Ghandruk sees gradual tourism recovery after road reopens

POKHARA: The number of tourists visiting Ghandruk, a popular tourist village in Wards No. 10 and 11 of Annapurna Rural Municipality in Kaski, has started to increase after road access to the area improved.

Tourists have begun arriving in Ghandruk after the Birethanti-Ghandruk road, which had been blocked by floods and landslides, was reopened.

Sneha Gurung, managing director of Nirmal Villa in Ghandruk, said the village started seeing tourists as soon as road access improved. She expressed hope that Ghandruk’s tourism businesses, which had come to a standstill after the road was blocked by floods and landslides, would now gradually recover.

“The tourist season has also started with the festivals. The road has also become easier,” she said. “There were no tourists in June, July and August. Now they have started coming gradually. There is hope that things will improve.”

Laxin Gurung, owner of Hotel Rock and Mood and chairman of Rodhi Club Ghandruk, said it was important to spread the message that the road to Ghandruk is now accessible.

“Tourists have started coming, but many still think the road is in bad condition,” he said. “Many people may have canceled their plans because they thought Ghandruk was not accessible. Now we need to spread the message that the road is easy to travel and that people can visit with confidence.”