Base camp ban on travelers triggers hot debate online

He Wei, 33, stretched out her hand in a vain attempt to catch a star twinkling in the sky. At Qomolangma base camp, at an altitude of 5,200 meters, the stars looked so close.

Like her, many tourists from China and abroad are drawn to Qomolangma.

“It’s been a dream since childhood. When I actually saw the spectacular mountain close up, I was too excited to speak. I felt that humans were insignificant in nature,” said He, an office worker from Shanghai.

“For me, it might be the only time I have such an experience, as it’s difficult to get there. So I greatly cherish this unforgettable memory.”

During the National Day holiday in 2015, He traveled to the Tibet autonomous region with nine colleagues in a chartered minibus.

They stayed one night in a large tent at the Qomolangma base camp. Next day, they went to a viewing platform to watch the sunset.

At night, they found it hard to sleep because of constant headaches; had to take pills to cope with altitude sickness; and used small oxygen cylinders. Some members of the party vomited several times.

The next day, they had to rush off early in the morning to seek help because one of them remained unconscious due to altitude sickness.

“You have to endure hardships and potential danger. For convenience, we only ate instant noodles. At night, we had to use a flashlight to go to a simple toilet,” He said.

On Dec 5, Dingri county at the foot of the mountain banned travelers from visiting base camp, to protect the environment. The highest place that they can reach is Rongpo Monastery, at 5,150 meters, some 2 kilometers from base camp. But the ban does not affect mountaineers with climbing permits.

However, the move has stirred hot debate online, with rumors spreading that base camp was closed permanently due to heavy pollution.

Tang Wu, head of the tourism bureau in Dingri county, said: “Being only 2 km away from the original camp site doesn’t affect travelers that much. Qomolangma is so magnificent, and you can still clearly take in the picturesque scenery.”

He said the ban was a result of a national policy.

At the end of last year, a plan to define areas in Tibet with ecological functions or vulnerable environmental conditions was approved by the authorities.

Tang said base camp lies at the heart of the Mount Qomolangma National Nature Reserve. Tourism activities are prohibited in this core area but are allowed in an experimental zone.

Tourism, Dingri county’s pillar industry, has greatly increased locals’ income. Last year, tourist visits to the Qomolangma scenic area exceeded 120,000, and at the end of the year, Dingri was removed from national list of impoverished counties.

Between April and October each year, people in the county set up 58 large tents at base camp to accommodate visitors.

According to Tang, the tents have been erected since the 1980s, and they will be relocated to a carefully selected new site near Rongpo Monastery in the spring, to better cater to tourists.

“For photography enthusiasts, the new site is one of the best spots to take photos of Qomolangma. Also, tourists will have a better experience, as the infrastructure and facilities will be much better,” he said.

Tang added that in the experimental area of the nature reserve, green programs have been implemented, as construction is allowed in this zone. For example, environmentally friendly toilets, permanent medical facilities and a sewage treatment plant are being built.

“Environmental protection always counts. We’re putting more effort and funding into it,” Tang said.

The government is striving to establish an efficient mechanism that identifies responsibilities among different departments and provides supervision, with more interdepartmental cooperation, Tang said.

The tourism bureau’s responsibilities include rubbish disposal at base camp and surrounding areas — those at an altitude of 5,200 meters. He said that within the scenic area, waste is dealt with daily under a strict process.

“Tourists receive bags when they arrive at the scenic area. There are signs along the way to remind them not to drop litter. Most observe them,” Tang said.

“The road has been improved greatly to cater to more tourists, and the scenic area has been placed under a more standardized administration. Also, we’re emphasizing the balance between tourism and environmental protection.”

He, the tourist, said that she and her colleagues put all their garbage in a trash can in their tent.

“When you’re outdoors, you produce little waste compared with when you’re in a city. After all, there are few recreational activities or shops, but you can’t ignore the accumulated waste, as there are many tourists,” she said.

She agreed that it is a good idea for the scenic area to encourage visitors to collect their own garbage and take it away with them.