Take for instance villages in Manang district. This is the district where visitors and locals burn a hole in their pockets to procure daily necessities. The district is not linked to national highways and mules are used as the means of transportation. While passing through track and trails of the district from Shrichaur next to Besishahar of neighboring Lamjung, where road links to Manang come to an end, one can see caravan of mules carrying goods. [break]
As we go further up, the cost of carrying goods becomes more expensive. According to Binod Gurung, Chairman of Tourism Entrepreneurs Association of Manang (TEAM) and Managing Director of Yeti Hotel at Manang Gaun, the price of normal consumable goods becomes unaffordable for the poor and expensive for the tourists.
Manang Gaun is a three days walk from Beshishahar of Lamjung. Maintaining quality is a tough task for local hoteliers and entrepreneurs who have to rely on mules to bring in goods, Gurung said.
Every day 700 mules transport goods through the trails of Manang into Chame, the district headquarter of Manang from Shrichaur of Lamjung. For a local consumer the cost of transportation is more than double the market price of goods. The mule owners charge anything between Rs 27 to 30 per kg to transport goods from Besishahar to Chame. The cost of transporting per kilogram of goods from Beshisahar to Manang Gaun is around Rs 100.
The locals residing at Phu village, which borders Tibet, pay Rs 300 for a liter of kerosene. The cost of a liter of kerosene is Rs 90 in Chame and only Rs 63 in Kathmandu. The cost of a gas cylinder (Baba and Koshi Gas) at Chame is Rs 2675, according to Gurung. The internet cafes also charge exorbitantly as they are based on satellite technology. Binod Gurung charges Rs 900 per hour for foreign tourist surfing internet and Rs 500 for a Nepali.
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