Dhaulagiri ascent anniversary celebrated in Myagdi for the first time

In Myagdi, it has been 66 years since humans first set foot on Dhaulagiri, the world’s seventh-highest mountain at 8,167 meters. On May 13, 1960, a team led by Austrian Kurt Diemberger successfully climbed the peak for the first time. Although this historic day has previously been celebrated with events in Kathmandu and Pokhara, this year, for the first time, the anniversary was formally observed in Mudi, Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality-4, located at the base of the mountain in Myagdi.

According to Prem Prasad Pun, the chairperson of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality, the event was organized locally to highlight the mountain’s true identity and its location in Myagdi. The program was coordinated by the Gandaki Province’s Ministry of Tourism, the Tourism Board, and the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN) Gandaki. It was attended by the province’s tourism minister, Yashoda Rimal, along with other representatives and tourism entrepreneurs. Local residents expressed their happiness and warmly welcomed the opportunity to celebrate the day in the remote region.

Dhaulagiri is considered an extremely challenging and adventurous mountain in the mountaineering community. According to Krishna Acharya, the president of TAAN Gandaki, the mountain is categorized as ‘risky’ due to its rapidly changing weather, which can alter every half hour, and its unique terrain. In its 66-year history, over 700 climbers have reached its summit.

According to the Department of Tourism, this spring season alone, 30 people have obtained permits to climb Dhaulagiri, generating more than 13.45 million rupees in royalty fees for the government.

Maniraj Lamichhane, the head of the Gandaki Tourism Board, emphasized the need to further promote Dhaulagiri and its circular trekking route to boost tourism and economic benefits.