Sagarmatha National Park is found in the eastern part of Nepal. It has both parts of the southern half of Mount Everest and of the Himalayas. The park was established July 19, 1976 and was inscribed as a National World Heritage Site in 1979. Sagarmatha originated from the Sanskrit word sagar which means sky and matha which means head or forehead. Currently, the famous Sagarmatha is known as the Mount Everest.
The area covers roughly around 1,148km square and ranges an elevation from its lowest peak of 2,845 at Jorsalle to 8,850m or 29,035 feet at the Everest Summit. Barren is a land 5,000m or 16,400feet. It is composed of 69% park, 28% grazing land and 3% forest. Because of the rising altitude, this park can be divided into four climate zones namely forested lower zone, alpine zone, the upper alpine zone which includes vegetation growth and the Arctic zone where no plants can live or survive.
The park visitor center is seen at the top of the hill located in Namche Bazaar the same place where Nepal Army is stationed to protect the park. The southern entrance can be found a few hundred meters north of Mondzo. Roughly around a day hike from Lukla.
Sagarmatha National Park is known to be the highest national park in the world. Located nearby are peaks of Lhotse, Thamerku, Ama Dablam, Kwangde, Pumori, cho Oyu, Kangtaiga and Gyachyung Kang. It was reported that more that 118 species of birds and 26 species of butterflies resides at this place. Among the endangered species that can be found or seen in this place are Wild Yak, Musk Deer, Snow Leopard, Red Panda and the Himalayan Black Deer. The best seasons to visit this place are during the month of October to November and December to February.
It was said that nothing can match the walker’s sense of thrill and excitement when they explore Sagarmatha National Park by foot.