EBC In Spotlight

Bini Dahal

There is no denying that Nepal is defined by the culture of its people and natural resources, especially high snow-clad mountains. They are considered unique treasures of the nation. Since the first human ascent of Sagarmatha in 1953, Nepal has come to limelight internationally. Mountains have significantly contributed to building the country’s position as a major tourist destination in the globe.

Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest), standing at an elevation of 8848.86 metres above sea level, is the most popular destination among mountaineers and nature lovers from around the world. A journey to the Khumbu Region is quite challenging and adventurous. A trip to Everest Base Camp (EBC) also remains a memorable journey for many adventurers.  

The Himalaya region has become a location where people from home and abroad create and break records. A four-year-old girl from the Czech Republic has now gained popularity far and wide after it was found that she became the youngest person to reach EBC. Zara along with her father and her seven year-old brother has enjoyed her tour to EBC. Visiting EBC is not an easy task as it is located at a height of 5,364 metre above sea level. One has to complete a long trek to EBC from Lukla in a difficult terrain with high chances of suffering from altitude-related ailments.  

Previously, a five-year-old girl named Prisha Lokesh Nikajoo had set the world record by reaching EBC. That record has now been broken by four-year-old Zara. Getting to such an altitude is not a difficult task. It can have potential harm to the body as at times we are unable to cope with altitude sicknesses. This can even push the body towards death. This is not just the case for young people but it can happen to those belonging to any age group. Obviously young and old age people are the most vulnerable ones. 

This record is extraordinary and can surely help boost Nepal’s mountain tourism. The government of Nepal has recently published a report saying how Nepal’s tourism is bouncing back. However, tourist arrivals to Nepal have yet to reach the pre-pandemic level. With these kinds of records, more tourists would be interested in visiting the Nepal Himalayas to take up the risk. 

However, this increasing popularity also puts a huge responsibility on the country for ensuring proper tourism management. We have read how during the spring season a long line of mountaineers are found climbing Sagarmatha. And there have been instances where while climbing atop people have lost their lives due to the overcrowding and drop of oxygen in their cylinders. 

The most concerning matter is about growing climate change and its environmental repercussions. There were reports of the EBC and its vicinity areas losing a lot of glaciers owing to climate change and increased human activities. And even possibilities of changing the location of the base camp had been discussed. However, this idea was dropped later on due to the opposition from trekking communities. 

As mentioned above, mountains are treasures not just for Nepal and also for the world. The government must come up with an extensive plan to manage mountain tourism effectively and strictly implement its plans and policies. To ensure sustainability of the tourism sector, we will have to put much effort into protecting the mountains. This way people will be able to set more records and the tourism industry will become more robust and more importantly the country’s progress and growth will be substantial.