SOLUKHUMBU, April 5: Although the climbing season is yet to begin, a substantial rise in the number of trekkers to the Everest Base Camp(EBC) has made it difficult for expedition companies to manage logistics to host the visitors. After encountering various problems in previous years, the companies had, in fact, made prior preparations this time; however, they are now overwhelmed with visitors, including both domestic and foreign.
The base camp, which lies at an altitude of 5,364 meters, is full of colorful tents, and crowds of trekkers, guides and staff members of expedition firms.
The ultimate trek
Shared by Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse and Mt Nuptse, the base camp is so overcrowded that there's no space to set up an additional tent, said Gyanendra Shrestha, contact officer to the government at the base camp. “There are around 1,000 visitors currently,” he said. Before setting out to climb the mountains, the mountaineers spend a few weeks in the base camp for altitude acclimatization and preparations.
Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa, who recently returned to Lukla after escorting a group of French trekkers to the base camp, said: “Spring is the best season to visit the Everest Base Camp, and I never feel like returning home every time I reach there,” he said. “More than 50 staffers of expedition companies are currently operating at the base camp.” While some of the trekkers have already reached the base camp, six groups of 56 trekkers each are on their way after taking permission from Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), Namche Bazaar.
Of the six groups, four are determined to climb the Everest, while one group is planning to climb Lhotse and the other Nuptse, according to Kapindra Rai, program officer at SPCC.
