KATHMANDU: In a move aimed at strengthening trail safety and sustainability across Nepal’s trekking routes, the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) has trained 23 professional trekking guides as certified trail inspectors and auditors, as the country prepares for upcoming trekking season.

The five-day “Trail Inspector and Auditor Training”, jointly organised by TAAN and the Sustainable Tourism Project (STP), concluded on December 26 at Moonlight Hotel in Thamel. Four women were among the participants. STP is a joint initiative of the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

According to TAAN, the training focused on assessing and improving trekking trails to meet nationally and internationally recognised standards. The course was structured around the Great Himalaya Trail (GHT) Trail Standards Guidelines (2017), the updated Trail Standards Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation (MoCTCA) in 2082 BS, the Green Flag Trails Parameters (WTN, 2025), and relevant frameworks of agencies including the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC), National Trust for Nature Conservation (NTNC), Nepal Tourism Board and TAAN.

TAAN stated that the primary objective of the programme was to build a pool of skilled trekking guides capable of inspecting trail conditions, identifying safety risks, and recommending or initiating timely interventions related to trail maintenance, upgrading, and management before the start of the peak trekking season.

The training was facilitated by experts and officials from key government bodies and sectoral organisations, including NTB, DNPWC, NTNC, the Department of Forests and Soil Conservation (DoFSC), the Department of Hydrology and Meteorology (DoHM), the Himalayan Rescue Association (HRA) and TAAN. Subject specialists, including Dr Chet Nath Kanel, Dr Kulesh Thapa, Er. Krishna Gautam and Kashi R. Bhandari delivered technical sessions during the course.

TAAN officials said the initiative is expected to contribute to safer and higher-quality trekking experiences for visitors while supporting local trail communities and helping conserve fragile mountain ecosystems—areas that have come under increasing pressure due to rising tourist numbers.

At the closing and certificate distribution ceremony, TAAN President Sagar Pandey awarded certificates to the successful participants. The event was attended by TAAN Joint Treasurer Lakpa Temba Sherpa, Trekking Promotion Department Coordinator Ambir Bahadur Gurung, Chief Executive Officer Ram Chandra Sedai, and resource persons, including Dr Chet Nath Kanel and Prem Bahadur Gurung.

The closing programme was coordinated by TAAN Executive Committee Member and Training Department Coordinator Raju Gurung.

TAAN said such capacity-building programmes will continue as part of broader efforts to professionalise trekking services and improve trail management standards across Nepal’s major trekking corridors.