Reaching the top of the highest mountain presents for many a restless temptation; conquering Mount Everest is one of the ultimate mountaineer dreams and every year 35,000 people visit the mountain accompanied by 80,000 porters, to attempt to reach the top.

While such heroic efforts are certainly worthy of praise and adoration, what many people do not realize, is tons of waste and garbage are left behind along the way. Many foreign visitors have raised the issue and thanks to a combined effort, the campaign ‘Save Mt Everest’ has started.

29 Sherpas took on the challenging task of collecting all that has been left behind and carrying it back down to Namche, the base camp. Needless to say, such effort is heroic, considering the setting and sub-zero temperatures.

An astounding 8 tons of metric waste has been brought back to Namche. The garbage varies from pipes, old ropes and tents, to plastic bottles, empty oxygen bottles, food, and medicine, not to mention bodies of those who never make it.

The end of the campaign is nowhere near in site, considering a further 20 tons of rubbish still remains, according to some estimates. The campaign will continue, claiming some $780,000 and its aims feature not only the cleanup efforts, but subsequent waste management and recycling as well.

While initiatives and organizations like Eco Everest Expedition or the Everest Summiteers Association are working hard to preserve this UNESCO World Heritage Site, the Nepalese government will need to focus more on enforcing garbage laws. Mt Everest is a very unique place and there is absolutely no doubt about the need for its protection.

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The NCA said that the event had been planned to lure adventure lovers as tourist tastes were changing and Nepal needed to be competitive in the international market. The association added that it aimed to bring 200 professional canyoneers from 12 countries.

“So far, 135 canyoneers from Europe and the US have registered for the event,” said NCA president Tilak Lama.

The week-long event will be conducted at Ghopte Khola, Kabindra Khola, Rundu Khola, Syange Khola and Sanche Phu.

“The ICR will be one of the highlighted products for Nepal Tourism Year 2011,” said Prachanda Man Shrestha, chief executive officer of the Nepal Tourism Board.

Shrestha added that the country would be organizing two-three international events each month to mark NTY, and that the ICR would be the April highlight. “Canyoning is one of the niche products of Nepal; and if properly managed, our country could be established as a canyoning destination.”

The NCA seeks to establish Nepal as a Himalayan canyoning destination and package it with other adventure activities like trekking, rafting, rock climbing and mountaineering.

The NCA has conducted canyoning exploration at what is probably the highest altitude in the world. A Nepali team explored the Lhayju River (480m) at Nar Phu, Manang in the Annapurna Himal where the base camp was situated at an altitude of 4,660 m and the canyon head was 5,200 m high.

The Bhote Koshi, Sun Koshi, Kakani and Manaslu are the major commercial canyoning destinations. Canyoning is an extreme adventure sport that involves abseiling, sliding, jumping into deep pools, swimming and climbing down waterfalls on steep canyon cliffs.

According to the government’s tourist arrival figures, Nepal recorded significant inbound growth from the major targeted markets, India and China. Indian arrivals were up 35.5 percent to 7,905 while arrivals from China saw a robust growth of 79.6 percent. Total Chinese arrivals amounted to 3,203 as against 1,783 in the same period last year. Indian and Chinese arrivals made up 24 percent and 9.7 percent of the total arrivals.

Nepal has targeted the northern and the southern neighbours as major markets during Nepal Tourism Year. Projected arrivals from India and China are 265,000 and 100,000 respectively.

“The significant growth in Chinese and Indian tourists can be attributed to increased air accessibility. Despite the poor performance of the national flag carrier, international airlines serving Nepal have upgraded their aircraft and increased their flight frequencies,” said Ram Kazi Koney, a tourism entrepreneur.

China Eastern and China Southern have also increased their flight frequencies leading to a growth of Chinese tourists in Nepal, Koney said.

Similarly, arrivals from South Korea amounted to 2,720, up 20.3 percent. South Korean tourists made up 8.3 percent of the total arrivals.

Following the signing of a peace accord between the Maoists and the government in 2006, the number of Buddhist pilgrims from East Asia has risen. Arrivals from Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Japan and South Korea have also been increasing. “Korean Air has doubled its flight frequency to two weekly which has also contributed to the growth in Korean arrivals,” said a travel trade entrepreneur.

In the South Asian region, arrivals from Bangladesh and Pakistan registered a 10.3 percent and 13.3 percent growth respectively. However, arrivals from Sri Lanka declined by 47.5 percent. On aggregate, the South Asian segment registered a growth of 28.8 percent.

Arrivals from Asia excepting South Asia have also recorded a growth of 36.6 percent with all the markets showing improved performance. Arrivals from Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and South Korea increased by 8.2 percent, 51.9 percent, 29.1 percent, 3.2 percent and 20.3 percent respectively.

The European market saw an overall growth of 14.6 percent. Arrivals from the UK, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia were up 7.5 percent, 35.3 percent, 48.9 percent and 40.3 percent respectively. However, arrivals from France, Italy and Switzerland declined by 17.4 percent, 5.0 percent and 5.5 percent respectively compared to the same month last year.

Tourist arrivals from Australia, New Zealand and Canada have also registered robust growths of 23.8 percent, 59.7 percent and 9.8 percent respectively. Meanwhile, arrivals from the US increased by 27.6 percent to 2,446, making up 7.4 percent of the total arrivals.

Nepal has been enjoying sustained growth in international visitor arrivals since June 2009. These figures reflect rising confidence among visitors and tour operators to Nepal. The country saw a very strong surge in international visitors in 2010. The year-end growth for Nepal was 18.8 percent.

Lumbini is a world-renowned Buddhist pilgrimage destination and a UNESCO World Heritage site since 1997.

The project, funded by the Japanese Government and coordinated by the UNESCO office in the Nepalese capital, Kathmandu, aims to identify the presence, or absence, of archaeological deposits, invisible below the surface, so that appropriate placing of pilgrim facilities can be made without damaging valuable archaeological resources.

“UNESCO welcomes the implementation of this innovative and interdisciplinary project which mobilises national and international experts towards the strengthening and conservation of the World Heritage Property of Lumbini for the benefit of humanity,” said Axel Plathe, Head of UNESCO’s Kathmandu Office.

The team of archaeologists, including experts from Nepal’s Department of Archaeology and the Lumbini Development Trust, is directed by Robin Coningham, UNESCO Archaeological Expert and Professor of Archaeology, University of Durham.

“This project offers a unique opportunity to investigate some of the earliest developmental phases of one of the world’s great religious traditions, and will introduce new scientific evidence into the debate surrounding the date of the Buddha’s birth,” said Mr. Coningham.

Siddhartha Gautama, who later became Buddha, was born in 623 B.C. in the famous gardens of Lumbini. The Indian emperor Ashoka, a pilgrim to the site, erected a commemorative pillar there.

The three-year initiative is part of a larger project entitled “Strengthening the Conservation and Management of Lumbini, the Birthplace of Lord Buddha,” launched last year to address a number of issues and challenges facing the World Heritage site, including the deteriorating condition of the Marker Stone and the Ashokan pillar, as well as inadequately mapped associated archaeological remains both within the site and in the adjacent areas.

Lumbini, Nepal / Image via paulustravelsphotos.com

Already gay tourists are responding favorably to the holiday and travel packages offered by Pink Mountain, a travel and tour agency run by sexual minorities and catering exclusively to LGBTI.

Pink Mountain offers wedding, honeymoon and anniversary packages to domestic as well as international LGBTI tourists, according to lawmaker and Chairman of Pink Mountain Sunil Babu Panta. “The agency has also confirmed two more same-sex marriages, trekking and many more adventures in the first month of its launch,” said Panta.

Most of the LGBTIs coming to Nepal so far have been sexual minorities from two Asian giants, India and China. Nepal’s liberal policies towards sexual minorities following a Supreme Court ruling have attracted LGBTIs from many countries.

In 2007, the Supreme Court (SC) of Nepal had directed the government to grant citizenship to LGBTIs and form a same-sex marriage committee to assure equality of the sexual minorities.

The agency offers grand weddings in national parks and the Everest base-camp, nature trip, adventure and safari, pilgrimage and meditation facilities to LGBTIs visiting the country. Globally, gay tourism is estimated to be over US$ 100 billion a year, and Nepal’s gay entrepreneurs are keen to cash in on it.

“The US alone makes US$ 68 billion every year through gay tourism,” said Panta. “We are one of the fastest growing South Asian countries to accept the natural characteristics of being LGBTI. We can reap this benefit to boost the economy of the country.” A research conducted by the Community Marketing International (CMI) in the United States found that 98 percent of LGBTIs have at least one overnight trip in a year.

Gay tourism entrepreneurs are coordinating with the government as well as other commercial organizations this year to attract a large number of sexual minorities. The BDS organized the same-sex marriage of an Indo-British couple last August in Nepal.

“So far, the government has extended only moral support to the gay tourism sector,” said Panta. However, he said he was pleased that the big hotels and resorts have come forward with LGBTI community-focused events and packages.

“Tiger and Gokarna resorts, Annapurna, Everest, Himalayan and Dwarika hotels are coordinating with us for the event,” Panta said.

Six elephants– Bhawanikali, Chanchalkali, Roopkali, Dhirendrakali, Basantikali and Birendrakali –contended each other with their catwalk, taking forward and backward steps moves.

Finally at the day end, six judges scored their performance based on their poise, discipline, appearance and overall health.

Dhirendrakali scored the highest points, followed by Chanchalkali and Bhawanikali. The elephant festival has been held every year since 2004 by the Hotel Association of Chitwan in an effort to promote tourism and conservation of wildlife, according to Keshav Poudel, coordinator of the event. The beauty pageant was added to the festival this year.

“Elephants are a very important part of jungle safaris and tourism. Therefore it is important to keep them healthy,” Poudel said, elaborating on the purpose of the event.

16th May, 2010 – 1 lift

Test jumps for Everest Skydive 2010 were performed at Shyangboche(12,350 ft) at 9:35 AM (local time). 1 solo and 2 tandem jumps were made from above 20,000 feet.

Wendy Smith (New Zealand) jumped solo from 27,000 feet, while Bibek Pandey (Nepal) made a tandem jump with tandem master Tom Noonan (USA). Likewise Ful Man Tamang (Nepal) too jumped tandem with Dr.Ryan Jackson (UK).

17th May , 2010 – 2 lifts

The jumps were held at 8:15 AM (local time).

First Lift – James Robert (UK) & Ryan Jackson made test jumps from 18,000 feet. Nik Halik (Australia) made a tandem jump with tandem master Tom Noonan from 29,500 feet. Wendy Smith jumped solo as Camera Flier from 29,500 feet.

Second Lift – Jean Claude Mario (France) did a test jump from 18000 feet and Tom Noonan jumped solo from 25,000ft. Dr. Ryan & Dik Bahadur Khirsina (Nepal) made a tandem jump from 25000ft.

18th & 19th May, 2010

Jumps cancelled due to bad weather.

20th May, 2010 – 1 lift

Jean Claude Mario (France) took Myriam Mura (France) on tandem jump, while James Robert (UK), Ryan Jackson (UK) and Wendy Smith (New Zealand) made solo jumps. The jumps were made from 29,500 ft.

All the jumps were made from Tara Air’s Pilatus Porter aircraft.

Event organized by Explore Himalaya Travel & Adventure, Kathmandu, Nepal.

With the withdrawal of the strike, life has returned to normalcy throughout Nepal. All the transportation services, factories, industries, other business firms, and shops have resumed operations since Saturday morning (May 8). There is the smooth movement of tourists and their vehicles inside and outside the Kathmandu Valley. Even during the strike, the protestors had allowed tourist vehicles to operate throughout the country.

The government and the ruling political parties, business community, professional organizations, and civil society members welcomed the Maoists’ decision to withdraw the strike.

Calling upon the UCPN-M to call off the strike and seek solutions to the political problems through dialogue, a huge joint peace rally was organized by professional and business organizations and civil society members in Kathmandu on May 7, 2010. The general public had also expressed their dissatisfactions over the Maoists’ strike.

Leaders of the UCPN-M, however, said that they would change the “form” of their protests. They said that they would organize a sit-in around the Singha Durbar, the main administrative center of the country, from May 9 to topple the government led by Madhav Kumar Nepal.

The current political problem is likely to be resolved soon as leaders of the concerned political parties have continued to hold talks at both formal and informal levels.

Source: Nepal Tourism Association

Nepal has such potential as a destination that it is pity that the country’s instability has gotten in the way of its travel and tourism industry from succeeding. Cognizant of the importance of establishing peace and order in Nepal is a top United Nations envoy, which has encouraged Nepalese parties to work productively to advance the country’s fragile peace process and create the conditions to permit the world body to wind up its work there.

The appeal comes one day after the security council, supporting the government’s request, extended the mandate of the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) until May 15.

“During the remaining mandate period, the government and parties are expected to focus on creating the conditions under which UNMIN’s functions are no longer needed,” the secretary-general’s special representative, Karin Landgren, told a news conference in the capital, Kathmandu.

“We will work with the parties and the government to discuss and put together the arrangements for the withdrawal of UNMIN. Until then, UNMIN will continue its activities in support of the peace process,” said Ms. Landgren, who heads the mission, set up at the request of the Government in 2007 to support the peace process which ended a 10-year civil war between the government and Maoists.

UNMIN is also tasked with monitoring the management of arms and armed personnel of the former Royal Nepal Army and the Maoists.

In her briefing to the council last week, Ms. Landgren underlined that the peace process remains fragile, but the renewed urgency shown by the political leaders to address central peace process issues and the recent actions by the government and the parties can herald “a freshly constructive stage” for Nepal’s democratic transition.

She noted that the council welcomed the understanding between the Government and the Unified Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M) on having a time-bound action plan for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist army personnel, and called on them to work together to ensure its completion and implementation.

“These are the arrangements which, when agreed, will truly advance the peace process and will allow UNMIN’s activities to be completed,” said the special representative.

Ms. Landgren also cited as a positive development the action plan agreed by the government, the UCPN-M and the UN on the discharge of those Maoist army personnel disqualified in 2007 for having been minors at the time of the ceasefire agreement.

Nevertheless, she added, it is acknowledged that the peace process needs consensus-building and confidence-building, and the hope is that the recently established high-level political mechanism can strengthen important aspects of the process.

with input from UN News

Kathmandu, Nepal (December, 2009): Nepalese cabinet ministers held a special cabinet meeting at Kala Patthar (17,192 ft) plateau, at the base of Mt. Everest on December 4, 2009. The meeting which was scheduled a few days before the UN Conference for Climate Change at Copenhagen was organized mainly to draw international attention towards the impact of global warming on the Himalayan glaciers. Nepalese Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and 23 other ministers were flown by helicopters at the foot of Mt. Everest for the meeting. During the meeting, a 10-point ‘Everest Declaration’ which calls for concerted actions to minimize adverse effects of climate change in the Himalayan region was released. The cabinet also decided to extend the territories of Api-Nampa Conservation Area in Darchula, Gauri Shankar Conservation Area in Ramechhap and Dolakha and Bardiya National Park.

The meeting which cost nearly NRS 6 million to organize, was funded by private agencies and organizations from the tourism sector. Mr. Suman Pandey, President, Explore Himalaya and PATA International member, who was the Planning & Operation Coordinator of the event, said that organizing the meeting at such a high altitude was a big achievement. According to him, although the event was held to focus the world’s attention on the adverse affect of climate change, he believed the impressive mountain scenery and natural beauty of the venue may not have escaped the peoples’ attention. He hoped that this event would popularize Nepal and the Everest region among travelers.
email: usha@explorehimalaya.com
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