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For many their
journey to Nepal would not be complete without a glimpse
of the highest mountain on Earth. For some it will be enough
to view Everest from the Kathmandu valley rim on a clear
day, it is also possible to sit in the comfort of a plane
seat for the experience. Others however settle only for
a more intimate meeting with the last earthly rung on the
stairway to the heavens. The Everest Region is within Sagamartha
National Park established in 1976 it lies some 120 kms North
East of Kathmandu and covers an area of 1,148 sq. kms of
the Himalayan ecological zone U.N.E.S.C.O. listed the Park
as a World Heritage Site in 1979. The park is largely composed
of rugged terrain and deep gorges within an elevation of
2845m in the South to 8848m, the summit of Everest in the
North. The vegetation at lower levels is dominated by silver
fir, birch, rhododendron and juniper trees, at around 4500m
the forest gives way to Juniper and rhododendron scrub.
The park contains a variety of mammals, Himalayan thar,
musk deer, the Himalayan red panda and the Himalayan black
bear are all native to the park.
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