Encircled by walls of snow, infused with the fragrance of Sherpa culture, and graced with stunning Himalayan views, the Everest region continues to captivate thousands of tourists every season. With the onset of spring, the region has once again come alive with trekking boots, fluttering prayer flags, and the buzz of adventure seekers.
According to the Sagarmatha National Park Office, 12,003 tourists visited the Everest region in the month of Chaitra alone. Park ranger Bibek Shrestha shared that the current season is considered the most favorable for mountaineering, trekking, and Himalayan sightseeing. “The number of domestic and international tourists has increased significantly as this is the best time to experience the grandeur of the Himalayas,” said Shrestha. The rise in footfall has naturally led to increased business activity in the Khumbu region, with hotels and lodges operating at full capacity.
Currently, hotels from Lukla to Namche Bazaar are packed with tourists. On favorable weather days, hundreds of tourists enter the park daily via flights from Kathmandu and Ramechhap’s Manthali Airport. However, when weather conditions are poor, many opt for alternate routes, traveling by jeep from Kathmandu to Salleri via road.
Expanding Access: Air and Road Routes to Everest
Previously, flying to Lukla was the primary option for accessing Everest. But in recent years, the development of roads reaching close to Lukla has opened new doors for travelers. When flights are canceled due to inclement weather, tourists now take jeeps from Kathmandu through Khurkot, Ghurmi, and Okhaldhunga to reach Salleri, the district headquarters of Solukhumbu. From Salleri, they continue their journey to Surke, near Lukla, in Bolero vehicles.
Locals, drivers, and hoteliers alike have welcomed this new infrastructure. “There’s no longer a compulsion to return if flights get canceled,” said Ram Bahadur Baraili, a transport entrepreneur. According to him, the number of foreign tourists using the Surke alternative route has surged each time flight operations are disrupted.
During such times, hotels in Salleri and Phaplu are quickly filled with visitors arriving by jeep. Driver Santosh Tamang explained that roads beyond Salleri are unpaved, so Boleros are preferred for the final leg. Karma Sherpa, Senior Vice President of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), said, “Frequent bad weather disrupts Lukla flights, but with roads now extending closer to Lukla, traveling by vehicle is a welcome alternative.”
Still, not all tourists wait for the weather to improve. Some redirect their plans entirely. Tourism entrepreneur Temba Chhiring Sherpa noted that “those coming on short visas often divert to other destinations when Lukla weather becomes a concern.”
Rich Biodiversity and Cultural Significance of Sagarmatha National Park
Established in 1976 (BS 2032), Sagarmatha National Park covers an area of 1,148 square kilometers in the Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu district. The park includes Mount Everest, as well as peaks above 6,000 meters like Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Lhotse Shar, Pumori, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. Gokyo and its surrounding lakes, located within the park, have been designated as Ramsar sites since 2007.
Sagarmatha National Park was enlisted as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979. It spans altitudes from 1,800 meters to 8,848 meters above sea level. The park features a diverse array of flora including fir, pine, hemlock, juniper, birch, and various species of rhododendron. In spring, rhododendrons bloom in vibrant colors, turning the landscape into a spectacular display.
The region is home to several endangered species such as the snow leopard, Himalayan black bear, musk deer, Himalayan tahr, goral, and blue sheep. It also boasts over 193 species of birds including the Himalayan monal (Danphe), snowcock, kalij pheasant, red-billed and yellow-billed choughs.
Beyond its natural beauty, the park holds cultural significance, with prominent Buddhist monasteries like Tengboche and Thame providing spiritual teachings. The area attracts thousands of visitors annually not only for mountaineering and trekking but also for cultural tourism. The main tourist seasons in the region are from March to May (spring) and from October to December (autumn).
Tourist Arrival Data (Sagarmatha National Park – Current Fiscal Year)
| Month | Number of Tourists |
|---|---|
| Shrawan | 125 |
| Bhadra | 1,394 |
| Ashwin | 8,002 |
| Mangsir | 4,394 |
| Poush | 1,711 |
| Magh | 943 |
| Falgun | 2,487 |
| Chaitra | 12,003 |
| Total (9 Months) | 44,608 |
Tourist Demographics & Revenue
| Category | Number |
|---|---|
| Foreign Tourists | 37,796 |
| SAARC Tourists | 3,996 |
| Other Foreign Tourists | 33,800 |
| Domestic Tourists | 5,897 |
| Total Tourists | 43,693 |
| Revenue Collected | Rs. 113,209,100 |
Currently, more than 400 tourists both domestic and international are entering the Sagarmatha region daily. The economic benefits from rising tourist numbers are evident. However, the increasing traffic also raises concerns about environmental degradation.
Tourism expert Ang Chhiring Sherpa stressed the need for sustainable development, saying, “Preservation of natural resources must now be our top priority. Everest is the pride of Nepal and a once-in-a-lifetime experience for many. We must promote it responsibly.”
