'Loved to Death': Mount Everest Base Camp Closes to Tourists
If you were looking to achieve your bucket list dream of visiting the world's tallest mountain this year, it looks like you're out of luck.
As of February, Mount Everest's base camp is closed to non-hiking visitors due to an exorbitant amount of trash left behind by hordes of tourists at the site.
According to the most recent figures released by the Chinese Mountaineering Association, the Tibetian base camp saw around 40,000 visitors in 2015. Because it's accessible by car (as opposed to the Nepalese base-camp, which can only be reached via two-week hike), it's been steadily growing in popularity among non-sporty tourists who visit for the view of the mountain instead of climbing to its summit.
This popularity, however, has meant an immense influx of trash.
"Like many of the world's most beautiful places, Mount Everest is at risk of being loved to death," said professional climber and mountain guide Adrian Ballinger in an op-ed for ABC News. "Too many climbers, too much inexperience and too many ethically questionable commercial outfitters chasing only profits have led to problems with trash, human waste and unnecessary accidents, many of which unfairly impact mountain workers like the Sherpa, Tibetans and other local groups."
Last spring, up eight tons of waste, including mountaineering equipment and "a startling amount" of human feces, were collected over the course of three clean-up projects. Chinese authorities hope that by closing the base camp to tourists, it will help them focus in on cleaning up the area.
So if you were planning on getting up close and personal with Mount Everest — sorry. For now, the only way to visit the site is to be one of the 300 people who were lucky enough to get an Everest hiking permit for 2019.
Featured photo by Yustinus/Getty Images.
TPG featured card
at Capital One's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 5X miles | Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel |
| 2X miles | Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day |
Pros
- Stellar welcome offer of 75,000 miles after spending $4,000 on purchases in the first three months from account opening. Plus, a $250 Capital One Travel credit to use in your first cardholder year upon account opening.
- You'll earn 2 miles per dollar on every purchase, which means you won't have to worry about memorizing bonus categories
- Rewards are versatile and can be redeemed for a statement credit or transferred to Capital One’s transfer partners
Cons
- Highest bonus-earning categories only on travel booked via Capital One Travel
- LIMITED-TIME OFFER: Enjoy $250 to use on Capital One Travel in your first cardholder year, plus earn 75,000 bonus miles once you spend $4,000 on purchases within the first 3 months from account opening - that’s equal to $1,000 in travel
- Earn unlimited 2X miles on every purchase, every day
- Earn 5X miles on hotels, vacation rentals and rental cars booked through Capital One Travel
- Miles won't expire for the life of the account and there's no limit to how many you can earn
- Receive up to a $120 credit for Global Entry or TSA PreCheck®
- Use your miles to get reimbursed for any travel purchase—or redeem by booking a trip through Capital One Travel
- Enjoy a $50 experience credit and other premium benefits with every hotel and vacation rental booked from the Lifestyle Collection
- Transfer your miles to your choice of 15+ travel loyalty programs
- Top rated mobile app