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| The Grandma visits Sagarmāthā National Park |
Holiday does not seem the best options nowadays due to the great COVID crisis that we are suffering around the world.
Perhaps, it would be most honest, respectful and sensitive to stay at home and do other kind of activities thinking that we will have other opportunities to travel and discover new places but we only have one health and life and it is our responsibility to take care of all of us as a community.
The Grandma likes reading a lot and she thinks that although we cannot have the possibility of visiting all places around the world we have the opportunity of learning a lot about them reading good books. Reading can carry you to the world that you imagine, live the life that you choose and have the experiences that you dream. We only need time and imagination.
One of the most beautiful places to dream is Sagarmāthā National Park, the national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal, dominated by Mount Everest. The Grandma wants to talk about it to commemorate the 43rd anniversary of its recognition as a Natural Park.
More information: Sagarmāthā National Park
Sagarmāthā National Park is a national park in the Himalayas of eastern Nepal that is dominated by Mount Everest.
It encompasses an area of 1,148 km2 in the Solukhumbu District and ranges in elevation from 2,845 to 8,848 m at the summit of Mount Everest. In the north, it shares the international border with the Qomolangma National Nature Preserve of Tibet. In the east it is adjacent to Makalu Barun National Park, and in the south it extends to Dudh Kosi river. It is part of the Sacred Himalayan Landscape.
Sagarmāthā is a Nepali word derived from sagar meaning sky and māthā meaning head.
The protected area has been identified as an Important Bird Area by BirdLife International.
Sagarmatha National Park was established in 1976. In 1979, it became the country's first national park that was inscribed as a Natural World Heritage Site.
In January 2002, a Buffer Zone comprising 275 km2 was added. Under the Buffer Zone Management Guidelines the conservation of forests, wildlife and cultural resources received top priority, followed by conservation of other natural resources and development of alternative energy.
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| Sagarmāthā National Park, Nepal |
Tourism to the area began in the early 1960s. In 2003, about 19,000 tourists arrived. As of 2005, about 3,500 Sherpa people lived in villages and seasonal settlements situated along the main tourist trails.
The park's visitor centre is located at the top of a hill in Namche Bazaar, where a company of the Nepali Army is stationed for protection of the park. The park's southern entrance is a few hundred metres north of Monzo at 2,835 m, a one-day trek from Lukla.
The park contains the upper catchment areas of the Dudh Kosi river, Bhotekoshi river basin and the Gokyo Lakes. It is largely composed of rugged terrain and gorges of the high Himalayas, ranging from 2,845 m at Monjo to the top of the world's highest peak Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) at 8,848 m above sea level.
Other peaks above 6,000 m are Lhotse, Cho Oyu, Thamserku, Nuptse, Amadablam and Pumori. Barren land above 5,000 m comprises 69% of the park while 28% is grazing land and the remaining 3% is forested. Climatic zones include a forested temperate zone, a subalpine zone above 3,000 m, and an alpine zone above 4,000 m that constitutes the upper limit of vegetation growth. The nival zone starts at 5,000 m.
More information: Welcome Nepal
In the lower forested zone, birch, juniper, blue pines, firs, bamboo and rhododendron grow. Above this zone the vegetation is dwarf-sized or comprises shrubs. As the altitude increases, plant life is restricted to lichens and mosses. Plants cease to grow at about 5,750 m, because this is the permanent snow line in the Himalayas.
Forests of pine and hemlock cover the lower elevations of the national park. At elevations of around 3,500 m and above, forests of silver fir, birch, rhododendron and juniper trees are found.
The forests provide habitat to at least 118 species of birds, including Himalayan monal, blood pheasant, red-billed chough, and yellow-billed chough.
Sagarmāthā National Park is also home to a number of rare mammal species, including musk deer, snow leopard, Himalayan black bear and red panda. Himalayan thars, langur monkeys, martens and Himalayan wolves are also found in the park.
The temperature and available oxygen decrease with altitude. Therefore, the species living at high altitudes are adapted to living on less oxygen and cold temperatures. They have thick coats to retain body heat. Some of them have shortened limbs to prevent loss of body heat. Himalayan black bears go into hibernation in caves during the winter when there is no food available.
More information: UNESCO
Nepal is a beautiful country with a lot of holy places.
I also like the country because it's close to the Himalayas.
According to Hindu mythology, that's the abode of Lord Shiva.
Kailash Kher
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