Gosainkunda Rural Municipality has allocated Rs6 million for tourism promotion as it aims to attract 30,000 visitors in the next fiscal year. Gosainkunda is a popular pilgrimage in the Himalaya in the north of Kathmandu. Located at an elevation of 4,380 metres between Helambu and Langtang, the destination contains several sacred lakes.

Tourism is a major element in Gosainkunda, so we have decided to invest heavily in tourism infrastructure, said Kaisang Nurpu Tamang, chairman of the rural municipality. The major portion of Gosainkunda lies within Langtang National Park, and it has the potential to be established as an ecotourism, agro tourism and hiking destination.

Tamang said they had also planned to extend trekking routes in the area in the next fiscal year. According to him, a recently held village council meeting has endorsed developing Dhunche Gyachet, Pangle Kharka, Voksar Gang, Gramsa and Saraswoti Kunda trekking routes that will connect Gosainkunda.

Likewise, the rural municipality has planned to construct new trekking routes via Lingling, Vriddhim, Godegaun, Pangsang, Polche and Khanjing Sherpa Gaun.

The construction of a trail through Thuman, Taruche and Kaltuppa in Nagthali; Khaidi, Gumbaling, Dudh Kunda and Pangsang in Timure; and Riverkund in Vriddhim has also been planned for next year.

Langtang is popular for its trekking routes. Gosainkunda features routes such as the Langtang trekking route, Gosainkunda route and Tamang Heritage Trail. Local authorities are also preparing to announce 2018-19 as Gosainkunda-Langtang Tourism Year.

The rural municipality said that it would accord top priority to ensuring tourist safety and security on the trekking trails. Information boards will be installed along each trekking trail. According to the rural municipality, visitors will be tracked by GPS (Global Positioning System).

Providing training to tourist guides and home stay operators has also been planned to promote tourism in the region. The municipality will make a documentary of Gosainkunda to publicise it as a tourist destination.

Kargyalmo Shrestha, vice-chairman of Gosainkunda Rural Municipality, said the third meeting of the village council allocated a budget of Rs201.5 million for improving tourism

infrastructure, road construction, healthcare, education and agriculture and livestock

development.

Similarly, the meeting has set aside Rs3 million to prepare a detailed project report to

construct a cable car from Dhunche to Gosainkunda. Funds have also been allocated to construct hydropower projects on the Trishuli Khola, Dudh Kunda Khola, Yanglung Khola and Gupche Khola.