KATHMANDU, Nov 26: The number of foreign tourists leaving the Everest region, the highest camp in the world, has increased by 70 percent.
With the rising cold, the number of tourists exiting the Everest region has increased by 70 percent compared to those entering the area recently.
In the past week, 711 foreign tourists arrived in Lukla by air, while 2,400 tourists left the Everest region, according to the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal (CAAN) in Lukla.
According to the ATC officer of the CAAN Lukla, Sanjay Shrestha, a total of 223 tourists entered the region while 362 left on November 19. On the following day, a total of 119 entered while 320 left the region.
Similarly, on November 21, when 80 entered, 374 foreign tourists left Lukla by air. The number of those entering the region stood 88 while those leaving the region stood 303 on November 22. Likewise, a total of 53 tourists entered the region while 481 chose to leave the region on November 23. Similarly, on November 24, a total of 303 tourists left the region while 136 tourists entered by air. The number of foreign tourists leaving the region stood 257 as the number of those entering stood 132 on November 26, according to the CAANs data.
Tourism entrepreneur Dik Bahadur Darnal said that the number of foreign tourists cutting short their visits and returning from the Sagarmatha region has increased due to the severe cold. According to him, some tourists are turning back from Lukla and Namche reaching the higher regions due to the cold.
Over 200 tourists visit Everest region in a week
Darnal said, "Once the water starts freezing, foreign tourists are reluctant to go higher. The cold has suddenly increased. Those who came for longer trips are shortening their visits and returning."
He mentioned that the cold has increased due to the early snowfall in the higher regions above Namche in mid-October.
Rush of passengers on flights returning from Lukla
"As the tourist season winds down, flights from Kathmandu and Ramechhap come empty, but on the return flights, there is a rush of passengers.
In some cases, it is difficult to get tickets. As many foreign tourists are cutting short their visits and returning, the pressure of passengers is overwhelming," said ATC Officer Shrestha.
According to him, the airplanes coming from Kathmandu and Ramchehap's Manthali are bringing tourists back after carrying cargo.
As the number of tourists arriving in Lukla is currently limited, most flights are carrying cargo, according to the CAAN in Lukla. Business owners say this is the reason it is difficult for returning passengers to get flight tickets. While it is possible to get a ticket to come to Lukla, tourist guide Pemba Sherpa mentioned that one must book a ticket for the return flight four or five days in advance. He added that due to the high demand from foreign tourists, it becomes difficult for Nepalis to get tickets.
The fare from Lukla to Kathmandu has been set at NPR 29,480 for foreign tourists and Rs 11,000 for Nepali passengers. Due to the higher fare for foreigners, foreign passengers often receive priority with the airline companies, which has led to complaints from travelers. As it has become difficult to get flight tickets, some tourists have been traveling on foot to the district headquarters, Salleri, and then taking a jeep from there to return to Kathmandu.
Currently, around a hundred flights are taking off and landing at Lukla Airport. Only private airlines such as Tara, Sita, and Summit Airlines are operating flights to this destination, according to the CAAN.
With the increase in the number of tourists returning, the workload of the Nepal Police and Tourist Police assigned to security has also risen. According to Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Dwarka Prasad Ghimire at the District Police Office, those on duty are primarily engaged in ensuring the safety of tourists and maintaining records.
"There was a rush of tourists coming in during the season, but now the number of foreign tourists returning has increased, so the Nepal Police have been deployed accordingly for their security. There is a police post at Dingboche, located at an altitude of 4,410 meters, and the police there patrol up to the Everest Base Camp," said DSP Ghimire.
The Everest region is considered to have two main tourist seasons in a year. The primary tourist season is from February 27 to May 28, and from mid-September, mid-October and mid-December, while the rest of the time is considered the 'off-season.'
The Everest region falls under the Sagarmatha National Park. This area is particularly popular for mountain climbing, wildlife observation, and adventure tourism, according to Sushma Rana, the chief conservation officer of the park.
Sagarmatha National Park, established in 1975 (Bikram Sambat 2032), spans an area of 1,148 square kilometers. Located in the Solukhumbu district of eastern Nepal, this national park includes Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world, as well as other peaks over 6,000 meters such as Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Lhotse Shar, Pumori, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku.
The Gokyo and associated lakes within the park were included in the Ramsar list in 2007. Since 1979, the park has been listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The park is located at elevations ranging from 1,800 meters to 8,848 meters. It is home to wildlife such as musk deer, thar, ghoral, langur monkeys, Himalayan monal, Himalayan snowcock, horned lark, Tibetan snowcock, and various other bird species.
In addition to mountaineering and trekking, the cultural tourism in the region has been attracting thousands of tourists annually. Popular religious sites, including the Tengboche Monastery, have enhanced the area's tourist appeal, according to locals.
