Also called Khumbu region, Mt. Everest region is where the world's tallest peak stands majestic and still as mystical alluring people from all over. There are thousands of trekkers and mountaineers visiting the area every year. The region is the home of Sherpas, the hardy local people of Tibeto-Burmese origin, famous for their mountaineering skills. The Sherpas migrated to Nepal from Eastern Tibet than 600 years ago.

While the Nepalese people popularly call the 8,850 meter high mountain Sagarmatha, the Tibetans including Sherpas have christened it Chomolongma, meaning "Goddess mother of the Earth." The name Mt. Everest was bestowed upon the tallest peak after Sir George Everest, the then surveyor-general of nineteenth century British India regime.

The mighty peak holds everyone in awe. It is also the region where four of the world's five highest peaks are: Everest, Makalu, Lhotse and Kanchanjunga. There are several other smaller peaks all around. The government has protected much of the highland Khumbu region as Sagarmatha National Park, a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO.

The pristine environment, however, is beginning to bear the brunt of increasing human persecution in recent years. Increasing tourism activity in the area has dirtied the trial, and the trail leading to the peak of Everest is said to be littered with oxygen cylinders, bottles and other kinds of garbage apparently left behind by mountaineers and their supporting staff. In recent years, however, the government as well as climbers have started to put a lot of efforts into cleaning up the region.