NEPAL: Nepal Looking To Limit Age For Everest After 85-year-old Dies

Family and supporters Sunday honored an 85-year-old Nepali man who died trying to regain his title as the oldest person to climb Mount Everest, while officials stressed the need to limit the age for such a daunting physical challenge.

The death of Min Bahadur Sherchan has revived concerns about allowing elderly people to attempt to scale peaks where the conditions are harsh and oxygen level low.

Nepali law requires Everest climbers to be at least 16 but there’s no upper age limit.

It is very necessary to immediately bring that age limit law. If there had been a limit, the loss of life could have been prevented, said Ang Tshering, head of the Nepal Mountaineering Association.

The association is planning to push the government to limit the age of climbers to at least 76, he said.

Sherchan died Saturday evening at the Everest base camp. Another Nepali man, Shailendra Kumar Upadhyaya, died in 2011 at age 82 while attempting to scale Everest.

Hundreds of climbers have died on Everest alongside the more than 4,000 who’ve successfully summited the world’s highest mountain since 1953.

Bottled oxygen and better climbing equipment have helped reduce deaths significantly in recent decades, along with satellite communication equipment and better medical facilities.

Dinesh Bhattarai, who heads the Tourism Department, said that the government is seriously discussing an upper age limit.

Sherchan’s body was flown by helicopter to Kathmandu Sunday.

The cause of death was still unclear and the autopsy result will be available in a few days.

Sherchan had first scaled Everest in May 2008 when he was 76 – at the time becoming the oldest climber to reach the top.

But his record was broken in 2013 by 80-year-old Japanese Yuichiro Miura.

At a funeral ceremony held at the Thakali Service Society premises in Kathmandu, hundreds of family members, friends and supporters offered flowers and colorful scarfs while Buddhist monks chanted a hymn and burnt sandalwood incense.

A government minister and fellow climbers were also among those who paid their respects.

The body was later cremated.

Sherchan is survived by a wife, seven children, 17 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.



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NEPAL: Resilient Nepal Awaits Return Of Tourists

The exuberance of Tracy and many other trekkers like her that have started arriving in Kathmandu are a clear indication back that after being hit by a devastating earthquake on April 25, a resilient Nepal is steadily and firmly trudging back to normalcy.

Buying essential stuff from a shop in Thamel in Kathmandu, Tracy Austin, a young traveller from Australia, was readying to go for adventure climbing when dna caught up with her. "I learnt on the Internet that Nepal has put things back in shape and conducting adventures treks and climbing. I thought to give it a try and things are looking pretty great here. I am on for a climbing expedition to Island Peak, Lobuche East and Pokalde with my two friends in a couple of days," she said.

The exuberance of Tracy and many other trekkers like her that have started arriving in Kathmandu are a clear indication back that after being hit by a devastating earthquake on April 25, a resilient Nepal is steadily and firmly trudging back to normalcy. "After hitting a massive dip in tourist inflow after the earthquake, we have touched 60% of tourist arrivals in August this year when compared to August 2014. And hope to bring the figure to 100% or more in 2016," director general of department of tourism said.

Many Nepalese tour operators give credit to Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), a no-profit organisation, for the quick revival of tourism in Nepal. Soon after the earthquake PATA assessed the situation in Nepal and made Tourism Rapid Recovery Taskforce- Report and Recommendations to Nepal government in on 21 June, 2015.
"The report revolved around source market campaigns, organising international events, upgrading the level of services. It seems it has started paying dividends," said Suman Pandey, chairman of PATA - Nepal chapter who also heads a travel and adventure firm.

One of such events was the India-Nepal Folk Crafts Festival organized jointly by Ministry of Textiles, Government of India in association with South Asia Foundation from September 23-28, 2015 in Kathmandu. This event was an exhibition-cum-sale of craft products by artisans from India and Nepal where brand "Khadi Nepal" was launched by India ambassador, Ranjit Rae.

India tourists who contribute nearly 25% to Nepal's tourist traffic especially in pilgrim circuit of Pashupatinath, Bhaktapur and temples in Janakpur etc. is also showing signs of revival but their inflow is still to be matched with Western and Chinese tourists. "The Indians tourists were picking up. But because of the current standoff the numbers have again reduced to a trickle. We hope it ends soon," said Krishna Chhetri, a travel agent dealing in pilgrimage circuit.

Several travel and tourism firms and shops selling adventure equipment and essentials have also started feeling the crunch. "The blockade at the India-Nepal border has impacting our business. There is a sudden dip in tourist inflow," said Narendra Tamang who deals in adventure essentials.

According to Nepalese government officials, fuel stocks in Nepal have gone low with 9 days of petrol and 15 days of diesel left. The government has ordered maximum 3 litre supply to two wheelers per week, 10 litre to four wheelers per week and 40 litres of diesel supply to buses per week. "Fuel shortage will obstruct Nepal's tourism recovery process that was built up with a lot of effort. We earnestly request the two governments to resolve the blockade and pave way for Nepal's recovery," said Pandey.