Adventure Travel in Nepal Ready for Ecotourism
Nepal has traditionally been a popular destination for adventure travel with young and not so young back packers. The mix of ancient religions and tradition with the mountains and the freedom they bring to the way of life has been the main attraction. Adventure travel tourists have always been welcomed in Nepal as the economy has been largely dependent on tourism.
Nepal offers trekking, river rafting, hang gliding and even bungee jumping at incredibly low costs and in stunningly beautiful surroundings. The remote mountainsides are dotted with villages where ancient tribes live, still very much in the way their ancestors did centuries ago. Buddhism and Hinduism have their deep roots here and one visit can hook you forever. The troubles, like the development rarely reach remote areas and the peace of the mighty Himalayas surrounds and absorbs you here.
The time is ripe for the government to focus on ecotourism in a responsible way. The fragile eco-systems of the trans-Himalayan region can easily be destroyed forever in this country of great contrasts. The economy that is so dependent on tourism has to invest in infrastructure and see to the security of its visitors. Efforts should be made to take advantage of the two big neighbors; India and China are the two fastest growing economies of the world. Creation of tax advantages and an atmosphere ripe for investment by them can turn the economy of Nepal around.
The combination of responsible, non-exploitative development of tourist attractions, safety of visitors and secure environment for investment can bring about a sea change in the lives of these charming people and a country that has so much to offer.