LUKLA: The snow-lined trails, rich Sherpa heritage, and breathtaking Himalayan landscapes are once again drawing thousands of tourists to the Everest region with the arrival of spring.
According to the Everest National Park Office, 12,030 tourists visited the region last month alone. Ranger Bibek Shrestha said the surge is largely due to favorable weather conditions that make this season ideal for mountaineering, trekking, and sightseeing.
“With Everest and other major peaks located within the park area, our workload has also increased alongside the tourist influx,” Shrestha said. As a result, commercial activity in Khumbu—from Lukla to Namche Bazaar—has picked up, with hotels and lodges operating at full capacity.
Traditionally, Lukla Airport served as the primary gateway to Everest. But frequent flight disruptions due to bad weather have led to a growing number of tourists opting for road travel. In recent years, the extension of roads up to Surke, a settlement below Lukla, has provided an alternative route for tourists.
When flights from Kathmandu or Ramechhap’s Manthali Airport are grounded, many tourists now travel overland via Khurkot, Ghurmi, and Okhaldhunga to reach Salleri, the district headquarters of Solukhumbu. From there, they take Bolero jeeps on rugged roads to reach Surke.
“This new road access has been a relief for both travelers and tourism operators,” said transport entrepreneur Ram Bahadur Baraili. “Even when flights are canceled, tourists now have an option to reach near Lukla without turning back.”
Driver Santosh Tamang explained that Sumo jeeps are used up to Salleri, and Boleros are employed beyond that due to rough terrain.
Karma Sherpa, Senior Vice President of the Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), called the road access a welcome development. “This has helped minimize the impact of flight disruptions and increased accessibility for trekkers,” he said.
However, tourism entrepreneurs also expressed concern that some travelers, bound by fixed visa durations, divert to other destinations if weather delays become prolonged.
“The easiest way to reach Khumbu is still by air,” said local hotelier Temba Tsering Sherpa. “But bad weather at Lukla forces some tourists to change their plans entirely.”
Sagarmatha National Park, which includes Mount Everest and several other peaks above 6,000 meters, continues to be a major draw for international and domestic travelers. Established in 2032 BS (1975 AD), the park spans 1,148 square kilometers and ranges in elevation from 1,800 to 8,848 meters.
The park is home to diverse flora such as rhododendron, birch, hemlock, and juniper, and fauna including snow leopards, Himalayan tahrs, musk deer, and 193 bird species like the Danphe, kalij, and snow partridge.
Gokyo Lakes, listed as a Ramsar site in 2007, and historic monasteries like Tengboche and Thame also add cultural value to the region, drawing visitors interested in Buddhist traditions.
From Falgun to Jestha and Asoj to Mangsir are the peak seasons for tourism. So far in the current fiscal year, 44,608 tourists have visited Sagarmatha National Park from Shrawan to Chaitra, signaling a healthy rebound in post-pandemic travel.
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