The absence of telephone service along the Phoksundo Trail, from Suligard to Sainjhal, has caused problems for both locals and tourists visiting the area.

No telecom company has so far provided phone services in this section, which lies within the Thulibheri Municipality and the Shey Phoksundo Rural Municipality.

The lack of even basic telephone connectivity, apart from limited internet access in a few places, has made it difficult for domestic and foreign visitors to stay connected while travelling to Shey Phoksundo Lake, one of Karnali Province’s major tourist attractions.

The section from Suligard to Phoksundo, where the Shey Phoksundo National Park office is located, is known as the Phoksundo Trail. Travellers say the route lacks both mobile and internet facilities.

“The moment you leave Suligard, phones stop working. For nearly ten hours, tourists remain out of contact,” said Binod Budha, a domestic tourist from Surkhet. “You can neither talk to your family nor make an emergency call. If an incident occurs, there’s no chance of rescue.”

Budha added that the trail needs upgrading, difficult sections should be widened, and better hotels should be arranged for tourists. He said Phoksundo has recently become a popular trekking destination, drawing a growing number of visitors.

Meanwhile, locals in half a dozen settlements along the trail are also out of communication range. Villages such as Kagani, Sangta, Chepka, Rochi, Sumduwa, and Sainjhal have been without phone service for years.

“It’s unfortunate that while most parts of Nepal enjoy high-speed internet, major tourist areas like Chepka still don’t have even basic phone services,” said Nima Gyalzen Lama, a hotel operator in Chepka. He added that a tower built in the Lek area of Parila village has yet to come into operation, and urged the government to explain the delay.

The lack of phone service has also affected the daily operations of the national park office. “Even our office doesn’t have phone connectivity. We’ve written several times to Nepal Telecom requesting service expansion, but there’s been no response,” said Nurendra Aryal, senior conservation officer at Shey Phoksundo National Park.