GORKHA: More than 15 local stakeholders and entrepreneurs from the upper Manaslu region have completed an introductory search and rescue training programme, in an effort to strengthen emergency response capacity along one of Nepal's most incident-prone trekking corridors.

The four-day training, held from March 24 to 27 in Samagaon in the Chum Nubri Rural Municipality of Gorkha district, was jointly organised by the Trekking Agencies' Association of Nepal (TAAN) and the Sustainable Tourism Project (STP) — a collaborative initiative between the Nepal Tourism Board and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

The Samagaon-Larke Pass section of the Manaslu Circuit Trail is widely regarded as one of the most vulnerable stretches on any trekking route in the Nepal Himalayas, making local emergency preparedness a critical safety concern for the growing number of trekkers passing through the area each season.

Broad community participation

Participants came from the communities of Samagaon, Shyala, Samdo, and Dharmashala, and represented a wide cross-section of local stakeholders. 

Attendees included representatives from the rural municipality, local police, health posts, the hotel and lodge committee, tea-house and lodge owners, local guides, Mother Group members, yak herders, and non-timber forest product entrepreneurs.

The training was conducted under the guidance of the Chairperson of Tsum Nubri Rural Municipality and locally coordinated by the Ward No. 1 committee of Chum Nubri Rural Municipality. Sessions were facilitated by qualified instructors led by Lal Bahadur Jirel.

Equipment handed over

At the conclusion of the programme, the Ward No. 1 Office was provided with a set of basic search and rescue equipment — including rescue ropes, safety helmets, first aid kits, and carabiners — to support the community's ongoing emergency response capability.

The training is part of broader efforts to build local capacity across Nepal's trekking regions, ensuring that communities along high-risk trail sections are equipped with the skills and tools to respond to incidents affecting trekkers, guides, and residents alike.