By APD writer Ishwar Dev Khanal

Mustang, Oct. 25 (APD) -- For Virginie Bourgery, a French woman, Mustang -- a tourist destination in Nepal's mountainous region -- has been a source of solace away from the hustle and bustle of city life. A graphic designer by profession, this young lady hence reinvents herself of sorts in this rugged Himalayan terrain of Muktinath and Kagbeni.

This is my second time here, shares Virginie, who this time Travelled all the way from London, to drown in the pristine charm of Mustang, some 380 kilometers north-west of Kathmandu. I would love to come here again with my friends, adds she displaying her fondness for the rugged mystical landscape.

Travelling to Mustang across the Himalayan mountains was not all about comfort for Virginie. She was squeezed into this scribe's car. However, there was no sign of discomfort in Virginie as she 'explored' the mesmerizing Mustang in profound joy.

Virginie, however, nitpicked on the narrow and bumpy road saying, This enchanting place could attract even more visitors if the concerned authorities upgraded the Beni-Jomsom track. Samikshya Kafle, a visitor, concurs with Virginie.

She says, The condition of the road is challenging at some places. That’s the only hitch during the Travel. She further recounts a scary moment, Our car made a frenzy bump somewhere below Lete, a stop-by around 36 kilometers south of Jomsom. Such an experience in the narrow and muddy road was real scary.

Despite the bad road, hypnotic charm of the tourist destination, albeit a favorable weather, attracted an average of 3,500 visitors per day during the Dashain festival (October 15-24).

Visitors, both domestic and international, recorded an increase this season. In fact, we could not even accommodate all the visitors in our hotel, Saroj Gurung, a hotel owner at Muktinath told APD.

According to Dolendra Hamal, Superintendent of Traffic Office in Mustang, the number of visitors, especially those on pilgrimage to Muktinath Temple, located at an altitude of 3,700 meters, has surged significantly.

Managing the traffic has been a challenging task this season due to the increased number of vehicles, he states. Sonam Tsering, a pony owner who charges Rs. 300 for a 12-minute one-way ride to Muktinath Temple -- considered a sacred shrine of salvation -- has a similar story to share.

There was a significant increase in pilgrims, including elderly people, this season. According to Tsering, the influx of Indian tourists has increased particularly after the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited this sacred temple in May.

However, several pilgrims, especially the elderlies, suffer from high-altitude sickness, he states. Unfortunately, there is no adequate health facility available near the temple area to treat visitors suffering from high-altitude sickness.

(ASIA PACIFIC DAILY)