The Mt. Manaslu Golden Jubilee Festival is to be celebrated in Gorkha in western Nepal on May 9 to mark 50th anniversary of the first ascent of the mountain.

The celebration on May 9 coincides with the day, when a Japanese and a Nepalese climbers set foot atop the mountain.

Joshima Muse, a Japanese climber and Galze Norbu Sherpa had climbed the 8,163 m-high mountain on that day.

District Development Committee, Prithivinarayan Municipality of Gorkha and Tourism Development Committee that have been working jointly for the preservation of the Manaslu area, some 200km west of Kathmandu, have taken the onus to organize the golden jubilee celebrations.

As for the programs, an entry gate to the Manaslu area will be constructed and sight seeing of the area will be organized.

Other programs include exploring and naming new tourism sites, exhibition of postal stamps and holding of cultural programs.

Most of the programs are scheduled to be held in the district headquarters, Chief of the Manaslu area Preservation Project Narendra Lama told reporters on Saturday.

According to Lama, although the area is rich in natural resources steps have not been initiated in earnest to publicize the tourist destinations.

Moreover the festival will be fruitful to enhance the tourism infrastructure, he added.

In 2004, The Nepali government decided to mark 50 years of ascent of all mountains over 8,000 meters.

Source: Xinhua