Futfute Waterfall on Annapurna trail lures visitors

By Thakur Prasad Acharya,Beni, Apr. 5: Futfute Waterfall, which lies on the foot trail to the Annapurna Base Camp (ABC) from Narchyang, in Annapurna Rural Municipality–4, has emerged as the latest tourism destination in Myagdi.

The waterfall lies on the Maurice Herzog Trail which leads to the northern base camp of the Annapurna I mountain and has been created by the pristine blue water of the Mistri River falling off a cliff. The river itself is formed by the snowmelt of the Annapurna, Annapurna South, Nilgiri and Varaha Shikhar mountains. Futfute is an hour's walk from the Hum River.

According to Suren Gurung of Shikh, Annapurna–5, who has been on the trail before, the waterfall is very beautiful and breath-taking. "All the exhaustion of the trek disappears when we see the fall," he said.

The Annapurna foot trail, named the Maurice Herzog trail three years ago after the French alpinist, goes along the banks of the Mistri River to reach the Annapurna base camp. And in the last five years, the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and the Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP) have built infrastructure worth Rs. 35 million to develop the path, informed Tej Gurung, chairman of the Maurice Herzog Trail Management Committee.

He shared that suspension bridges had been constructed over at Chhotepa, Hum River, Futfute Waterfall, Sandhikharka, Bhusket and Dharmashala along with six resting places at various locations along the trail.

From Hum River at the foot of Nilgiri to Dharmashala at ABC, 7,000 steps have also been built to make trekking the 14-kilometre route easier. Similarly, railings have been installed at the Akkare hill and cliff to make walking safer. Three concrete houses have been constructed at the base camp to house tourists.

"This construction has helped increase the number of trekkers here," said chairman Gurung.