Blessed with panoramic views and rugged vistas but lacking in arable land and other income-earning opportunities, local Manangis, who once traded in salt, herbs, jewels and a variety of goods, have not been slow to cash in on tourism. During February to May and September to December, the peak tourist seasons, more than 90 inns and hotels operate in the district. Between the early 1970s and early 1990s, lodges grew at the rate of four a year. More than a dozen lodges line Manang Village's narrow main street. Half a dozen more are nearing completion.
Tiny shops sell Mars bars, toilet paper and camera film.
Pancakes have replaced buckwheat bread for breakfast. Rice flour reigns over 'tsampa' or roasted barley flour. The district's juniper, birch and pine forests are fast diminishing as lodge owners buy up trees to ensure that the interiors of Manang's mushrooming lodges are paneled in wood. ACAP, which has been operating in the district for six years, helps with the formation of local lodge management committees, imparts conservation education, and runs hotel and lodge management training courses. Our aim is to maintain environmentally-sound structures and see that they meld into the local surroundings,'' he explained.