Municipality Arrangements for tourists to eat by the Everest area !

Buddha Bir Bahing Rai/Solukhumbu. The Khumbu Pasangalhamu Municipality has provided free food and lodging to the tourists who are lacking in the Everest region. 

Tourists visiting the Everest region are on the verge of a lockdown to avoid the Corona virus (Covid-19), a worldwide pandemic. The villagers issued a statement saying that the tourists in Namche Bazaar, Phakding and Luklabar Bazar in Khumbu area have made free living arrangements.

"We have arranged for more than 300 tourists to stay free on behalf of the villagers in Khumbu area," said Lakpachiri Sherpa, spokesperson for Khumbu Pasangalhamu Village, adding that the tourists are co-ordinated by the Lukla Hotel Association, Fakding Hotel Association and Namche Hotel Association.

Spokesman Sherpa said that the villagers will spend the entire expenditure on food and lodging for the tourists in Namche Bazaar, Phaking and Luklabazar. "We have also requested to provide free wifi to the tourists staying at the hotels which have been entered," said Sherpa, adding that the villagers have arranged for free meals and lodging as most tourists from Khumbu area have been deprived of their expenses.

More than 200 tourists have been stopped in Luklabarbazar now. Similarly, data is being collected on the fact that there are 30/35 people in Fakding and how many are in Namche Bazaar, said Sherpa. Sherpa also said that all the tourists in Khumbu area are being monitored and informed by various agencies within the village.

Meanwhile, the Embassy has initiated the initiative to return the citizens of different countries in Nepal. Just a few days ago, the Korean government rescued its citizens in Kathmandu by sending a special ship. Other countries have also requested the government of Nepal to take their citizens to the country, said the embassy official.

Over 300 foreign tourists stopped in Everest !

Kathmandu. More than 300 tourists departing on foot have been stopped in the Everest region. In Lukla Bazaar, only 119 foreign tourists were stopped.

Travelers were stopped after transport, hotel and all other services were closed due to sudden Nepal lockdown. Khumbu Pasangalamu Village Ward no. According to 2 Chairman Angfurwa Sherpa, 119 foreign tourists have been stopped at Lukla. Sherpa said they are waiting for a safe return.

It has been said that around 200 tourists were stopped at various places over Lukla. Chairman of the ward Sher Sherpa said that the collecting of sureties for the tourists in the Khumbu area is being done. With the mountaineering season, thousands of tourists are heading for the Everest Base Camp, but this area is often deserted due to the outbreak of the global epidemic.

We make arrangements to stay out of the tourist's money: Ward Chairman Sherpa

As the Nepal government announced a nationwide lockdown, tourists from different countries visiting the Everest region will be able to pay for their food and make arrangements to stay, said Chairman of the Office Angfurwa Sherpa.

"Due to the lockdown, the tourists have to stay in Kathmandu wherever they are rescued, so some tourists are staying calm," said Sharpa, adding, "We are monitoring the health condition of the tourists in Lukla Bazaar every day. We have established HealthDeX, we are checking in there. '

In the Everest region, Khumbu Pasangalhamu Municipality charges Rs. Sherpa said that the villagers have already informed the Ministry of Tourism and the Home Ministry to rescue the stranded tourists.

Tengboche Monastery in Khumbu region.

Tengboche Monastery is one of the most famous monasteries of Nepal, probably because of its unrivalled backdrop of Mt. Ama Dablam. The monastery is the leading Buddhist centre in the Khumbu region with a residing Rinpoche who blesses pilgrims, mountaineers and travelers passing through. 

Every October, Tengboche Monastery hosts the colorful Mani Rimdu festival, which is a culmination of Buddhist celebrations with a religious gathering, songs, ritual dances and  enactments of the lives of legendary figures. Visitors are always welcomed to partake in the festivities and many trekkers book their trek to coincide with the festival. Tours of the monastery are conducted every afternoon for visitors. Tengboche lies on the very popular trek route to the Everest region.

Atop a hill across Imja Khola, Tengboche is the most common night halt after Namche. The monastery is perched on a high ridge across the canyon from Khunde. The original Tengboche Monastery was burnt down in 1989 and replaced with a more solid structure. 

Pines, azaleas and colorful rhododendrons surround the attractive gompa (monastery), with a stunning panoramic view of Everest, Lhotse and Ama Dablam.  Tengboche has many rest houses and a large number of lodges as well as spacious camping sites.

From Tengboche you can continue on to Pheriche, Kala Pattar and the hamlet of Gorakshep.  From here, the Everest Base Camp is easily reached, as is the summit of Kala Pattar (5,545 m), known for outstanding views of Mt. Everest. However, it is advisable to take time to acclimatize and avoid rapid gain in altitude to avoid altitude sickness.

Mountaineering in Neoal.

With eight of the world's highest mountains in the country, Nepal is a mountaineer's paradise. The ultimate glory of  mountaineering is reaching the summit of Mt. Everest, but there are other technical challenges like Lhose beside it or you can take on any of the other 326 climbing peaks that are waiting for you!

The Nepal Himalaya is the most formidable mountain range in the world with nearly a third of the country lying above the elevation of  3,500 m. Eight of the world's  highest peaks lie within Nepal's territory: Everest, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna,which are all over 8,000 m above sea level. The first to be climbed among them was Annapurna in 1950 by a French Expedition with Maurice Herzog as leader while Everest was first summitted by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 with a Bristish Expedition led by John Hunt.

Besides these eight giant peaks, there are 326 other mountains within Nepal which are open for mountaineering expeditions and out of them, 103 have never been climbed before. Nepal offers mountaineers more opportunities than any other country in the world, and throws endless challenges at them including the less glorified trekking peaks which still require climbing gear and climbing skills if you want to climb them. 

Nepal's climbing history goes back a long way starting with the early explorers from British India who were lured by lofty peaks and the challenges of climbing virgin peaks where no human had set foot before. By the 1960s Nepal's trekking and mountaineering industry was well establishhed with private companies providing all logistics including porters and guides for a full expedition that would spend months in the mountains. Today there are many companies that will take care of every aspect of mountain climbing and all the mountaineer has to do is arrive in good shape physically and mentally, prepared to take on the challenge and not worry about equipment and supplies.  Most of the Everest expeditions are handled by well-known and trusted private companies.

The reputation of the Sherpas is built on mountaineering with many of these mountain people achieving glorified status with their multiplt climbs of Everest and other 8000m peaks. Most expeditions wouldn't go up without the loyal, hardy and extremely reliable sherpas. They risk theiir lives for their clients and are often called upon to rescue a climber in trouble. Although today there are many other ethnic groups involved in the service, they are generally referred to as Sherpas.

Despite all the attention being grabbed by mountains like Everest and Annapurna, the latter more for trekking than climbing, there are other peaks being climbed on a regular basis but don't make headline news. Lhotse, Ama Dablam and Manaslu are also climbed often besides trekking peaks like Mera, Island and Yala peaks which are quite popular. Ther are also climbers looking to climb virgin peaks as Nepal from time to time, opens up new, unheard of peaks for climbing and who wouldn't want to be the first to climb! 

Nepal has designated the Annapurna, Manaslu and Kanchenjunga regions as Conservation Areas while Sagarmatha (Everest), Langtang and Shey-Phoksundo (Dolpo) are national parks while other mountain areas might not fall into these categories but are designated as ‘Restricted Areas’ as they are close to Nepal’s northern border. While the infrastructure of, and accessibility to Sagarmatha, Annapurna, Manaslu and Langtang are well developed and easily accessible enabling mountaineers and expeditions to make quick progress to their base camps the remaining areas, including the restricted areas are still very remote, where rescue or help from external sources will be difficult or unlikely and access to these areas is complex and at times difficult. Expeditions into those areas require a completely different approach, level of commitment and organizational ability to succeed on their chosen summit.

The mountains of Nepal are grouped into different categories depending on their height and under whose authority they lie. The Ministry of Tourism is responsible for the expedition peaks above 6,500 m, while the Nepal Mountaineering Association is responsible for mountains that are known as Trekking Peaks. These peaks range in altitude from 5,800 m to 6,584 m, and call for climbing skills and climbing gear and should not be taken lightly despite the misleading title. Expeditions to peaks below 5800metres do not require climbing permits although they will require other forms of permits to enter specific regions. All expeditions are required to pay refundable garbage deposits while expeditions to peaks above 6,500 m will also be required to employ a Liaison Officer. The best time for mountaineering expeditions is pre- monsoon when the weather is better, especially at altitude, although the visibility might be restricted with the pending monsoon conditions. Autumn is good for the slightly lower peaks, while winter is cold with short days and early spring might be subjected to seasonal snow storms. However, in these times of global warming and climate change, the seasons are no longer as predictable as they used to be.

Today in Nepal it is possible to book onto either a commercial expedition to attempt any of the larger mountains or to attempt a trekking peak with one of the many Nepali trekking agents. If an independent expedition wishes to attempt any of the ‘legally’ open peaks then they should read the appropriate policies and procedures legally required under the current Nepal Tourism Act (Provisions relating to Mountaineering).

Gokyo Valley in Everest region.

One of the most picturesque valleys in Nepal, the Gokyo valley lies towards the west of the more famous Khumbu region of the Himalaya. The serene valley boasts extensive pastures for yaks to graze during summer and the pristine turquoise lakes are simply breathtaking. Gokyo can be visited after trekking up to Everest Base Camp by adding another five days to the itinerary.

If Gokyo is your main destination, then the trek goes up the Everest trail only as far as the teahouses at Kenjoma (where the trail from Khumjung joins the main trail). From this point on, the trail leads up towards Mong La pass before dropping steeply back down to the banks of the Dudh Koshi River. The trail then goes past rhododendron and oak forests and waterfalls which are often frozen. A couple of hours on this enchanting trail and you arrive in Dole, where you spend the night in a teahouse.

Lodges near the Gokyo Lake with view of mountains in the Everest region, Nepal. 

From Dole, it is only four hours to Machherma. The valley that leads west above Machherma is worth a visit, and can be done in the afternoon. The valley is dominated by the unclimbed Mt. Kyojo Ri. The final trail up to Gokyo goes past teahouses at Pangkha and up the terminal moraine of the Ngozumpa glacier, which is the largest glacier in the country. Finally, just above the moraine, you will see the crystal clear lakes.

One of the eight-thousanders, Cho Oyu (8,153m) is seen towards the north from Gokyo. There are many great views all around the valley. The most popular among them is seen by ascending a ridge for 2-3 hours to the north-west to reach a small summit. Enjoy a spectacular panoramic view extending from Cho Oyu and Everest, to Lhotse all the way to Makalu. This view is arguably better than what one sees above Gorak Shep.

A native bird of the Himalayas seen in the Gokyo valley, Everest region, Nepal. 

There are two high passes leading out of the Gokyo valley, the Cho La pass being the most traveled, which leads on to the Khumbu valley near Lobuche while the other is Renjo La pass that joins the trail between Thame and Nangpa La pass. Following the Everest trek route, one takes the alternative exit route as far as Phortse.

From here you walk along the eastern side of the valley through the village of Konar. There are no facilities available on this side of the valley until the small teahouses at Nah, a six hour trek from Phortse. Nah is a good place for camping, but for proper accommodations, one has to walk another four hours to reach Pangkha. From here follow the route described previously.

SAGARMATHA NATIONAL PARK.

Sagarmatha National Park is home to the highest peak in the world - Mt. Everest (8,848 m), Sagarmatha being the Nepali name for Everest. The area was designated a national park in 1976 and encompasses several other peaks all above 6,000 m. The park got recognition as a World Heritage Site in 1979.

With most of the park lying above 3,000 m, it is mostly rugged terrain made up of deep gorges, glaciers and massive rocks. The Park boasts of a wide variety of wildlife including more than 118 species of birds. While the forest is dominated by silver fir, birch, rhododendron and juniper trees, animals such as musk deer, the Himalayan tahr, the ghoral, the serow, the wolf, and the Himalayan black bear may be spotted by trekkers in this region.

Endangered species which are rarely seen include: snow leopard, red panda, and two kinds of dazzling pheasants - the crimson-horned and the Impeyan, Nepal's national bird. Smaller animals like marmots, pikas and martens are also found in the park.

The region ranges in altitude from less than 2,000 m above sea level at Jiri to the high peaks of the Himalaya at over 8,000 m. Hence the park’s flora and fauna is diverse with dense forest of pine, oak and the flowering rhododendrons found up to 4,000 m above sea level. The latter are one reason to make a trip to Nepal in the spring when the hills between 2,000 m and 3,500 m are a riot of colors. 

The best time to visit the park is during the autumn months of October-November and from March-May in spring/summer.

Everest area will be full lockdown tomorrow !

Solukhumbu. The world's highest peak, Everest, will be closed tomorrow (Tuesday). The Everest National Park is about to completely block the area to prevent the spread of the Corona virus (Covid-19), a pandemic worldwide.

According to the decision made by the government, officials of the hotel entrepreneurs' association located in the Sagarmatha National Park, Khumbu area, after the joint discussion, the locals of the Sagarmatha area were completely locked up, said consultant Lamakali Lama of Namche. "We are returning the number of tourists who have come to Khumbu area from the same area now," said Lama, adding that the postal area established by Sagarmatha National Park for tourists was closed as well.

Although the tourist movement has increased in the Everest region since the beginning of spring, only a few tourists have reached this area this year. The WHO report states that the Corona virus, which has a high mountainous area and can live in the open for up to 7 days in the cold. Therefore, not only foreign tourists from this region, but also those from Kathmandu, have been specifically urged to stay in self-quarantine, Lama said.

All government offices, hotel entrepreneurs and local tourists have apologized for the inconvenience caused by the tourists due to timely drastic measures to prevent the outbreak. Lama said he had made such a difficult decision, even though Corona was a disease that could not be transmitted from one person to another.

Meanwhile, all the hotels in Namche Bazaar were closed by the entrance of Everest on March 3. The meeting of the Lodge and Hotel Association Namche Bazaar Committee decided to close all the hotels until further notice.

Now, on Monday, positive reports of a coroner-infected person in Kathmandu came to a panic. Health Minister Bhanubhakta Dhakal informed that Corona was positive through a press conference. Minister Dhakal has urged the common people not to panic but also to take precautions.