Teams are currently heading to Ama Dablam and nearby trekking peaks in the Khumbu Valley, despite the uncertainty caused by a recent case of COVID-19 in Namche Bazaar.
Most groups plan to reach Ama Dablam’s Base Camp by Sunday, according to guide Kenton Cool of the UK, who is waiting out his seven-day quarantine in Kathmandu. Weeks after a member of Bahraini’s royal family summited Manaslu, Cool’s Himalayan Guides expedition has drawn another Middle Eastern prince, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdullah Al Thani from Qatar.
Garrett Madison is also in Kathmandu to guide a climb of Ama Dablam and a trek to Gokyo. Madison was recently in the news after a lawsuit by a former Everest client, whose expedition was called off because of dangerous conditions on the mountain.
Garrett Madison (third from the right) in Kathmandu. Photo: Madison Mountaineering
SummitClimb’s Tim Mosedale and John Gupta are also expected at Base Camp shortly. Other teams might confirm in upcoming days, although the confusion about permits and closures has not encouraged clients to invest in a trip to the Himalaya. All those hoping to enter the Khumbu have weathered a flurry of contradictory orders from authorities, who have closed and reopened the region at least twice in the last few days, after that initial case of COVID-19 turned up in Namche Bazaar.
On Friday, authorities closed Lukla airport and ordered massive testing. Finally (we hope), the valley reopened to foreigners today, October 26.
Another way to get high on Everest, while waiting out quarantine in Kathmandu. Photo: Kenton Cool
This is the last chance for the local lodges, porters and guides to earn some income this year. Sagarmatha National Park also receives a fee from every foreigner who enters.
While flights from India have not resumed, Nepal has opened to most international visitors since October 17. Newcomers must show a new negative PCR test and quarantine for one week at a hotel in Kathmandu. Entrance into the Khumbu region requires a trekking or climbing permit.
The late Prakash Adhikari. Photo: Nepali Times
