Before sunrise reaches the razor-thin ridges of the Himalayas, a long line of headlamps begins to move slowly upward in the darkness. Climbers, roped together like beads on a single fragile thread, inch forward on fixed lines toward the summit of Mount Everest. High above 8,000 meters, where oxygen is scarce and decisions become life-or-death, the mountain is no longer…
Important Editorial Transparency Notice This analysis is based on the most current verified data available as of May 13, 2026. Full-year 2025 official tourism statistics from Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) and the Department of Immigration are typically published in Q1–Q2 of the following year. Where complete 2025 annual figures have not yet been officially released or independently verified, this article…
The climbing route to Mount Everest has officially opened for the Spring 2026 climbing season after an elite Nepali Sherpa fixing team successfully reached the 8,848.86-metre summit on Wednesday morning, marking one of the most important milestones of the Himalayan expedition calendar. According to the Expedition Operators’ Association Nepal (EOAN), the 11-member rope-fixing team led by Mingma Dorchi Sherpa reached…
A 53-year-old American climber has died after being hit by an avalanche while descending from Mount Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain, during Nepal’s busy 2026 spring climbing season. Shelley Johannesen from Oregon, USA, was killed at around 7,000 metres below Camp III shortly after successfully summiting the 8,463-metre Himalayan peak on May 9, according to expedition officials. Johannesen had reached…
📋 Airport Status Quick Reference Official Name: Pokhara International Airport(पोखरा अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय विमानस्थल) IATA Code: PKR Location: Pokhara-32, Kaski District, Gandaki Province Construction Cost: Approximately $216 million USD (Chinese EXIM Bank loan) Domestic Operations: Active since January 1, 2023 International Operations: Not yet commenced as of 2026 Runway Length: 2,500 metres (capable of handling wide-body aircraft) Designed Annual Capacity: 1 million…
The Spring 2026 Everest climbing season has claimed another life after veteran Nepali climber and expedition guide Bijay Ghimire Bishwakarma died during an ascent toward the higher camps of Sagarmatha on Sunday morning. Ghimire, a resident of Solududhkunda Municipality in Solukhumbu district, reportedly fell ill at Camp I in the dangerous Khumbu Icefall section while moving upward from Everest Base…
On April 15, 2026, Nepal’s Minister for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation stood at a ceremony at Sainik Manch, Tundikhel the great open ground in the heart of Kathmandu and made an announcement that travel writers and wellness industry observers had been anticipating for months. “Do not just visit Nepal,” he said. “Come and discover yourself.” With that, Nepal officially…
In the high Himalayan wilderness of western Nepal, a major scientific wildlife survey is underway to uncover one of the most elusive big cats on Earth the snow leopard. In the remote alpine landscapes of Dhorpatan Hunting Reserve, conservation teams have launched a large-scale camera trap study to estimate the population of snow leopards across one of Nepal’s most important…
Deep in the hills of eastern Nepal, where steep cliffs rise above dense forests and traditional Kirant culture still shapes everyday life, a centuries-old Himalayan tradition is preparing to take center stage once again. On May 22, Kepilasgadhi Rural Municipality will host the Honey Hunting Festival a cultural and eco-tourism event designed to celebrate Nepal’s ancient cliff honey hunting practices…
An unidentified body has been recovered from the Khumbu Icefall on Mount Everest and transported to Kathmandu for forensic identification following a multi-agency recovery operation led by the Nepal Mountaineering Association. The body was first spotted on April 23 near Everest Base Camp, partially buried in ice along the main climbing route used by hundreds of climbers during the spring…