The breathtaking Himalayan views, vibrant Sherpa culture, and towering snow-covered peaks have drawn thousands of tourists to the Everest region this spring. According to the Everest National Park Office, 12,030 tourists visited the region in the month of Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) alone.

Park Ranger Bivek Shrestha attributed the rise in visitors to the favorable spring season, ideal for trekking, mountaineering, and scenic sightseeing. “This is the best time for climbing and exploring the mountains, so both foreign and domestic tourists are arriving in large numbers. As Everest and other major peaks lie within the park, our responsibilities have increased too,” he said.

With the growing tourist traffic, commercial activities—especially hotels and lodges—in the Khumbu region have also seen a boost. Hotels from Lukla to Namche Bazaar are currently packed with visitors.

Alternative Routes Gaining Popularity

While air travel via Lukla Airport remains the primary route into the Everest region, adverse weather conditions often lead to flight disruptions. In such cases, tourists are increasingly opting for overland travel. Many now travel from Kathmandu to Salleri by jeep and continue on to Surke, just below Lukla, by Bolero vehicles, as the road above Salleri is unpaved and unsuitable for larger jeeps.

This alternative route has been welcomed by locals, hoteliers, and tourism operators. Ram Bahadur Baraili, a transport entrepreneur, noted that more tourists are now reaching Surke when Lukla flights are grounded. Similarly, driver Santosh Tamang explained that Boleros are used from Salleri to Surke due to the road condition.

Karma Sherpa, Senior Vice President of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), said the road expansion has made travel more flexible. “Flight cancellations are common in Lukla, but now with the road reaching close to Lukla, tourists have an option to drive in.”

However, some tourists are still diverted to other destinations when flight delays persist, as many are on limited-duration visas. Tembachiring Sherpa, a local tourism entrepreneur, said, “While flying is the easiest way to reach Khumbu, bad weather forces some tourists to change plans and head elsewhere.”

Sagarmatha National Park: A Global Heritage

Established in 1975 (2032 BS) in the Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality of Solukhumbu, Sagarmatha National Park covers 1,148 square kilometers and ranges in altitude from 1,800 to 8,848 meters. It includes Mount Everest, along with peaks like Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho Oyu, Pumori, Ama Dablam, and Thamserku. The Gokyo Lake was added to the Ramsar list in 2007, and the park was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1979.

The park boasts diverse flora and fauna, from rhododendron forests to wildlife such as musk deer, Himalayan black bear, snow leopard, Himalayan tahr, and 193 species of birds. It also holds cultural importance, with Tengboche and Thame monasteries offering Buddhist education.

Tourists flock here not only for trekking and climbing but also for cultural experiences and wildlife observation. The main tourist seasons are from mid-February to mid-June and mid-September to mid-December.

44,608 Tourists Visit Sagarmatha National Park in Nine Months

Between mid-July 2024 and mid-April 2025, 44,608 tourists entered Sagarmatha National Park via the Jorsalle checkpoint, according to park officials. This includes 37,796 foreigners, 3,996 from SAARC countries, and 5,897 Nepalis.

A total of 125 people entered the park in Shrawan (mid-July to mid-August), followed by 1,394 in Bhadra (mid-August to mid-September), and 8,002 in Ashoj (mid-September to mid-October). In Mangsir (mid-November to mid-December), 4,394 visitors were recorded, while Poush (mid-December to mid-January) saw 1,711 entries. Magh (mid-January to mid-February) had 943 arrivals, Falgun (mid-February to mid-March) recorded 2,487, and Chaitra (mid-March to mid-April) saw the highest monthly figure of 12,030 visitors, according to Ranger Bibek Shrestha.

The park collected Rs 113.29 million in revenue during this period. At present, more than 400 domestic and international tourists enter the region daily.

Call for Sustainable Development

Tourism continues to boost the local economy, but rising footfall has raised environmental concerns. Tourism expert Ang Tshering Sherpa emphasized the need for sustainability.

“The priority now should be the conservation of natural resources and the sustainable development of tourism. Everest is the pride of Nepal—we must encourage people to experience it, but we also need to protect it.” -- RSS