Kathmandu, 28 Oct: “We had seen views of Manung Kot on social media, but seeing it directly with our own eyes today felt even more captivating,” said Pokhara’s Laxmi Karki. “The sunrise seen from here and the mountain ranges were mesmerizing.”
She had rented a car from Pokhara at 2:00 AM on Monday morning and arrived at Vyas Municipality-5, Manung Kot. She mentioned that the beauty of Manung Kot was even more impressive than what she had seen on TikTok and Facebook. She said, “We had heard a lot about Manung Kot, and after discussing with friends, four of us decided to come together.”
Lunibha Shrestha, who came from Kathmandu, held the view that the beauty of Manung Kot is enchanting. She said, “Although I wanted to come before, I couldn’t due to various reasons. Now, the Tihar holidays provided the right opportunity to come here. The view is captivating.”
Sudeep Gaffar from Dumre mentioned that since there is a huge rush of tourists in Manung Kot these days, it’s necessary to contact hotel operators in advance before coming.
With the onset of the cold weather, the daily flow of tourists to Manung Kot has increased significantly. Currently, over a thousand tourists reach Manung Kot daily. On Monday morning, around two thousand tourists viewed the scenery from Manung Kot.
Shailesh Sunam, operator of the Ambrella Restaurant in Manang Kot, informed that it is currently the tourist season in Manung Kot, and the rush of tourists has intensified since Dashain and Tihar. He said that during the cold weather, the sunrise, fog, and sunset attract tourists to this place.
He said, “The current time is the peak season for tourists. It’s easier if you book your accommodation in advance. We are providing night accommodation, meals, and morning breakfast for Rs. 1,200 per person.” He informed that his restaurant has a capacity to accommodate 70 guests per night.
With the increase in tourists climbing Manung Kot, the number of hotels opening here has also increased. While there were no hotels in this place in the past, about a dozen are now in operation. For viewing purposes, Vyas Municipality has constructed a viewing tower, and for safety, railings have been installed along the ridge. A pedestrian path has also been recently constructed along the railing section.
From Manung Kot, one can view the Dhaulagiri, Machhapuchhre, Annapurna, Manaslu, and Lamjung mountain ranges. The covering of Dumre Bazaar by fog is also associated with a mythological story. There is a religious legend that in ancient times, when Sage Parashara, the father of Maharshi Bed Vyas, expressed his desire to have intercourse with Satyawati, he created fog so that people would not know.
After the increase in tourists in Manung Kot, even those who had left the village for cities have started returning to Manung Kot to run businesses. The locals had left the village due to a lack of drinking water. Now, treated water from the market and water from tankers are providing an alternative for water in Manung Kot.
The road to Manung Kot has been blacktopped. The road reaching up to Manung Kot has been blacktopped with investment from the Ministry of Urban Development. The 4,300-meter road from Alainche to Manung Kot has been blacktopped. Vyas Municipality Office informed that in places difficult to blacktop, a 180-meter RCC slope has been constructed.
