Dedicated Chungba exploring wildlife with his lens

By Indira Aryal

Kathmandu, Sept 14 : Age is merely a number when one is driven by passion and firm dedication. This truth is exemplified by wildlife photographer Chungba Sherpa, who embarked on his remarkable journey in wildlife photography at the age of 57 after retiring from his extended career as a tourism entrepreneur.

Even at the age of 62, Sherpa has proven that he excels in what he loves. His reputation extends far beyond his own country, as his name has reached people from distant places due to his unwavering passion. Armed with his camera and equipment, he explores the wilderness with unmatched dedication and enthusiasm.

Sherpa hails from Lukla, a place settled in the shadow of the world's tallest peak, Mount Everest. Growing up in this majestic setting shaped his free-spirited nature and sparked his deep passion for wildlife photography. Sherpa runs a family resort called Khumbu Resort in the Khumbu area, but that does not stop him from pursuing his true love - wildlife photography.  

During his almost five and a half years of wildlife photography, he made an impressive number of visits to various national parks and wildlife-rich regions. He visited Chitwan 35 times, Suklaphanta National Park and Bardiya National Park 13 times each and Banke seven times. Additionally, he explored Langtang, Sagarmatha, Kanchenjunga, Koshi Tappu, and Lumbini on multiple occasions, all in pursuit of capturing stunning photographs of diverse wildlife.

He and his team stayed in Kanchenjunga for 23 days with the goal of capturing a photograph of a snow leopard. Unfortunately, they were unable to capture the exact image they had hoped for. As a result, he is now planning another visit to the site to capture the desired photograph.

Sherpa captured an extraordinary photograph of a wild yak in Lapsa, located within the Limi Valley in Taplejung. At one point, it was believed that wild yaks had disappeared from the region. However, Sherpa's photographic evidence, taken at an altitude of over 4,300 meters, provides strong evidence of their continued presence.

Sherpa has not only captured images of wild yaks but has also documented other remarkable wildlife encounters. These include photographs of snow leopards at altitudes exceeding 4,800 meters and images of red pandas taken within the Annapurna Conservation Area. “The snow leopard was captured at an elevation of 4,600m after spending 12 nights in a tent,” he said.

"I have visited nearly all of Nepal's nature reserves many times," Sherpa said. "I have managed to capture photos of some of the rarest and endangered species, such as the Royal Bengal Tiger, Wild Yak, Snow Leopard, Himalayan Musk Deer and Wild Elephant. However, my journey is not over until I capture even more wildlife photos in the future."

Starting something new was tough for Chungba, but he did not mind spending millions on his camera and gear, plus an expensive Land Rover. He has no regrets and his dedication paid off during an expedition to Tanzania, where he captured his best photos.

Wherever he travels, Sherpa passionately spreads the word about Nepal's biodiversity. Sherpa claimed to have narrowly escaped wild elephant, wild yak, and tiger attacks multiple times during his visit. Unfortunately, he still struggles to find a way to escape from the attack.

He even visited Tanzania's Serengeti National Park. He described his experience as 'heavenly' for wildlife photographers. Chungba, joined by his son Tsewang, a medical doctor, explored four national parks during their 12-day visit to Tanzania in the third and fourth week of June, 2023.

Starting their journey from the Kilimanjaro National Park area, home to Africa's tallest peak, the Sherpa father and son duo traveled through several national parks, including Arusha and Tarangire. 

In the vast expanse of Serengeti's savannahs, swamps, and woodlands, Chungba Sherpa captured a stunning array of wildlife. His lens caught everything from common elands to African buffaloes, blue wildebeests to Topi antelopes, cheetahs to common leopards, wild water buffaloes to giraffes, waterbuck antelopes to serval cats.

 Sherpa said, “The landscape was filled with wild elephants, both male and female lions, and striking zebras with their unique stripes.”

Sherpa's trip to Tanzania changed his life. It made him famous not just in Nepal but worldwide, showcasing his incredible skills. Even though the trip was expensive, he willingly spent Rs. 1.7 million on it, he said. He took his son with him on the trip. They were surprised by how much there was to explore in Tanzania's wildlife. 

He also shared that sometimes he receives monetary awards, but he prefers to use that money to assist students in conducting wildlife research. He has supported at least 10 students using the funds he has received from his work.

His goal is to convey to the world that Nepal is not just rich in culture but also home to various endangered wildlife. He aspires to transform Nepal into a hub for wildlife tourism. 

Talking about Sherpa, noted ornithologist Dr. Hem Sagar Baral said that Sherpa is a dedicated and hardworking wildlife photographer who captures wildlife from lowland to highland. "Sherpa is not only a wildlife photographer but also a philanthropist," Dr. Baral said.