Here are some interesting facts and figures compiled by Mr. Ang Tshering Sherpa of Asian Trekking on mountaineering expeditions to the major peaks in Nepal & Tibet. He had compiled this list with information gathered from: Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation (Government of Nepal),China Tibet Mountaineering Association, Nepal Mountaineering Association and the archives of Miss Elizabeth Hawley.

Facts & Figures
Total number of Mount Everest ascents (from 1953 to Spring 2011) stands at 5584, with 3448 climbers reaching the summit of Everest. In Spring 2011 there were 375 ascents to Mount Everest from Nepal side. Out of 234 foreign climbers, 156 summited Mt.Everest. After Nepalese, Americans, British and Indians had the highest number of summiteers on Everest with 39, 27 and 19 summitteers respectively.
The Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Nepal issued a total of 92 permits to Mountaineering teams to various expedition peaks in this spring season of 2011. Of these, 23 were permits for foreign Mt. Everest expedition teams. There were 65 foreign Expedition teams (consisting of 465 foreign climbers) to various other mountains. The most number of climber (besides Nepalis) on the Expedition Peaks were from USA with 129 climbers, India with 48 climbers and UK with 36 climbers.

Nepal Mountaineering Association issued permits to447 climbing teams with total 2015 foreign climbers in Spring 2011 for climbing various NMA peaks. The highest number of climbers were from the UK with 258 climbers, second were Germans with 240 climber and USA with 190 climbers.

Total economic contribution from Mt. Everest Expedition teams in Spring 2011 was USD 90,15,978, while from other Mountaineering Expedition teams & NMA Peak climbing teams the contribution was USD 67,36,631 &  USD71,98,35,625 respectively.

Expeditions on Tibetan Peaks (Spring , 2011)
This climbing season, on the Tibet side of Mt. Everest, there were 17 teams with 139 foreign climbers. 46 foreign climbers,56 Sherpas and 29 Chinese/ Tibetan climbers reached the top of Mt. Everest from North Side this Spring Season. Mt. Cho-Oyu had 10 groups with a total of 112 climbers (including Sherpas). 11 foreign climbers and 12 Sherpas were successful in reaching the summit of Mt. Cho-Oyu. While 8 teams with a total of 60 climbers (including sherpas) ascended Mt. Shishapangma. Only 16 foreign climbers and 7 sherpas could reach the summit of Mt. Shishapangma (from both the South Face and the Normal Route (North Side)).

Explore Himalaya’s Mountaineering Page

Ukrainian climber Dendruk Oleksandr climbed Lhakpa Ri (7045m) with Explore Himalaya last autumn (on September 2010). He is back again this spring all set to climb Cho Oyu(8201 m), the sixth Highest Peak in the world. After final preparation and participating at a two-day climbing course in Kathmandu, Oleksandr is on his way to Tibet with Explore Himalaya’s guides and support team. Before leaving for his expedition Explore Himalaya asked him about his plans. He said, “My dream is to climb Mount Everest from the North side. But before that I would like to tackle a lesser peak and that is why I chose Cho Oyu. The first peak I climbed was Lhakpa Ri, (last year with your company). It was my first big expedition and thanks to Explore Himalaya, it went very well. The team at Explore Himalaya for me is like family. After Cho Oyu, I hope to make my dream climb to Everest with Explore Himalaya.”
Oleksandr will be making his summit(Cho Oyu’s) bid in mid May. Explore Himalaya wishes him a successful ascent !

Dendruk Oleksandr at Lhakpa Ri, Autumn, 2010 (Pic; Oleksanr)

During the recently held fourth meeting of Tibet-Nepal Joint Tourism Coordination Committee in Lhasa, Tibet, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by the representatives of both the respective nations. According to the pact,the Tibetan authorities have agreed to resume the Kathmandu-Lhasa bus service and provide visa to international tourists.The Tibetan authorities have also decided to promote Nepal Tourism Year 2011 in Tibet through media and hoarding boards and allow regular helicopter services from Nepal to Mansoravor Lake area.

We would like to inform that members of our Kailash Mansarovar Heli Tour 2011 fixed departure groups will get an opportunity to meet revered Hindu spiritual guru and Mahayogi Pilot Baba.

About Pilot Baba

Pilot Baba, a Mahayogi and  revered Hindu spiritual leader, was known as Kapil Singh before he turned to spiritualism. He was a pilot of  the Indian Air Force and during the 1965 India-Pakistan war, he flew several sorties over Pakistani territory. Reports say his bombings killed many. But he decided to leave that life after he had a near death experience while flying a MiG aircraft in 1966. According to him when the controls failed he had a vision of his guru Hari Baba. He appeared in the cockpit of the plane and helped him land safely. After that experience he decided to become a Mahayogi and travel the world spreading the message of Love, Samadhi and Self realisation. His followers believe that Pilot Baba has special healing powers. He is famous for performing Samadhi, or death by interment. He claims to have buried himself in the Samadhi ceremony more than 100 times.

Pilot Baba

Pilot Baba will be in travelling to Kailash from 22nd June to 1st July 2011.If you wish to get his ‘darshan‘, join our ‘Kailash Mansarovar Heli Tour’ fixed departure groups.

Our  departure dates for 2011 are as follows;

1st Group- 18-29 June (Meeting with Pilot Baba on 26th June at Manasarovar)

2nd Group- 19-30 June (Meeting with Pilot Baba on 27th June at Darchen)

3rd Group (Pilot Baba’s Group) – 22 June- 1 July

4th Group- 26 June- 7 July (Meeting with Pilot Baba on 30th Manasarovar

To book your place, contact enquiry@explorehimalaya.com.

Kailash Mansarovar Heli tour

In 2009 Explore Himalaya operated 196 tours & treks and organized the logistics for 16 expeditions. The expeditions were to both trekking and major peaks in Nepal & Tibet.

Spring 2009 During Spring 2009, the company organized a total of 83 Tours & 10 Expeditions.

Autumn 2009 The company organized 113 tours and 6 expeditions during Autumn 2009.

Visit our page for mountaineering Expeditions in Nepal and Expeditions in Tibet