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Why people want to go to the Mt. Everest region, for multiple reasons

Every year, more than 450 climbers from around the world get permits from the Nepal government to climb Mt. Everest, and this number is constantly growing.

By Tanka Dhakal 13 Jul 2024

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Everest Base Camp in the second week of May 2024 - During this peak climbing season, tents are set up for climbers and their teams. The base camp is situated on top of the active Khumbu glacier. Picture Copyrights Tanka Dhakal

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Solukhumbu (Nepal) – In the second week of last May (2024), Arati Shinde was breathing fast and looking around with a sense of accomplishment on her face. “We are here to celebrate our 20th wedding anniversary,” Shinde said while holding her husband Arbind’s hand at the base camp of the world's tallest mountain, Mt. Everest, aka Sagarmatha.

Mt Everest Range — Mt. Everest, also known as Sagarmatha, and its surrounding mountain range, attract climbers and trekkers from around the world. The growing number of visitors has sparked discussions about overcrowding and how to manage it effectively.

dudhkoshi river — Dudhkoshi River in the Khumbu region of Nepal starts from tributary rivers in the Sagarmatha region. Downstream, it becomes the Saptakoshi River and flows from Nepal to India, eventually merging with the Ganges.

“I love nature and wanted to celebrate this milestone here, and finally, we made it,” she said, trying to collect all her emotions. “We came all the way from Pune, Maharashtra (India). We can’t express our feelings; it’s just wonderful,” Arbind said. He mentioned that being able to experience different weather and the beautiful forest of rhododendrons was the highlight of this trip. He added,

“We are taking all the memories, and these mountains have humbled us, for which we are thankful.”

rhododendron in Lausasa — Blooming rhododendron flowers in the second week of May in Lausasa, Khumbu region, which is the national flower of Nepal. Research indicates that the impact of climate change is causing rhododendrons to bloom earlier than usual.

rododendron forest — Trekkers can experience endless blooming forests of rhododendron flowers in the spring season in the Sagarmatha region.

On the Everest Base Camp (EBC) trekking trail during the main season (spring), trekkers witness the blooming forest of rhododendrons from white to red to purple to pink from Khumjung to Thyangboche. According to different research, the impact of rising temperatures is evident on rhododendrons, and in many areas, they are blooming earlier than usual. But in the Everest region, trekkers like the Shinde couple are able to collect lifelong memories.

hillary bridge — A daily wage laborer, carrying goods on his back, crosses the suspension bridge (Hillary Bridge), which connects the Khumbu region with the outside world. In Khumbu, bridges, human labor, and mules are the main means of transporting basic necessities in the region.

Namchhe life — A woman washing clothes in Namche Bazaar. Namche is the main center of the Khumbu region after Lukla. After Namche, climbers and trekkers only see small villages as they walk towards the Mt. Everest region.

livelihood in Khumbu — Women carrying fallen leaves, which they use for traditional eco-toilets. These leaves are later transformed into compost fertilizer.

Love brought the Shinde couple to the EBC, whereas for Ashley Clarksy, it was life’s challenges that compelled him to come to the base of the world's tallest mountain from the UK. He was resting on a stone at the base camp on May 10th afternoon, having snacks while observing people and nature around him.

snowfall in Dingboche — Snow-covered Dingboche village in the Khumbu region. Due to late snowfall, farmers are increasingly worried.

“I joined the military at a very young age, at 17, left the army, and joined construction work. It was challenging and physically demanding too,”

Clarksy explained his reasoning for coming to the base of the mountain. “I always wanted to do Everest. It was challenging, like life’s challenges, but I made it here, and I’m feeling free.” He mentioned that the EBC trek helped him to respect people and nature more and that he wants to climb Everest one day.

Mountain In Khumbu — Mountain in Khumbu wearing cloud scarf, trekkers see this view towards base camp and while returning to Lukla.

Thyangboche — Dingboche village where trekkers spend at least two nights to acclimatize for higher altitude.

Everest Base Camp in the Khumbu region in the Solukhumbu district of Nepal is the gateway to the top of the world, and Clarksy was looking towards the peak, which was under the clouds that day.

Every year, more than 450 climbers from around the world get permits from the Nepal government to climb Mt. Everest, and this number is constantly growing. More than 50,000 people trek to the base camp every year to challenge themselves, to celebrate love, or to observe. The Khumbu Glacier welcomes all of them with open arms and provides shelter to climbers. But science says the Khumbu Glacier is retreating at a faster rate, and the growing number of visitors and climbers' activities are acting like fuel to the destruction.

Khumbu Glacier at EBC — Khumbu glacier at the Everest Base Camp, which is the main source of water for rivers flowing down-researchers are showing that glaciers are melting at a faster rate than previously predicted.

EBC and Ice — In the Khumbu region, we can see a mix of ice and moraine which is fragile to growing temperatures.

This is what Dr. Alex Balauta worries about the most. “It was a secret place for so many years, but now it has become very commercial and crowded,” Dr Balauta, who travelled from Austria, added. “Still, it’s a place we all want to visit.” He expressed concern regarding the possible impact of changing climate and overcrowding in the region and wished there would be appropriate intervention by the responsible authorities to protect the sanctity of the Everest region.

Iced lake — In recent years numbers of small glacial lakes have grown and the size of these lakes has expanded because of the faster rate of glacier retreat.

Issues Dr. Balauta raised are important and on top of that recent research is also concerning, a research paper published in the Nature in 2023 suggests that glaciers may melt even faster than expected, potentially contributing to sea-level rise at a quicker rate than previously thought. Another study, published in Nature Climate Change in 2020, analyzed more than 250 thousand satellite images, revealing a rapid growth of glacial lakes around the world over the last three decades, indicating the impact of increased meltwater draining from melting glaciers. These all point to possible danger in the mountain areas and demand dedicated action to protect mountains and its essence so that people can enjoy the mountain eco-system and trail for years to come.

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