|
Located in northeast
of Nepal is the beautiful Everest Region which
is a very popular trekking site among the
seasoned trekkers. The Solukhumbu district, home
of the legendary Sherpas and the highest peak of
the world, the Everest Mountain (Mount. Everest) at
8,848 meters, is the most visited part of this
region and the best time to visit is during the
spring and autumn season.
The Everest National
Park is found at the northern part of the
Solokhumbu while the Makalu Barun National Park
is located on the eastern region. Major ethnic
groups living around the Everest region are the
Sherpas, Rais, Tamangs, Brahmins and the
Chhettris. Among the range of wildlife sighted
in this region are the mountain goats, musk
deers and barking deers and the different kinds
of birds seen here include Impeyan Pheasant (Danfe),
ravens, crows, choughs and snow pegions. Also
found here are the various types of plants.
The popular trekking
areas among trekkers are Everest Base Camp,
Gokyo Valley, Lukla, Pike Danda, Dudh Kunda,
Salleri, Chiwong Circuit, Hinkhu, Hongu Valleys
and Everest to Arun Valley. Interesting
landmarks near Syangboche are the Khumjung
School which was built by Sir Edmund Hillary in
1961 and the 1968 established Khunde Hospital
which is located at the north of Namche Bajaar.
The trekking route chosen will dictate the
trekking method in the Everest region. Teahouse
trekking is recommended on the main trail to
Everest Base Camp or the route up Gokyo Valley.
Another route which has teahouses along the
journey is the trail from Jiri to Lukla.
Getting to the
trekking areas is not a problem. The Everest
region can be reached by both air or on foot.
There are buses to Jiri from the new bus park in
Kathmandu. The journey from Kathmandu to Jiri
takes about ten hours by bus. There are several
options if you are going by plane. Lukha, which
is serviced by many daily flights from Kathmandu
is easily the most convenient for Everest trek.
Another choice is the airstrip at Phaplu which
is located near the district headquarters and it
is serviced by many airlines with daily flights
from Kathmandu. Trekkers can also choose the
small airstrip at Syangboche, which is located
above Namche Bajaar. However, trekkers are
advised against it because altitude makes it an
impractical and risky choice as an arrival
destination for acclimatization reasons.
Another thing to
know is that special trekking permits are not
required to visit this area but entry fees are
charged for access to the Everest National Park
and the Makalu Barun National Park. Entry fees
can be paid at the National Park desk in Thamel,
Kathmandu. When trekking in Nepal, trekkers are
usually advised to arrange their trek through a
government recognized trekking agency which are
known for their reliability.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
|