A Realm Of Its Own

Saudamini Chalise, 

In its realm, the Sagarmatha National park echoes pizzazz to halcyon wanderers. For them, crossing paths with the almost phantasmagoric in appearance, the Sagarmatha National Park seems recherché. The empyrean landscape exudes an ambrosial paradise on the earth. 

Nature's Magnum Opus

AS one of the magnum opuses of nature, it treasures a plethora of natural cabochon and bijous to exotic snow leopards, musk deer, Himalayan Tahr, red panda, Himalayan mouse hare, wolves, lynx, weasels to flurry feathered such as snow cockerel, red-billed cough, Impeyan pheasants. It fanfaronades the presence of 90 mountains such as Pumori, Lhoste, Cho Oyu, Nuptse, Thamserku, and Amadablam clasped in its bosom over the opaque fluffy cotton candy clouds towering from the facades. 

The gorgeously majestic Mount Everest envelops this sanguine paradise of nature. It nests at the elevation ranging from 2845m to 8848m. One can hymn to the melodious symphony of infinite nature and get awestruck by the infinite azure sky stretching beyond the limitations of the human eye. Skylarking through the bedazzled jewelled sky mesmerises anyone with its enigmatic allure and mojo. 

There is a requirement for the access pass to enter this national park that can be bought from the access hub stationed at Monzo and Namche Bazaar. The daily humdrum invokes new thrilling manoeuvres. "Hiking" through the rugged trails of the 'Sagarmatha National park’ ushers the feeling of venturing beyond the last frontiers. Camping at the ‘Gyko Lake’ is not only the eye soother but also seeps in through the human psyche being in sync with nature. 

It's a form of meditation of the soul, soul gazing from the sanctity of an alluring mystical topiary crafted by nature itself. The chilling whiffs of pristine air caressing the skin of the face while basking under the canopy of the majestic blue umbrella of the sky, glancing at the aesthetics of Mount Everest from there can’t be elaborated in mere words. 

The amaranthine tete-a-tete with nature goes hands in gloves until the epic journey to this enthralling terra firma comes to an end. Promenading across this breathtaking terrain gets a notch up higher while fathoming spectacular Mount Everest from "Kala Pathar," the sun-kissed aureate hue enamoured with the strokes of the pearly white snow leaves the dwellers mesmerised for eternity. 

Standing over the suspension bridge over the “Dudkoshi River" allows travellers to speculate about the enthralling beauty of nature. Moseying across Pumori (The Mountains Daughter), Dingboche, Gorek Shep, Arakan Tse, Cholatse Lake awakens the travellers to become the silent audience to the elaborate drama of mystical nature. 

The clouds play hide and seek along with the envious adventure along the trails and after reaching Taboche, where the highest monastery provides a rare peek into the preachings of Buddha, soothes the grief-stricken heart with its gentle caress. 

The best possible avenues to venture into these parts are a flight from Kathmandu to Lukla, two days walk or bus to Jiri and ten days of walk or flight to Tumlingtar and then ten days walk or flight to Phaplu and a 5-day walk. The tailor-made route can be orchestrated by imbibing the taste and hankerings of the excursionist. The 'Lukla airport' perched at precariously high altitudes is listed as one of the world's most dangerous airports. Despite its notorious streak of character, it has maintained high safety records. 

The Buffer zone also draws hordes of inquisitive travellers, exploring a unique lifestyle at such elevation. The homes here mostly belong to ‘Sherpa’ populations, living their sanguinely pristine lives on the meadows of the Himalayas. The concept of the buffer zone was implemented with the view to enhance the conservation process along with the much-improved socio-economic scenario by revenue plough back system. 

The kaleidoscope of transformations occurs through the minds and hearts of all those who cross their paths in the region. It is all the more vital to put on the lid to seal the fragility of such regions, it can be as delicate as the crystal glass. The deep valleys of ‘The Sagarmatha National park’ will certainly enrapture the curiosity level of a traveller, and the rugged terrain and the almost surreal terrain will leave a sense of awe in the visitors. 

Pristine Lustre

The dwellers of the deep valley region have yet to embrace the global culture of the world and are still accustomed to their old ways of life. The tourist will have a sense of travelling back in time while encountering such rabbles. The ‘Sagarmatha National Park' uniquely balances the pristine lustre of nature with the necessities of the modern world; it has modern homestays, lodges, and inns to accommodate the globetrotters. The government is arduously working towards the preservation of the flora and fauna endemic to this region. 

Being a UNESCO heritage destination, the Sagarmatha National Park is widely acclaimed and honoured globally. The prestige it has earned throughout the world has added a feather to our cap.

(The writer holds a PhD in Nepal's tourism and travel)