Plans To Move Everest Base Camp In Nepal Shelved

Last June, Nepal’s tourism ministry announced plans to move Everest base camp lower down the famous mountain because human activity were making it unsafe.

The camp sits on the Khumbu glacier which is thinning rapidly, creating risks for the hundreds of climbers who pass through every year.

But following opposition from the Sherpa community and other mountaineering operators, the idea has been shelved.

Sherpa leaders said the move was impractical and that there was no viable alternative location.

As the backbone of the mountaineering industry, the Sherpa’s voice is crucial.

Opposition to the move is widespread – more than 95% of attendees rejected the idea at a recent consultation with the mountaineering industry, say tourism ministry officials and the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

Nepal’s recently appointed tourism minister, Sudan Kirati, said the issue was not an urgent one.

“I have seen no interest or concern from any quarter on the issue of moving the base camp,” he said.