CEST Nepal- Ongoing Projects:

Design and Implementation of Cultural and Eco-tourism Project in Ajirkot Rural Municipality, Lower Manaslu, Gorkha.

CEST Nepal in association with Mountain Heritage Private Limited has been delivering its technical services to Ajirkot Rural Municipality for designing and implementation of eco-tourism and cultural tourism products in Ajirkot-Boudha-Himal areas of Gorkha. The project started in February 2019 and almost all planned activities have already been accomplished as of now.

Major activities undertaken for the promotion of tourism in Ajirkot RM include the following:

1. 1. Collection of tourism related baseline information and preparation of status report.
   2. Preparation of 5 years Tourism Development and Management Strategic Plan for Ajirkot Rural Municipality, Gorkha with 10 years' vision and 5 years' Action Plan.
      • Organization of planning inception workshop.
      • Field visits and observations.
      • Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) with hotel operators, cultural groups, homestay operators etc.
      • Organization of ward level planning workshop (in 5 wards).
      • Organization of rural municipality level planning workshop.
   3. Organization of exploratory visit to Ajirkot-Nagepokhari-Dudh Pokhari-Dudh-Kunda area. Documentation of tourism attractions, facilities and services (GPS data, pictures and video footage).
   4. Preparation of Detail Project Report (DPR) with engineering design for Ajirkot-Nagepokhari-Dudhpokhari-Dudhkunda Ecological Trekking Trail.
   5. Preparation of GIS based Trekking Trail map for Ajirkot-Nagepokhari-Dudhpokhari-Dudhkunda Ecological Trekking Trail.
   6. Preparation of promotional documentary on Ajirkot-Buddha Himal cultural and ecotourism (ongoing).
   7. Capacity building of Rural Municipality Executive Members and local operators for development, promotion and management of tourism in Ajirkot area (ongoing).

Tourism Impact Assessment in the UNESCO-WHS listed Sagarmatha National Park, Everest region, Nepal.

A study on “Assessing Impacts of Tourism in UNESCO enlisted Sagarmatha National Park of Nepal” has been going on in Sagarmatha National Park since June 2022. Center for Environment and Sustainable Tourism Development Nepal (CEST Nepal) has been entrusted to conduct the said assignment by Sagarmatha National Park Office, Namche, Solukhumbu.

In 2019, a total of 57,289 international tourist visited Sagarmatha NP. Though the actual number of domestic visitors is available at moment, about twice or thrice the number of the international visitors is estimated to have visited the area as guides, potters or kitchen crew members to serve various goods and facilities to the international visitors. Moreover, equal or double number of domestic visitors is also estimated to have visited the region annually.

Dramatic increases in the number of annual visitors has stimulated the local economy but has also brought an immense pressure on region’s fragile ecology and cultural heritages. Construction of unplanned trails; unplanned resort development; increased energy demand to serve the visitors and the supporting crew members; increased solid and sewage waste etc. are some of the key concerns of the area in regards to achieve the goal of sustainable tourism in the region. Climate change induced hazards and safety concerns; ever growing trekkers number and necessity carrying capacity assessment; increased demand for other infrastructures such as road networks; high-land low-land linkage development and equitable distribution of tourism benefits etc. are other important concerns for the area.

The study involves field observations; consultation with the national park authority and buffer zone user committees and Buffer Zone User Groups; interaction with the Sherpa communities of Pangboche, Khumzung and Namche Bazar; focus group discussions with the tourism entrepreneurs and workers; case study preparation and so on.

The study team also consulted with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SNP), local historians and culture experts, Yak herders, hoteliers, tour guides, potters, Nepal Army and Police and so on. The field visit was led by Yubaraj Lama, one of the study team members and Culture and Inclusive Development Expert of CEST Nepal.

Sagarmatha National Park is located in the north-eastern Himalayan region of Nepal with an elevation from an adjacent Buffer Zone, Manjo 2845 meters to the top of the world's highest peak Sagarmatha/Mount Everest/Qomolangma/Miyo Lang-sangma 8850 meters above sea level. The Park was officially gazetted in 1976 A.D. and was inscribed World Natural Heritage Site by UNESCO World Heritage Committee in 1979 A.D. and Gokyo and associated wetlands, the wetlands of International significance also lie within the Park have been enlisted in Ramsar Site in 2007 with an area.

This park contains the world’s highest ecologically characteristic flora and fauna, intricately blended with the rich Sherpa culture. The Park extends 1148 km² with comprising of Buffer Zone 275 km² including climatic zones of temperate, subalpine, alpine and nival. Sagarmatha National Park is an exceptional area with dramatic and outstanding mountains, majestic snow-capped peaks, glaciers and deep valleys, range lands, grass lands and deep river valleys dominated by Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world (8,850 m). Several rare species, such as the snow leopard, blue sheep, Himalayan black bear, red panda etc. are found in the park.

The conservation oriented Sherpa culture is the backbone for the conservation of biodiversity in the Khumbu region. The famed Sherpa people, whose lives are interwoven with the teachings of Buddhism, live in the region. The Park is of major religious sect belongs to Nyingmapa, the oldest school of Vajrayana Buddhism in Trans-Himalayas and cultural significance in Nepal since it abounds in sacred mountains and holy places with deep respect to their homeland as a sacred hidden valley concealed by Guru Padmashambhava or Guru Rinpoche in 8^th century. The renowned Tengboche and other monasteries are common gathering places to celebrate religious festivals such as Dumji and Mani Rimdu. In addition,Tengboche, Thame, Khumjung and Pangboche are some other famous monasteries.