Tourists from Hyderabad change travel plans, to avoid Himalayas

Hyderabad: Many Nepal and Kashmir-bound tourists from the city have changed their travel plans to avoid destinations in the higher Himalayas.

After the recent earthquake, Nepal-bound vacationers are changing their travel plans and opting for destinations within the country like Cochin and Trivandrum.

Also, several adventure enthusiasts are heading for alternate trekking destinations, while many have put their plans on hold.

However, 20 members of the Greater Hyderabad Adventure Club are currently on their way to trek at Tumling at Kanchenjunga in Nepal, though four to five other treks in the area have been cancelled.

Meanwhile, most tour operators are seeing minimal travel requests for Nepal, Tibet and Kashmir, an estimated drop of 80 per cent, though the movement towards time-tested destinations continues to be the same.

“I had planned a trip to Tibet and Nepal this year, but after the earthquake, I have altered my plans to go to Himachal Pradesh. Although the reason to choose Nepal and Tibet was to experience the region, now it’s about just having a good holiday. We have rescheduled the trip to mid-May and have also changed the destination,” said Sagar Bansal.

“Tourists from the city are largely avoiding Nepal and we are now seeing requests for alternate destinations within the country. There is a huge demand for Manali and other locations in Himachal,” said Mohd. Jamil, the owner of Charminar-based Global Tours and Travels.  As for adventure enthusiasts, the focus has shifted to helping the earthquake-affected locals and trekkers.

Many plans have been dropped as well, but one team is planning to scale an alternative range. “Our team is now in Darjeeling, heading towards Tumling in Nepal; the team is a mix of trekkers from three to four states,” said Mohd. Raheem, a team member.