Tour Guide, Kathmandu, Nepal
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Nepal is the home of the most formidable mountain ranges in the world with nearly a third of the country lying above the elevation of over 3,500 m. Not only does the highest peak on earth, Everest, fall within Nepal's territory but so do Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Makalu, Cho Oyu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu and Annapurna, eight of the fourteen 8,000 m peaks of the world. Apart from the majestic big eight there are 326 other mountains in Nepal open for mountaineering expeditions and 103 are still awaiting a first ascent.
Nepal offers a mountaineer, more opportunities than any other region and many of these opportunities can be found in the shadows of its Himalayan jewels. Nepal has an extensive history of mountaineering with the early explorers being lured into the deep valleys and lofty peaks by the challenges of untrodden summits. Today Nepal has built a substantial service industry around mountaineering with many facilities being well established to facilitate foreign expeditions achieving their expectations and goals amongst the abode of snow.
The reputation of the Sherpas is built on mountaineering with many of these mountain people achieving respected mountaineering status in their own right. Now their ranks are joined by people from other groups however, and the generic term given to those Nepali people who earn a living from working in the mountains are now generally accepted as being Sherpas.