Not many make it to Base Camp, very few even set out with that intention. Tourism, undeniably, brings huge amounts of revenue to the area. More than 3,000 people, mostly of Sherpa origin, make their living inside the Sagamartha National Park. Acting as guides, porters and cooks, or by working in lodges, the local communities provide much sought-after services for the visitor. But tourism also has its ugly face.
Trekkers depend on wood for heating and cooking which has led to serious deforestation.
Lodges are mushrooming. Many private houses have been converted into tourist accommodation with scant regard for the environment. Worst of all, these visitors leave behind tonnes of rubbish, debris, human waste and abandoned climbing equipment. The cold climes mean rubbish doesn't biodegrade easily. In the face of an environmental crisis within a national heritage site, action had to be taken.