Everest Expedition 2024

 An Everest Expedition is the ultimate mountaineering goal for many climbers, offering the chance to stand at the summit of the world's highest peak, Mount Everest, which stands at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) above sea level. Here's a brief overview of what such an expedition entails:

Preparation and Training: Successful Everest climbers usually have extensive high-altitude mountaineering experience. They undergo rigorous physical training, technical climbing preparation, and familiarization with extreme weather conditions.

Route and Timing: Most expeditions occur in April-May, during a narrow weather window. The two primary routes are the Southeast Ridge from Nepal and the North Col from Tibet. The Southeast Ridge is more frequently used and is considered slightly less technically challenging.

Base Camp to Summit:

Base Camp: Expeditions start at Base Camp (South Side: 5,364 meters, North Side: about 5,150 meters), where climbers acclimatize and prepare for higher camps.

Khumbu Icefall and Higher Camps: On the South Side, climbers navigate the treacherous Khumbu Icefall, then establish camps at higher altitudes for further acclimatization and staging the summit push.

Summit Push: Climbers aim for the summit during a short weather window, often departing from Camp IV (South Col) and navigating the Hillary Step and other challenges.

Challenges: Risks include avalanches, crevasse falls, extreme weather, and altitude sickness. Oxygen deprivation and physical exhaustion are significant challenges.

Support and Logistics: The expedition requires a team of experienced Sherpa guides, support staff, and extensive logistical planning for supplies, oxygen tanks, and emergency protocols.

Cost and Duration: Everest expeditions are expensive, often costing tens of thousands of dollars, and typically last about two months.

Environmental and Ethical Considerations: Climbers must be aware of the environmental impact and ethical considerations, including waste management and respecting local cultures and economies.

Permits and Regulations: Climbers need a permit from the government of Nepal or China (for Tibet), and there are strict rules and regulations governing the climb.

Climbing Everest is a feat that tests the limits of human endurance, skill, and spirit. It requires not only physical and technical prowess but also mental fortitude, careful planning, and respect for the mountain and its local communities.

Everest Expedition 2024

From now on, tourists will not be able to go on a walk on their own, the fee of 'TIMS' card has been increased

  

From now on, tourists will not be able to go on a walk on their own, the fee of 'TIMS' card has been increased

Kathmandu. The foreign tourists had purchased the tourist information management system 'TIMS' card distributed by the Nepal Tourism Board and were happily trekking alone.

From now on, the board has decided that no foreigner can go on a walk alone. On Thursday, the meeting of the Nepal Tourism Board decided that no foreigner will be allowed to roam freely. The board said that now when tourists go on a trek, they must take a trekking guide.

According to the vice president of the board, Chandra Rizal, the decision was taken by the board meeting that the tourists could not go on a voluntary walk after the increase in the number of tourists falling and getting injured while hiking alone, difficulties in rescue, loss and death of tourists. He said, "this decision will help in the rescue of injured and sick tourists who are lost and the tourists will be protected."

Nepal used to be infamous at the international level when tourists who went on their own initiative died and went missing. The decision of the board will be effective from April 1. Earlier, it was decided to close FIT (Free Individual Trekker) from October 1, 2022, but the board did not implement it.

However, after an agreement was reached between the Board, Trekking Agency Association of Nepal (TAN) and tourism workers for the implementation of this decision, the pressure on the Board to take this decision increased.

After the board's decision, foreign tourists visiting Nepal now have to travel through the company only. Also, the fee for the Tims card sold by the board has been increased. Tourists from SAARC countries have been paying 600 rupees for individual visits, which has been increased to 1000 rupees. Non-SAARC tourists will have to pay 2000 for the team fee when they come to visit Nepal individually.

One dies, scores stranded as avalanche hits Mount Manaslu

One dies, scores stranded as avalanche hits Mount Manaslu

Bad weather hits rescue operations in the world’s eighth-highest mountain standing 8,163 meters.

Kathmandu: One person died in an avalanche that hit Mount Manaslu located in western Nepal on Monday morning.

Vice Chairman of Tsum Nubri Rural Municipality of Gorkha Laxmi Gurung said that the identification of the person killed in the avalanche that occurred between camps three and four is yet to be ascertained.

Although a helicopter was mobilized to rescue those stranded in the world’s eighth-highest mountain standing 8,163 meters, the rescue operation couldn’t be carried out owing to inclement weather. The exact number of those marooned in the mountain is yet to be known.

Gurung said that the details of the incident are awaited.

A total of 404 people from 38 expedition teams have been issued permits to climb the mountain this season.

Tourists are not allowed to walk alone in the area above Namche

Solukhumbu - Tourists are not allowed to walk alone in the area above Namche of Khumbu. According to Solukhumbu District Police Office, there has been an increase in the number of domestic and foreign tourists who came on tour without a guide or companion to go missing.

Deputy Superintendent of Forestry Sunil Jang Shah informed that a companion is mandatory for visiting the area above the Namche Forestry Post because after reaching the high Himalayan region, people get sick, get sick and face various disasters.

Pranau Shah said that Namche check post has been instructed to strictly check accordingly. Chief District Officer Anil Khanal said that he has sent a circular to the Ministry to fully implement the decision.

An Indian and a Korean citizen, who visited the Khumbu region only a few months ago, have gone missing. The search operation for them continues, but the situation has not been discovered so far, the police said.

Nepal to move Everest base camp from melting glacier

     Nepal to move Everest base camp from melting glacier

Nepal is preparing to move its Everest base camp because global warming and human activity are making it unsafe.    www.everestexpeditionsnepal.com

The camp, used by up to 1,500 people in the spring climbing season, is situated on the rapidly thinning Khumbu glacier.

A new site is to be found at a lower altitude, where there is no year-round ice, an official told the BBC.

Researchers say melt-water destabilises the glacier, and climbers say crevasses are increasingly appearing at base camp while they sleep.

"We are now preparing for the relocation and we will soon begin consultation with all stakeholders," Taranath Adhikari, director general of Nepal's tourism department, told the BBC.

"It is basically about adapting to the changes we are seeing at the base camp and it has become essential for the

                                    The camp produces up to 4,000 litres of urine per day

sustainability of the mountaineering business itself."The camp currently sits at an altitude of 5,364m. The new one will be 200m to 400m lower, Mr Adhikari said.

The plans follow the recommendations of a committee formed by Nepal's government to facilitate and monitor mountaineering in the Everest region.

The Khumbu glacier, like many other glaciers in the Himalayas, is rapidly melting and thinning in the wake of global warming, scientists have found.

A study by researchers from Leeds University in 2018 showed that the segment close to base camp was thinning at a rate of 1m per year.

Most of the glacier is covered by rocky debris, but there are also areas of exposed ice, called ice cliffs, and it is the melting of the ice cliffs that most destabilises the glacier, one of the researchers, Scott Watson, told the BBC.

"When ice cliffs melt like that, the debris of boulder and rocks that are on the top of the ice cliffs move and fall and then the melting also creates water bodies," he said.

"So we see increased rock falls and movement of melt-water on the surface of the glaciers that can be hazardous."

Mr Watson said the glacier was losing 9.5 million cubic metres of water per year.

Mountaineers and the Nepali authorities say a stream right in the middle of the base camp has been steadily expanding. They also say crevasses and cracks on the surface of the glacier are appearing more frequently than before.

"We surprisingly see crevasses appearing overnight at places where we sleep," said Col Kishor Adhikari of the Nepali army, who was staying at base camp while leading a clean-up campaign during the spring climbing season, which lasts from March to the end of May.

In the morning, many of us have this chilling experience that we could have fallen into them in the night. Cracks on the ground develop so often, it is quite risky."

Tshering Tenzing Sherpa, Everest base camp manager with the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), echoed that message.

Loud noises could also frequently be heard, he said, caused by the ice moving or rocks falling. He added that before putting up a tent at base camp it was necessary to flatten the rocky surface covering the ice, and to repeat this from time to time as the glacier moved.

"In the past the flattened space used to bulge up only after two to three weeks. But now that happens almost every week," he said.

A leading member of the committee that recommended the base camp move, Khimlal Gautam, said the presence of so many people at base camp was contributing to the problem.

"For instance, we found that people urinate around 4,000 litres at the base camp every day," he said.

"And the massive amount of fuels like kerosene and gas we burn there for cooking and warming will definitely have impacts on the glacier's ice."

Adrian Ballinger, founder of mountain guide company Alpenglow Expeditions, agreed that the move made sense, predicting that there will be more avalanches, ice falls and rock falls in the area of the current base camp in future.

"This should be unacceptable to expedition leaders, since it can be avoided," he said.

The main drawback was that a camp lower down the mountain would add to the length of the climb from base camp to camp one, the next staging post for those climbing the mountain.

Most climbers still ascend Everest from the Nepalese side, but the numbers starting in China are increasing.

Mr Sherpa of the SPCC said that despite the problems, the present base camp site was still essentially stable, and could continue to serve its purpose for another three to four years.

But Nepali officials say the move may happen by 2024.

"We have assessed the technical and environmental aspects of the base camp, but before we relocate it we will have to discuss this with local communities, considering other aspects like their culture," said Mr Adhikari.

"We will do it only after discussing with all quarters."

Trekkers return to Annapurna Circuit as Nepal throws gates wide open

   Trekkers return to Annapurna Circuit as Nepal throws gates wide open

For scenery and cultural diversity, this has long been considered the best trek in Nepal, and one of the world’s classic walks.

The Annapurna region has started welcoming quarantine-free tourists back to its popular trekking trails as Nepal tries to reboot its pandemic ravaged tourism industry.

Going all around the Annapurnas, the Annapurna Circuit trekking trail meanders across the central Nepal Himalaya through one of the most beautiful sceneries on the planet. The walking route is triply blessed with stunning landscapes, architecture and culture.

The Annapurna Conservation Area, a 7,629-sq-km protected area encompassing villages, hills, valleys, gorges and lakes with the snowy Annapurnas towering over them, is spread across the five districts of Manang, Mustang, Kaski, Myagdi and Lamjung.

In September, after Nepal removed the remaining coronavirus restrictions, 76 trekkers led the first foray into the Annapurna region. "By the first week of October, 96 foreign trekkers had entered the Annapurna Circuit through Manang," said Lekhnath Gautam, chief of the Annapurna Conservation Area Project unit office in Manang.

A few days ago, a group of 40 tourists, including seven differently-abled sight-seers, chartered a plane and landed at Manang's Humde Airport. “October seems to be encouraging,” said Binod Gurung, chairman of the Tourism Entrepreneurs Association Manang.

“All hotels were closed for a year and a half due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The arrival of trekkers back to the trekking trails has cheered the industry.”

On September 23, the government threw away the seven-day quarantine requirement and resumed issuing on-arrival visas to all vaccinated foreign travellers in a bid to bring the virus-ravaged tourism industry back to life.

Visitors should have received their last dose of the Covid-19 vaccine at least 14 full days prior to entering Nepal. Those who are not vaccinated or partially vaccinated will not get on-arrival visas. They have to get their entry permits from Nepali diplomatic missions, and also spend 10 days in quarantine in government-listed hotels.

Nepal’s Annapurna Circuit was named among the top 10 most incredible travel experiences in the world by Lonely Planet in October last year.

The world's number one travel guide publisher said in its latest Ultimate Travel List that Covid-19 resulted in travel restrictions around the world, and clipped travellers’ wings through 2020.

For scenery and cultural diversity, this has long been considered the best trek in Nepal, and one of the world’s classic walks.

The trail follows the Marsyangdi Valley to the north of the main Himalayan range and crosses a 5,416-metre pass to descend into the dramatic desert-like, Tibetan-style scenery of the upper Kali Gandaki Valley.

“There is no single restriction on the Annapurna Circuit. It’s fully open for all visitors,” said Bishnu Lamichhane, chief district officer of Manang. “All trekking routes, except a few damaged by rainfall, are safe.”

But visitors have to mandatorily submit a Covid-19 negative report obtained within the previous 72 hours before hitting the trail in Manang and Mustang. “We want to spread the message in the world that Annapurna is safe,” said Lamichhane.

The circuit received zero trekkers in January and February. In March, there were 66 trekkers which grew to 366 in April.

In spring, the government reopened the country for foreign travellers in the hope of lifting the economy and employment by reviving tourism.

Subsequently, Nepal received a record-high number of foreigners aspiring to climb the world’s tallest peak, Mt Everest, as the Covid-19 pandemic looked like petering out. But the Delta outbreaks and slow vaccine rollout again clouded the country's tourism.

After the second Covid-19 wave which struck in April, the country slid into a devastating crisis, and authorities enforced strict lockdown measures. About two months later, the restrictions were relaxed gradually; and since September 1, almost everything has been allowed to reopen.

As the government imposed the second lockdown on April 29, the number of trekkers on the Annapurna Circuit dropped to 48. June and July saw a lone trekker each. According to government statistics, there were three wanderers in August.

The Annapurna Circuit and Annapurna Base Camp trekking routes count among the world's greatest adventure walking trails. Nearly 200,000 foreign tourists used to throng the Annapurna Conservation Area annually.

The Annapurna area was opened to foreign trekkers in 1977.

On June 3, 1950, Frenchmen Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal became the first climbers to summit the forbidding Himalayan peak Annapurna I. This triumph, an unimaginable struggle against hardship, was completed without supplemental oxygen. It was also the first time an eight-thousander among the 14 in the world was climbed.

Herzog wrote a book called Annapurna about mountaineering which was published in 1952. More than 11 million copies were sold (till 2000) making it one of the best-selling books in the history of mountaineering.

This book has been regarded as a milestone for the development of mountaineering tourism in Nepal.

The original route of the Annapurna Circuit started at the market town of Dumre on the Kathmandu-Pokhara highway and ended in Pokhara, and took about 23 days to complete. After the construction of roads, the original 23-day walk has now been cut to only five days. 

First in 45 years, 22 climbers make rare autumn ascent of Manaslu main summit

     First in 45 years, 22 climbers make rare autumn ascent of Manaslu main summit

The main peak is 8,163 metres high, and the mountaineering fraternity has lauded the climbers for making it to the ‘true summit’.

The team gathered at 8,100 metres, a place where people usually stop because they can’t climb to the true summit because of the tricky ridge and risk. The team then traversed down a little below and again climbed to the main summit, which is 8163 metres. Photo courtesy: Jackson Groves' Facebook page

Mountaineers have scaled the main summit of Mt Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain in the world, in autumn, accomplishing a feat not seen since 1976.

Led by Mingma Sherpa, better known as Mingma G, 14 Nepali and eight foreign climbers achieved the rare feat on September 27 for the first time in 45 years. The main peak is 8,163 metres high, and the mountaineering fraternity has called it the “true summit”.

“Many foreigners have been debating if Manaslu’s main summit can be climbed in the autumn season. On September 27, we proved it,” Mingma G told the Post over the phone.

“In fact, Mt Manaslu has been climbed every year, and even reaching the fore-summit, which is just below the main summit, is accepted as a successful ascent. The main summit is 6-7 metres higher than the fore-summit, and it has never been climbed since 1976,” he said.

                             Photo courtesy: Jackson Groves' Facebook page

As the last short section, a snow-covered rock outcrop, is very steep, climbers normally do not venture there during the autumn and winter.

“It’s like a sharp knife ridge which is daunting and dangerous. So climbers normally go up to the fore-summit and return,” said Mingma G, who was one of the members of the K2 winter ascent. K2, the world's second highest mountain in Pakistan, was climbed in winter for the first time in January.

“The new route was difficult, but we did it with perfection.”

The team started their summit push from Camp 4 at 3am on September 27, and reached the summit at 9:40am.

“I hope there will be no more fore-summits in the future. Top is always Top, no more ups, everything below you,” Mingma G wrote on his Facebook page. “It was not easy. The team gathered at 8,100 metres, a place where people usually stop because they can’t climb to the summit because of the tricky ridge and risk. Then, we traversed down a little below and again climbed to the main summit,” said Mingma G.

“We explored the new route. Hopefully, it will help climbers to follow the footstep.”

                                Photo courtesy: Jackson Groves' Facebook page

Tobias Pantel, who keeps a record of every technical climb on the Himalayan Database, posted on his Facebook page: “This is a big day for Himalayan mountaineering!”

The Himalayan Database, the expedition archives of American journalist Elizabeth Hawley, is a large digital and published record of mountaineering in the Nepal Himalayas since 1903. It has congratulated Mingma G and his team on reaching the “true summit” and the highest point of Manaslu in autumn 2021.

“This is the second time this point was reached during the autumn season, and the first time since 1976,” the Himalayan Database wrote on its Facebook page.

“As this is a significant day for Himalayan mountaineering and will have implications on how the Himalayan Database will report on Manaslu summits, the team will sit together to come up with a strategy on how to deal with future and past summits of the world’s eighth highest peak.”

The Manaslu summit has been marked by real confusion over what constitutes the true summit, and who historically and currently reached it, famed mountaineer Alan Arnette said in a blog post.

                                Photo courtesy: Mount Manaslu Facebook page

One of the climbers, photographer Jackson Groves, flew a drone near the summit and captured stills and footage of the historic summit.

“For Manaslu, the issue is the last few metres to the summit is across a heavily corniced snow ridge that is virtually impossible to place protections (ice screws, pitons, etc) to protect climbers from crossing it,” he said.

“So this year, Mingma, building on his winter K2 success, wanted to make a point. This time he proved he made his true summit with the help of drone pictures and videos he shot. Instead of crossing the corniced ridge, he is shown taking a drop-down route across a 70-degree face then climbing to what apparently is the true summit. It appears genuine,” he wrote.

“Then all the other climbers who claimed a summit this season without following his path will be noted as reaching the fore-summit.”