Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Royal Mountain Travel Magazine Issue 1 | Page 56

The Last Resort:

True Eco-Adventure in Nepal

MichaelStraus

I’m in Nepal, almost into Tibet, in search of the perfect
blend of eco-conscious adventure and relaxation. In the
pristine mountainous region of Panglang, on a high clifftop gorge above the wild Bhotekosi River, I find exactly
what I’m looking for. The Last Resort.
As a place to chill out after angst-provoking
Chinese security in Tibet or traffic-choked
Kathmandu, it’s my kind of paradise—a resort
of simple but handsome buildings crafted
of local stone, wood and slate with very
comfortable safari tents arrayed on grounds
with lush gardens. If I want, I can splash under
a waterfall or floral-edged plunge pool, get an
excellent massage by Himalayan Healers, or
just take a breather from the rigors of travel.
Ah, but if I crave adrenaline-pumping, The
Last Resort can be that sort of place, too.
Aiyeeeeeeeee ...!
After a three-hour ride north from
Kathmandu, my first thrill is crossing the long
metal suspension bridge over the Bhotekoshi
River gorge that is the resort’s only entry
point. It’s the same bridge, later that morning,
on which I’ll find myself contemplating a
massive leap into nothingness, with little
more than a thin sliver of rope connecting me
to my future—on a 580-foot bungee jump
or the world’s highest canyon swing (which
combines an eight-second freefall at 90 miles
per hour with a 720-foot swing above the
raging river). Also on the adventure menu are
canyoning (abseiling, jumping and sliding

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down waterfall-filled canyons) and Class 4/5
rafting and kayaking.
Founded in 1999, TLR is a pioneer in go-for-it
travel, and its facilities hit all the right notes,
from logistics and transportation, to videos of
yourinsaneleapsintotheunknown for sharing
with your Facebook friends. Their highly
experiencedstaffinstillsconfidenceinthemost
trepidation-filled adventurer, backed up by a
perfect safety record.

Lights out: tented comfort
But what totally grabbed my heart (even more
than the leaps into oblivion from the bridge!)
waslearningabouttheresort’songoingefforts
toberesponsibleenvironmentalstewardsand
community citizens. If TLR’s Rome “wasn’t
built in a day,” it certainly hasn’t been from a
lack of initiative. In fact, I think many Nepali
businesses could learn from their challenges
and solutions.
On the environmental front, first and foremost
is their waste management program. Septic
systems handle all the effluent—unusual in a
regionwheremosthousespipedirectlyintothe
riversbelow.Kitchencompostingreducessolid
waste. They offer cheap water-bottle refills to
reduce plastic bottle pollution, and then ship
January 2012 - Issue 1

plastics to India for recycling (as there are no
recycling facilities in Nepal).

Community initiatives
Community initiatives were slightly more
challenging, at least at first, until they figured
out a system that would provide sustainable
results. In 2008, TLR created a collective
organic vegetable garden with women in the
neighboring village, who until that time, grew
only millet grain. Initially, the villagers were
whollydependentonTLR’sadviceandsupport.
Overtime,though,theygainedtheconfidence
and experience to work independently.
Similarly, TLR began development of an
alternative fuel source, turning biomass (fallen
leaves, plants and branches) into briquettes.
Thesearenowusedlocallyinplaceofharvested