Virgin Machhapuchhre (Fishtail Mountain)

Since then further initiatives are gradually being processed and also reported to be underway among the travel and tour operators.

Convincing the Gurung community to allow climbing on this virgin mountain is the need of the hour for the promotion of mountain tourism in the Gandaki region.

This mountain also famous as “Fishtail” among tourists is situated in the Annapurna massif of Gandaki province. Its highest peak has not yet been officially climbed as even the Nepal government has not permitted it so far after late king Mahendra denied the permit to climb it.

The mountain is just 25 km north of the tourist capital city of Pokhara. Mardi Himal also lies near it. This mountain is one of the famous trekking destinations.

The first attempt was made on this mountain in 1957 by a British team under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Roberts. Climbers Wilfrid Noyce and A.D.M. Cox climbed to within 150m of the summit via the north ridge, to an altitude of 6,947m.

However, adhering to the word of honor given to the then King Mahendra, Noyce and his team descended without stepping onto the summit and published the only climbing record of the mountain a year later. Ever since then, no climbing permits have been issued.

There are reports of an illegal attempt on this mountain in the early years of 1998 by New Zealand climber Bill Denz. However, even if this was a climb further steps were not taken by the concerned agencies including the Nepal government.

The tour operators in Pokhara are hopeful that one day the fishtail will be the most coveted destination in Nepal after both the government, Nepal Mountaineering Association, and Gurung people mutually agree to start climbing expeditions on this mountain by discarding the previous rigid notions pertaining to their dogmas.