grasslands suitable for pasture. This place hosts the highest number of tourists in the peak Yarsa season. There are a couple of hotels and teahouses.  We had plenty of time to reach Api Base Camp. So we interacted with business owners and local shepherds in their squatter settlements. These people shared their hardships of life with a contagious smile on their faces. This left a lasting impression on my mind. As we moved forward, the trail was very scenic and comfortable too. Moving on, we came across Babya Khola. A little ahead was a cabin style hotel and teahouse built with private investment. Nearby, NTB in coordination with the local government was also building a teahouse which was under construction. We then headed towards Api Base Camp with some local friends who we had met earlier in Dhauli Odar. We shared food, and had joyful conversations about romantic life experiences. We reached the base camp at around 5 in the evening. Luckily, after we reached there, foggy Mt Api cleared up for a few minutes. This was a serene experience as the day had been gloomy since early morning. It felt like the mountain cleared up just for us so we could be in its awe. We strolled the nearby areas before ending our day besides the warmth of fire and hospitality of the hotel owner. 

The next day, we decided to get up to the natural viewpoint suggested by local friends. We headed up early in the morning. Half way along the trail to the top, we realized there’s no trail ahead. This was basically a pastureland for local shepherds. We somehow managed our way to the top. However, very few tourists managed to reach there due to lack of trail leading to the top. Nevertheless, the view was spectacular. We were lucky that the skies had cleared up that day though just for a while. We spent a long time there thinking about possibilities and benefits of constructing a stone-paved natural viewpad to observe Kalidunga Taal, Kaiyokoor, API and Saipal mountains in 360 degree view. Apparently, only locals went to the top to collect Yarsa in the harvesting season. We got back to the hotel at Basecamp. Many local shepherds had gathered in the hotel and were enjoying friendly conversation. They asked us whether we liked the views. They also informed us about another major tourist attraction called Ringde Taal of Chyangro village located in Byas side. Apparently, it is a much bigger and beautiful pond but the trail leading to the pond was a bit risky. One of the tourists staying in another hotel also informed us about the path leading to Ringde Taal. He said, it is very confusing and there are no proper trail signs or even footsteps to follow as very few people reach there. He couldn’t make it to the Ringde taal and came back. We then visited Chameli Muhan floating from Mount Api passing through Himalayan pastures with the local shepherds. As we reached Chameli Muhan, there was no bridge to cross the river stream. A single beam of wood is placed over the river stream. The locals came to our rescue and helped us cross the river easily. As the rain started, we also visited some sheds where local shepherds lived for months herding their cattle and taking them to higher altitudes for grazing. The hospitality of these locals was very comforting and made up for an authentic local experience. We headed back to the hotel in the evening.

Rain, Rivers, and Raw Hospitality

The seventh day did not turn out as we expected. The base camp was completely covered by fog and there was no sign of skies clearing up. We walked our way back through the same trail that we had taken to the way up. It rained continuously. We hardly crossed Bhabya Khola, Dhauli Odar and Simar. On the way, we came across some young boys who had left their school education. They worked as shepherds and collected Yarsa from Dharma Ghar and Gushlek during the season.  They invested their earnings to educate their younger brothers and sisters. After a short interaction, we headed down. As expected, the streams had now grown to become full sized rivers after continuous rainfall. We carefully crossed these river streams on foot. As we moved further down, we encountered many places where water was flowing along the trail making it challenging to walk without getting feet soaked. Eventually, we reached Siti, had our lunch and called it a day. 

A gift of culture

On the eighth day of our trek, we started off slow as we had covered a long distance the day before. After having our breakfast in Siti, we headed down. Along the way, we met some local women working in their fields. We got a chance to interact with them. We got to listen to how gender norms are established and the role/status of women in tourism. As we reached Ghusa, the locals we had interacted with earlier were excited to see us. We were informed about a local marriage ceremony in the neighbourhood. The groom’s brother invited and requested us to stay for the day. He also informed about a local Jatra performing in the evening. How could we deny the offer of such cultural experience? We observed traditional wedding practices, music, dance, food and immersed ourselves with the locals. In the late evening, we also went to observe the local Jatra which was rehearsal for the upcoming Jatra event. Nevertheless, it was an exceptional experience to witness local culture, beliefs and unmatched harmony in the community. All of these local and authentic experiences added so much more to our trip. 

The Return and Reflection

On the 9th day, we headed from Ghusa to Khandeswori. We started our descent from Ghusa early as we had to climb all the way up to Khandeshwori which was visible on the opposite hill from Ghusa. On the way, we met some locals who guided us along the way. They were heading to a local hospital with their sick children.They had walked all the way from Siti. We reached the village and interacted with local officials. They shared about the trekking route that passes from Khandeswori, Khati, Chetti, Surma Sarobar and Adi Kailash with popular tourist destinations such as 50 meter long Dharma Gupha, Syauje Temple, Nampa Temple, Jethi Bahurani Temple and Surmadevi Temple. We were also informed about the vibrant cultural festivals of the Sauka ethnicity ,historical Chahai Naach, and the Khandeshwori Jatra celebrated during Janai Purnima which is popular among villagers and visitors. Again observing Makari Kot and Ghusa village we headed down to Makaraigad. We thought this place is suitable for establishing an herbal processing center that could create employment opportunities for the local youth and disabled groups. From there, we took the last jeep to reach Dhangadi. Observing the Chaulani River on the right, we started talking about river rafting and canyoning adventurous facilities to the guests. 

Api Base Camp is a fairly new tourism destination that is gradually gaining attraction. Yarsa harvesting still remains a prominent mechanism for livelihood of the people in the region while tourism is gaining its place as an alternative income generating opportunity. At present, there are different types of tourists who visit the region for different purposes. Locals from various surrounding districts visit the Api region during Baisakh/Jestha season for Yarsa collection, while commercial tourists mainly visit during Ashoj/Kartik for trekking purposes. Likewise, there are others who visit different places in the Api region for religious purposes too. Our discussions with the locals made us aware of the places and their exceptional possibilities in the area. Connecting the lower belt of the GHT to the established Api base camp route, developing alternative trails to places like Satganga, Bhabaya Taal, and maintaining the conditions of route from Khandeshwori to Api base camp and exploring connecting routes between popular trekking destinations like api Base Camp, Saipal base camp and even to Badimalika should be developed in the future. For this, coordination among multiple local government bodies is essential. Likewise, local practices of the communities can be promoted as cultural experience as diverse communities and their sacred practice. Festivals like Chokhya festival, practiced among the Saukha community of the trans-himalayan region, Byas. Soorma festival is another week-long practice of villagers from Chheti and Ghajir that showcases local tradition, music and reflects a strong cultural heritage of the local people. Ensuring sustainability of tourism in the Api region thus requires clear identification of different types of tourism practiced in the region along with specific plans for all. Seasonal plans for different types of tourists can attract and provide specific services to specific types of tourists. STP should develop a comprehensive plan in the future to ensure maximum communities benefit from the tourism practices in the area.  

Infrastructure remains a major challenge in this region. With the support from donor agencies, the local government has developed basic infrastructure. The development of trails and basic infrastructure has supported the tourism development in the region as tourist flow in recent years has been increasing. However, there are still many issues that can be improved on which are affected mainly due to budget constraints. Infrastructure development is also affected by political influence as selective villages are prioritized for tourism development based on the power of locals and their influence in the local government. Streamlining the infrastructure development projects and raising awareness among the locals for basic maintenance of the trails seems to be a necessity in the region. The benefits of tourism are only experienced by a handful of locals whereas the majority of the locals still rely on agriculture, Yarsa and livestock for livelihood. In such a scenario, inclusive policies that target specific groups and communities need to be developed and implemented in order to develop the sense of responsibility among locals regarding tourism. Capacity development programs to promote local goods and products can increase the number of beneficiaries. Besides, electricity and telecommunication is also a major hurdle for tourism development in the region. Increasing connectivity would further promote coordination among business owners and ensure safety and rescue related concerns. Lastly, on a policy level, the tension between local government and the conservation office has affected tourism development on multiple levels. Lack of clear guidelines on roles and responsibilities of local and national bodies has resulted in disputes between local government and conservation offices. The local business owners are worried about their investment being jeopardized due to unclear policies and are hesitant in improving their services further. 

While developing alternative routes is an effective approach in tourism promotion in the long run, given the context of Api region, it may rather add burden to local business owners in Khandeswori as the number of tourists visiting the Api region is relatively low. While developing tourism policies and programs, policy makers should be aware of the uniqueness of the place and should develop a comprehensive plan without neglecting any fruitful experiences that could significantly help in tourism promotion. Increase homestays and promote them in Makarigadh, Ghusa, Siti, Khandeswori, Simar, Dallekh, Sitthi, Setkali, Sitala, Lithi, Ghajir, Chetti, and Daibhat.