Sagarmatha National Park
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Sagarmatha National Park was created on July 19, 1976 and was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site in 1979. Sagarmatha is a Sanskrit word, from sagar = “sky” and matha = “forehead” or “head”, and is the modern Nepali name for Mount Everest. The Sagarmatha National Park includes the highest point of the Earth’s surface, south side of Mount Everest or Sagarmatha. Several other well known peaks such as Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Pumori, Ama Dablam, Thamerku, Kwangde, Kangtaiga and Gyachyung Kang are also in this region. The park is also of major religious and cultural significance in Nepal as it abounds in holy places such as the Thyangboche and also is the homeland of the Sherpas whose way of life is unique, compared with other high-altitude dwellers.
The park encompasses the upper catchments of the Dudh Kosi River system, which is fan-shaped and forms a distinct geographical unit enclosed on all sides by high mountain ranges. The northern boundary is defined by the main divide of the Great Himalayan Range, which follows the international border with the Tibetan Autonomous Region of China. In the south, the boundary extends almost as far as Monjo.
The park covers an area of 1148 square kilometers in the Khumbu region of Nepal and ranges in elevation from 2,845 metres (9,334 ft) at Jorsalle to 8,848 metres (29,029 ft) at the summit of Mount Everest. Barren land above 5,000 m (16,400 ft) comprises 69% of the park while 28% is grazing land and the remaining 3% is forested. Most of the park area is very rugged and steep, with its terrain cut by deep rivers and glaciers. Unlike other parks, this park can be divided into four climate zones because of the rising altitude. The climatic zones include a forested lower zone, a zone of alpine scrub, the upper alpine zone which includes upper limit of vegetation growth, and the Arctic zone where no plants can grow. The types of plants and animals that are found in the park depend on the altitude. Several rare species, such as the snow leopard and the lesser panda, are found in the park.
The park’s visitor centre is located at the top of a hill in Namche Bazaar, also where a company of the Nepal Army is stationed for protecting the park. The park’s southern entrance is a few hundred meters north of Monjo at 2,835 m (9,300 ft), a one day hike from Lukla.
The park is populated by approximately 3000 of the famed Sherpa people, originating from Tibet in the late 15th or early 16th century A.D. Their lives are interwoven with the teaching of Buddhism. The main settlements are Namche Bazaar, Khumjung, Khunde, Thame, Thyangboche, Pangboche and Phortse. There are also temporary settlements in the upper valleys where the Sherpas graze their livestock during the summer season.
How to Get There:
* Fly in and out of Lukla, followed by 15 days walk.
* Bus to Jiri and trek for 21 days, flying back to Kathmandu from Lukla.
* Fly in and out of Phaplu and trek for 16 days.
* Fly in to Tumlingtar from Kathmandu and a 10 day walk to the park.
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