Travel and Tourism

KAKANI (NUWAKOT),Dec.5: After its completion, the ?Mountaineering Memorial Park?, a big project carried out by Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), will be a paramount destination for tourists.

The project to be constructed in 142 ropanies of public land of Kakani VDC will include picnic spots, museum, mountain zone, camping sites, memorial garden, clubhouse and several other sub-projects related to tourism industry.

The NMA has spent more than Rs. 5 million for plantation and fencing the land, which was handed over to the association by the government in 1998, first vice president of the NMA, Zimba Zangbu Sherpa said.

The site could host several kinds of training and practice facilities for the mountaineers before they go to climb the mountains. Wall climbing, walking in crampons, getting out of crevasses, walking on iron ladders and several other basic training related to mountaineering could be held at the park. Meanwhile, an artificial climbing wall is being constructed by Henri Sigayret, a French architecture.

Henri has been living in Kathmandu for the last 10 years after his marriage with Da Yang Zin of Solukhumbu district.

Seventy-year old Henri, who has been divorced from his French wife, loves Nepal and has promised to spend the rest of his life in Nepal.
He started to construct the climbing wall after being inspired by his love for mountains and natural resources and to make a contribution in the Nepalese mountaineering and tourism industry and assist NMA.

Henri has spent more than Rs 1.5 million for the construction of the climbing wall and it will cost Rs. 1 million more for completion and will be 15 meter high.

Henri, a retired engineer gets Rs. 60,000 as a monthly pension, which was insufficient in France, but it is more than sufficient in Nepal for his family. He has already constructed more than 60 artificial rock climbing walls in France.