Kathmandu, Sept. 30 -- The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation has opened Nepal for trekking and mountaineering from 17 October, but is mysteriously not allowing sightseeing visitors, pilgrims and other foreigners.

Even the trekkers have to meet conditions like getting visas before arrival, having a RT PCR negative report 72 hours prior to departure, another PCR test at their own cost on the fifth day of their 7 day hotel quarantine in Kathmandu, and a $5,000 medical insurance.

"Our hopes that tourism would pick up at the end of 2020 have been dashed, the ministry has made it needlessly complicated for trekkers, and not allowed other kinds of tourists and pilgrims. Where is the logic in that?" asked one frustrated travel agency execu...