The Observer, a leading UK magazine in its Sunday edition published on January 11, 2004 has selected Everest Base Camp of Nepal in 20 Journeys of a Lifetime.
Selected by journalist Jill Hartley as great adventures that one never forgets, Everest Base Camp has been placed in the seventh position beating the destination like Galapagos Islands which was placed first by UK’s internet based travel company iexplore.com in 2003. Galapagos Islands has been placed in sixteenth position in this list of The Observer.
The famous traditional trade route known as Silk Route from Kashgar (China) then Tashkent – Samarkand – Khiva (Uzbekistan) is in eight position.
The Everest Base Camp is the only South Asian destination that has been included in the list. Most of the journeys included in the list are shared by two countries. The journey from Ruta Maya Antigua – Quetzaltenango (Guatemala) to Lake Atitlan – Antigua (Guatemala) via San Cristobal – Palenque – Merida (Mexico), Belize City – Caye Caulker (Belize), Tikal has been selected as number one among 20 journeys.
Describing the Everest Base Camp journey, Jill Hartley writes,” To the rest of us, the crown jewel of the Himalayas invokes tales of unbelievable human courage and strength. Today a trek to Base Camp should be within range of any fit regular weekend walker.”
“Those who’ve done it say nothing compares with that roof-of- the-world feeling as you stand there in awed silence surrounded by towering snow-capped peaks. That said, the Himalayas are as famed for their vibrant rhododendron forests as their snowy tops.”
“You’ll also need a camera for cliff-side monasteries with football playing monks in saffron robes, colourful yak trains accompanied by local black-eyed urchins and vertiginous swing bridges decorated with fluttering prayer flags.” (statement from Nepal Tourism Board).