This Trail is the result of the joint effort of the communities of Banskharka, Nangi, Tikot, Swanta, Paudwar and Narchyang to develop an alternative, responsible, community-engaging and sustainable form of tourism in this side of Nepal. In 2005, Mick Chapman and Nima Lama from Himalayan Mountain Guides [http://bit.ly/modhkr] first contributed to the beginning of this project by supporting the cons
truction of the community lodges of Khopra Danda and Danda Karkha. At the same time, through the years Mick and Nima along with Peregrine have donated part of their profits to support the school in Swanta, funding teachers’ salaries and the building of new classrooms. Following this same approach, and with the additional support of UNDP-MEDEP [http://bit.ly/lHAzZm] and Nature-Treks Himalaya [http://bit.ly/kEdglD], new community lodges have been developed in the area and local villagers trained as cooks and porters. These routes in the Annapurna Conservation Area have one main goal: to invest all proceeds in increasing local access to education and health through Himanchal Education Foundation [http://bit.ly/kQCSf0]. This is just a tiny part of the story of our communities and the trail – the rest is in Nepal.
