Just how significant is the threat to trekkers from Nepal's Maoist revolutionaries? We went to Annapurna and found out at first hand.
It's quite difficult to get a realistic picture of the threat that
Nepal's Maoist revolutionaries pose to trekkers either in the UK or
Kathmandu, so anyone interested in trekking in the area in the near
future might be interested in our experiences while trekking the
Annapurna Circuit.
The Maoists have been engaged in a guerilla war with the Nepali
police and army for several years now, but have repeatedly promised
not to attack trekkers and tourists, however there are rumours that
some foreigners have been killed after being accidentally caught in
the crossfire.
Kathmandu Hype
To add to the confusion, some trekking agencies in Kathmandu are,
based on our experience, exagerating the Maoist threat in order to
persuade trekkers that they need to hire guides and porters. The
implication is that you're likely to be stopped and asked for money
frequently and may also have cameras confiscated so flash units can
be used to trigger bombs. Nice.
The agencies suggest that using a guide will mean this is not a
problem. We're not suggesting, by the way, that hiring a guide is
inherently bad, but if you're on a limited budget, it's not strictly
necessary.
The Reality
On the Annapurna Circuit, the reality, in our experience, is that
the Maoists are active mainly in one area around Ghorepani. Trekkers
are stopped on the trail and asked for a 'contribution' to Maoist
funds. It's generally 1,000 Rupees, or around £7.00, though some
trekkers manage to negotiate the sum down to 500 rupees. US citizens,
meanwhile, are rumoured to have to pay double or more, though as most
seem to be posing as Canadians, it's hard to know how true this
is.
In return for your contribution, you get a receipt which is valid
for one month and means you shouldn't have to pay again, plus the web
site address for the Maoists - www.cpnm.org
if you were wondering.
The group who stopped us were young, friendly, courteous and armed
with a pump-action shotgun and a rifle. It's hard to know what would
have happened if we'd refused to pay point blank, but to be honest,
for the sake of seven quid, it didn't really seem worth finding out.
Anecdotal evidence suggests that the same situation exists on the
Jiri section of the Everest Base Camp trek. There was no attempt to
take cameras.
There's no serious Nepali Army presence in the area, presumably
because the authorities don't want to risk starting a fire fight that
could destroy the trekking industry overnightt.
Is it safe?
Our experience suggests that the major trekking areas - Everest,
Annapurna and Langtang - are relatively safe for trekkers, though you
may be stopped and asked for money by Maoists. We'd be more wary of
travelling in the western part of the country, where the Maoists are
most active though.
Make no mistake, Nepal is embroiled in a bloody internal conflict,
but in our experience at least, there is no intentional hostility
towards trekkers.
For news direct from Nepal, check out Nepalnews.com.
For more background on the Maoists, see this
excellent article at Outsidemag.com
