Nepal Himalayas (Mountaineering in Nepal)

Nepal is a country well known for its Himalayans Mountains. Among the 10 highest peaks in the world, eight, including the highest peak Mt. Everest, crown this country. Nothing on earth can beat the exhilaration of scaling them. No wonder Nepal is the favorite destination for mountaineers and every year more than 600 expeditions trudge up the Himalaya, including the trekking peaks.

Nepal Himalaya is known as the rooftop of the world. The Himalayas are the highest mountains in the world. Their scenery is legendary. These mountains have had an air of mystery until recently. Even today, the vast area of the Himalaya is untouched. It has always remained a source of fascination and inspiration for people from all walks of life in the world. Himalaya (“Him” means snow and “Alaya” means abode), the abode of snow and the Gods, extends about 2500 Kilometers. The Brahmaputra (Assam) in the east and Indus river in the west demarcate the length of the Himalaya. It is 300 Kms wide and rises nine kilometers above the sea level.

The Nepal Himalaya is in the centre of the Himalayan range. Eight peaks that exceed 8000 metres including the world’s highest peak Mt Everest are the prominent members of Nepal Himalaya. It has a convergence of 1310 magnificent peaks over 6,000 metres. Nepal has become famous through out the world due to these mountains.

It is a very interesting thing to know that there was a sea (the Tethys sea) between Indian Gondwana continent (Indian sub-continent and Eurasian continent). Around 70 and 80 million years ago, the Himalaya began to come into existence. It is a peak of each evolution only about 10 to 20 million years back. Therefore, the Himalaya is extremely young and geologically active. According to geologists, mountains are growing at a rate of 15 cm (6 inch) a year as the Indian plate is moving northward and forcing under the Eurasian plate. This process (plate tectonics) causes the earthquakes in this region. Geologists say that the collision of continents is squeezing up sedimentary rocks that were once below the sea. The mountains of Himalaya are the result of the collision of continents.

How much can be said about the Himalayan giants encountered in Nepal, or how much can be added to the legendary climbs that have taken place on the eight of the highest summits of the world that are in Nepal? Indeed, the top of the world is on the Tibetan Nepalese border, known as Sagarmatha under its south face and Chomolongma on the northern side. But Mt. Everest as westerners have named it barely keeps under its shadow all the other mountains above 8,000 meters and only its prestige as the highest makes it a dream destination to all climbers in the world.

Expeditions have become big business and climbers now approach the job with the appropriate degree of seriousness and dedication. It is not uncommon for expeditions to refuse trekkers admission into their base camps. The team members do not have the time or energy to entertain tourists, and there have also been incidents of trekkers taking souvenirs from among the expensive and essential items that often lie around such camps.

Expeditions to any of the highest mountains of Nepal, including all those ranging in between 7,000 and 8,000m requires long-term planning and through organization. We have categorised mountaineering into three different part; peaks above 8000m, peaks below 8000m and trekking peaks. Please visit related site and if you didn’t find what you are looking for, don’t go away! Just write us an email we will back with an answer of your mail within 24 hours.

Nepal opened its mountains to all the mountaineers around the world in 1949. Only then mountaineers started coming to climb the mountains of Nepal. Especially, the 8000 meter peaks attracted most of the climbers. Afterward, climbers attempted the various untried routes without oxygen. Today, the Nepal Himalaya has been proved as a great theatre of mountaineering activity.

Why are the mountaineers or saints or philosophers or researchers or adventurers of the world attracted towards the Nepalese Himalaya ? It is not just the height that gives the Himalaya their grandeur, but it is also the tremendous contrast with the deep valleys that wind between the peaks. Within these deep valleys, one can see the flow of the glacier-fed rivers that are swift, white, and exciting.

The Nepal Himalaya can be divided into nine mountain regions, which are as follows:

1. Khumbu Himal Region
2. Kanchanjunga Region
3. Rolwaling Himal Region
4. Langtang and Jugal Himal Region
5. Manaslu and Ganesh Himal Region
6. Annapurna Himal Region
7. Dhaulagiri Himal Region
8. Kanjiroba Himal Region
9. Far West Himal Region

Interesting Facts About the Himalayans or Expeditions

• The word ‘Himalaya’ means the home or abode of snow.
• According to Hindu mythology, God Shiva resides in the Himalaya.
• There are eight peaks with a total of 19 points above 8000 metres in Nepal.
• Fourteen mountains in the Himalaya exceed 8000 metres.
• There are 25 points in all which exceed 8000 metres in the Himalaya.
• Nameha Barwa peak is the easternmost and Nanga Parbat is the westernmost peak of the Himalaya.
• The geological age of the Himalaya is approximately 70 million years.
• Himalayan rivers are older than the Himalayan peaks.
• Kumbhakarna is the new name of mount Jannu (7,710 m).
• Gosainthan (8046 m) is the Nepali name for Shisha Pangma.
• Ninety-five percent of earthquakes occur in mountainous regions.
• Sir Andrew Waugh, Surveyor General of India wished to honour his predecessor, Sir George Everest. For this, Sir Andrew pretended that there was no local name for Everest and hence named the mountain as Mount Everest though there were two local names of the mountain. e.g. Sagarmatha in Nepal and Chomolungma in Tibet.
• Sir Andrew Waugh announced the name ‘Mount Everest’ in 1865.
• The ideal height gain per day for mountaineers is 1,000 ft above 10,000 ft.
• Nepal opened its borders to the world in 1949.
• Mallory described Mount Everest from Rongbuk as, ‘a great white fang excrescent on the jawbone of the earth’.
• Why do men climb Everest ? Mallory said, “Because it is there.”
• Sir Edmund Hillary led an expedition to find the Yeti in 1958.
• According to Dr. George Schaller, the existence of Yeti unknown to science cannot be ruled out at high altitude.
• Reinhold Messner climbed Everest alone without oxygen.
• Tenzing buried his daughter’s red and blue pencils on the top of Everest.
• Approximately 150 people have died in different expeditions of Mount Everest so far.
• Tenzing was known as ‘Himalayan Club Sherpa No 48’.

Top Peaks of the World

Seasons
There are four mountaineering seasons: spring (March-May), summer (June-August), autumn (September-November) and winter (December-February). A total of 153 Himalayan peaks are open to mountaineers. Climbing permits are issued by the Ministry of Tourism & Civil Aviation (MOTCA) for 135 peaks known as mountaineering peaks, and by the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) for 18 smaller peaks, known as trekking peaks, which range from 5,587 to 6,654 m in altitude.

Permission
The following documents have to be sent to MOTCA, Mountaineering Division when applying for a climbing permit: completed application, endorsement of the National Alpine Club, short biographies of all the members of the expedition (with photograph and signature), map and/or photograph of the mountain indicating climbing route and approach route map. Enlistment of the expedition’s name does not require any fee and it should not be paid before receiving the permit from the Ministry of Tourism.

Permits to climb the 18 trekking peaks are issued by NMA on “first come first served” basis. It is necessary to appoint a government recognized trekking agency of Nepal as a local liaison for the expedition in Kathmandu. The trekking agency will look after all the requirements during the expedition.

Payment of Climbing Permit fee (royalty):
The leader of the expedition team is required to compulsorily pay the full amount of climbing permit fee (Royalty) within TWO MONTHS of the date of permission. Incase of Failure of the payment of royalty within two months such permission may be CANCELLED.

The climbing permit fee (Royalty) must be paid directly to the Ministry of Tourism or Friendship World Trekking & Expeditions P. Ltd. in its favor either by bank draft of bank transfers, Payable in convertible foreign currency.

Fees
For fees and other details please contact: info@friendshiptrek.com

Restrictions
Food and equipment imported for expeditions require an import license and should be custom cleared. Walky-talkies, Tran receiver sets and other communication equipment are controlled items in Nepal and have to be declared at the customs office at the entry point.

Preparation in Nepal for Expedition

Import of foods and equipment:
Invoices and airway bill or bill of lading (four copies each) have to be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism for import license and customs clearance for the import of expedition foods and equipment to Nepal. CIF Katmandu value is to be clearly mentioned in the invoice.

Communication Equipment:
As Walkie-talkies, Transceiver (Wireless) sets and other communication equipment are controlled articles in Nepal. Please declare these articles in the customs office (at entry point) that you wish to bring into Nepal for use during climbing period. Such equipments have to be collected from the customs office by receiving permission letter from the Ministry of communication. For the clearance of the equipment-completed application form and invoice with catalogue or specifications (four copies each) should be submitted to the Ministry of Tourism, which are latter to be sent to other concerned government offices.

Filming or Documentary:
Permission is required for filming or documentary. The Ministry of Communication must be contacted any time for queries about filming in Nepal. Please let us know your requirement, we will send all the details and the costs of the filming that you are going to shoot.

Contact
For further information please contact info@friendshiptrek.com