Where is Mount Everest Located?
Mount Everest is one of the world’s eight wonders, and no wonder it is a great addition to the world. With its towering height of 8,848 meters above sea level, it is known as the roof of the world. Mount Everest has come to prominence for more than a century. Previously, it was known as Peak XV, but later, it was renamed after George Everest.
Nestled in the Himalayan Range of Nepal, Mount Everest is undoubtedly one of the most alluring attractions in the country. It is one of the pure natural gifts that transcends human imagination. It shares a border with Nepal and Tibet, offering an awe-inspiring landscape and beauty. The blue ice sheet and sloppy landscapes are what come to mind when it comes to climbing Everest. If you think outside the box and the beauty of Mount Everest, the route is treacherous and even life-threatening.
This blog will discuss the Location of Mount Everest and how a climber can reach there. Also, we will state some facts regarding the cultural, natural, and historical aspects of the Everest Region. Read below to explore more in detail.
Where is Mount Everest Located?
Mount Everest is located in Nepal. It shares its border with Nepal and Tibet (Autonomous province of China). It lies in the northern part of Nepal in the Himalayan Range, exactly at 27°59′17″N 86°55′31″E co-ordinates. It stands at a height of 8,848 meters above sea level and is the highest peak in the world. It sits in the Mahalangur Mountain Sub-range of the Himalayas in Solukhubu District, inside Sagarmatha National Park.
Mount Everest is known as ‘Sagarmatha’ in Nepal. Sagar means Sky, and Matha means head in Nepali Language. Thus, the etymological meaning of Sagarmatha is the Head of the Sky. Similarly, it is known as Qomolangma in Tibetan Language, which means Holy Mother. The name was first coined during the reign of Emperor Kangxi of Qing China with a Chinese Transcription of the 1721 Kangxi Atlas.
Mount Everest is also known as Zhūmùlǎngmǎ Fēng, Shèngmǔ Fēng, and Deodungha, which all means ‘Holy Mother‘ or ‘Holy Mountain.’
The Nepali name ‘Sagarmatha’ was first coined by the Nepalese government in the early 1960s. Relying on the meaning of the ‘Goddess of Sky,’ the people from Nepal know this peak as Sagarmatha. Previously, it was known as the 14th peak, termed by Andrew Waugh, a British Surveyor General of India.
Geology and Surrounding Peaks
Mount Everest is formed of various layers of rocks that have been compressed for thousands of years. Thousands of years ago, the Tethees Sea was on the border of Nepal and Tibet. However, the tectonic movement of the Tibetan Plateau formed a huge layer of mountains, forming the Himalayas and the peaks, that we see as a magnifying gift of nature.
The lower elevation of Mount Everest comprises metamorphic schists and gneisses. They are topped by igneous granites, which seem to be sandy and rocky by appearance. The higher you reach Mount Everest, you will find the marine sedimentary rock, which supports the theory that there was a sea here.
The surrounding peaks of Mount Everest have peaks of an extensive mountain range, the Great Himalayas. The mountain range rises about 3600 meters above the Tibetan Plateau, and the Changtse peak rises to 7560 meters above sea level to the north. The north and south sides of Mount Everest are surrounded by the Khumbutse (6665 meters), Nuptse (7861 meters), and Lhotse (8516 meters) above sea level.
How To Reach Mount Everest?
To reach Mount Everest, climbers must first pass the hurdles of Everest Base Camp Trek. The standard route to Mount Everest is the Everest Base Camp Trek route, which passes through several settlements, including Namche Bazaar, Tengboche, Dingboche, Gorakshep, and Everest Base Camp.
First, climbers must reach Lukla by a flight from Kathmandu, which should average 30 to 45 minutes. From Lukla, the real journey to the Everest Base Camp begins. Climbers must traverse through the remote settlements of Cheplung, Burning, Phakding, and Monjo before they even get to the Gate to Everest, Namche Bazaar.
Leaving Namche Bazaar behind, the standard EBC trail takes climbers via Tengboche and Dingboche. The trail stretches towards Lobuche before reaching Gorakshep, the last Sherpa Settlement in the Everest Region. From there, climbers must push their hike to the Everest Base Camp and acclimate before starting their Everest Expedition.
Route to Mount Everest
Once climbers reach Mount Everest Base Camp, they must climb uphill through the crevasses and icy edges. The climbers must pass through several camps set up en route to the top of the peak. Currently, four camps are set up on the route to the summit. Here are short descriptions of them:
Camp 1: The Gateway to Everest’s Majesty
Camp 1 comes after leaving the Everest Base Camp – it stands at 6065 meters (19,900 feet) above sea level. It is the first stop on the Everest map route. It is situated on the Khumbu Glacier and offers breathtaking views of the surrounding peaks.
Camp 2: The Gateway to the Lhotse Face
The Camp 2 of Mount Everest sits at 6400 meters (20,997 feet) above sea level. It is another significant milestone after leaving Camp 1. The route to Camp 2 from 1 is very technical and includes huge ice sheets, technical cliffs, and crevasses. The climbers must traverse Khumbu Icefall, which is very risky and technical.
Camp 3: The Everest Camps Above the Icefall
Camp 3 is located at 7300 meters (23,950 feet) above sea level and is one of the most dangerous sections on Mount Everest. Technical climbing skills like climbing ropes, gaiters, crampons, and ice axes come into use while traversing Camp 3. Yet, it is one of the most beautiful locations on Everest, offering great views of Lhotse and Nuptse.
Camp 4: The Final Assault Base
Camp 4 is not called the Final Assault Base for no reason – it is the last section before climbers reach the summit of Everest. It is one of the most deadly regions in the region. Climbers must cross the South Col. section facing extreme weather conditions like sharp & strong winds, extremely low temperatures, increased air pressure, and low oxygen levels. The treacherous “Death Zone” section also lies en route to Camp 4.
After reaching Camp 4, climbers usually work on their final summit push to successfully scale Mount Everest, the highest peak in the world.
Essential Preparation For The Expedition
- Physical and Mental Preparation
- Permits & Logistics
- Permit Fees
- Sagarmatha National Park Entry Permit [NRs. 3000 per person]
- Khumbu Pasang Lhamu Municipality Entry Permit {NRs. 2000 per person]
- Everest Climbing Permit
The cost of acquiring permits for climbing Mount Everest differs from season to season. During the peak climbing season, like Spring, the average cost of climbing Everest is around $11,000. It is the average cost of the permit, but the total cost of climbing Everest might range from $50,000 to $75,000. There are also several budget plans for the Everest Expedition, which you can get from several agencies.
- Gear and Equipment
- Technical Mountaineering Kits
- Sleeping pads and sleeping bags
- Tents
- Mountaineering clothes
- Mountaineering boots
- Trekking poles
- Oxygen supplements
- Guides and porters
- Technical Equipment
- First Aid Kits and Safety Measures
Local Vegetation [Sagarmatha National Park]
Mount Everest is located within the protected land area of Sagarmatha National Park. It ranges from 2,845 to 8,848 m (9,334 to 29,029 ft) at the summit of Mount Everest. The National Park shares the international border with Qomolangma National Nature Preserve in Tibet.
Sagarmatha National Park touches the areas of the Dudh Koshi and Bhote Koshi Rivers. Also, it surrounds the area of Gokyo Lakes. From Monjo to Mount Everest, it is home to the peaks of the Mahalangur Sub-range of the Himalayan Range in Nepal. Some other peaks, like Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Thamserku, Nuptse, Amadablam, and Pumori, shelter inside the National Park.
The National Park comprises 69% barren land, 28% grazing land, and 3% forest areas. Concerning the climatic zones, it has a Sub-alpine region above 3000 meters, an Alpine region above 4000 meters, and a Nival zone above 5000 meters above sea level.
Sagarmatha National Park was established in 1976 and is enlisted under the Natural World Heritage Site. It has a total land area of 1,148 km2 (443 sq mi) – the additional 275 (106 sq mi) was added in January 2002, known as Buffer Zone. Sagarmatha National Park is designed to conserve forests, wildlife, and cultural resources. It manages its ecosystem under the Buffer Zone Management Guidelines and focuses on increasing and preserving the wildlife, flora, and fauna.
Regarding the richness of the Flora and Fauna of the region, Sagarmatha National Park enriches more than 1,000 floral species. Similarly, it is home to more than 208 bird species. Impeyan pheasant, bearded vulture, snowcock, and alpine chough are some of the most endangered bird species. Similarly, the National Park is a shelter for several endangered animal species like Snow Leopard, Red Panda, Musk Deer, Himalayan Tahr, and many others.
Cultural Insights of the Everest Region
Everest Region comprises mostly of Sherpa people, who have lived there for hundreds of years. From the lower altitudes of Lukla to the last Sherpa Settlement in Gorakshep, the Sherpa community has made their indigenous geographical home to Solukhumbu District.
Sherpa people are mountaineering people who have been in touch with the Himalayas ever since their existence. If you see the history of mountaineering, Sherpas have been helping climbers either as guides, porters, or assistant climbers.
The Everest region is a very rich place in terms of culture and tradition. Most people and communities follow Buddhism and pay tribute to their worship of Lord Buddha, the Light of Asia. There are several cultural landmarks en route to Mount Everest. It includes Chortens, Mani Walls, Prayer Flags, Praying Wheels, and Monasteries.
The large ancient gompas like Pangboche Monastery, Tengboche Monastery, Pema Choling Monastery, Rimishung Monastery, Khumjung Monastery, and the monastery at Namche are the key indicators of the Buddism trends. The huge statues of Lord Buddha, thangka paintings, and the peaceful environment inside these gompas are the most attractive insights into Buddhism of the Everest region.
Nearest Trekking and Mountaineering Destinations from Mount Everest
There are several trekking and mountaineering destinations adjacent to Mount Everest. One of the most famous destinations is Everest itself. It offers adventurous tour options like Everest Expedition and Everest Base Camp Trek. Similarly, the heli-tour to Everest is one of the most-liked luxury tours in Nepal.
Besides Everest, other destinations like Kala Patthar, Gokyo Valley, Three Passes, and others exist. Kala Patthar can be reached from Gorakshep Village within 3 to 4 hours of trek. Similarly, the five frozen lakes, Gokyo Cho (Dudh Pokhari), Thonak Cho, Gyazumpa Cho, Tanjung Cho, Ngozumpa Cho, and Longbanga Cho, are the major attractions of Gokyo Valley. The Gokyo Ri Peak is another pleasing destination, attracting thousands of trekkers yearly.
Similarly, several frozen lakes are in the Everest Region, including Renjo Lake, Relama Tsho, Gokyo Tsho, Taboche Tsho, Chola Tsho, and Gorakshep Tsho.
Apart from lakes, the high-altitude passes are also one of the major destinations of the Everest Region. The Cho La Pass at 5420 meters, Renjo La Pass at 5360 meters, Kongma La Pass at 5535 meters, Thokla Pass at 4830 meters, and Lobuche Pass at 5110 meters attract more visitors yearly.
Here are quick lists of nearby destinations and packages from Everest;
- Everest Base Camp
- Gokyo Valley
- Gokyo Lakes and Gokyo Ri Peak
- Three Passes (Cho La Pass, Renjo La Pass, & Kongma La Pass)
- Everest Base Camp Helicopter Tour Package
George Mallory’s Unsuccessful Everest Climb
The expedition attempt to Mount Everest records its date back to one century. In 1922, George Mallory initiated his expedition to Everest, which was a failure. At that time, he was one of the most experienced climbers in the world, with a strong background in mountain climbing. He was a board member of the key reconnaissance team members established after the First World War and worked in the Mount Everest Committee in 1921.
He then paved his way to Mount Everest, scaling up the mountain. However, on his first try, he could not reach the top of Mount Everest and returned empty-handed. He then prepared for a couple of years and returned strong with the support of Andrew Irvine, an engineer who could help him customize the gear and oxygen supplements.
In 1924, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine scaled Mount Everest from the North Side, considered one of the most dangerous routes to Everest. They reached Camp 4 but were never seen again. It is stated that both climbers died on the verge of climbing Everest. It was never revealed how they died and what caused their demise since no evidence has come forth.
Andrew Irvine had his vintage Kodak camera that recorded the whole expedition. Conspiracy theories state that the 1965 Chinese Expedition Team found the body of Andrew Irvine and snatched his camera to bury the evidence of their successful climb. However, it is yet unknown whether the climbers reached the top of Mount Everest or not.
The dead body of George Mallory was found after seven decades in 1999, while the body of Andrew Irvine is still undiscovered.
Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary’s First Ascent to Mount Everest
Although George Mallory and Andrew Irvine had tried hard to reach the Everest Summit, whether they reached the top is still unknown.
In 1951, Sir Edmund Hillary was summoned to be a part of the British Expedition Team, which marked the beginning of the Everest quest in his life. Tenzing Norgay, who previously worked with the Swiss Expedition Team, was also part of the same team. The two first met in the same campaign and grew a strong bond. The physical and technical ability of Tenzing Norgay Sherpa was well-acclaimed, and many teams wanted him to join their team at the time. However, Sherpa chose Hillary’s team.
It was the ninth expedition of the British Team, and before that, all the attempts went in vain. Some even caused life loss in the Himalayas. As a part of the British Expedition Team, Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa initiated their climb from the Everest Base Camp and reached Camp 4 on May 28, 1953.
The following day, on May 29, 1953, the climbing duo initiated their final summit push. The duo traversed the Death Zone, Balcony Region, and Hillary Steps before successfully scaling Everest. They were the second choice of the British team. Before them, a team led by Tom Bourdillon went up to scale but could not succeed.
As the Bourdillon team returned with failure, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary were next to try to climb the peak. Before they made history, the duo went through all situations, such as extremely low temperatures, altitude sickness, and treacherous landscapes. It is mentioned that Hillary and Sherpa used the leftover supplements of Tom Bourdillon’s team before they made the final summit push.
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