Sagarmatha  National Park is located to the north-east 
of Kathmandu in the Khumbu, region of Nepal.The park includes
the  highest peak in the world, Mt. Sagarmatha (Everest), and
several other  well  -known peaks such as Lhotse, Nuptse, Cho 
Oyu, Pumori,  Ama  Dablam , Thamserku, Kwangde, Kangtaiga and 
Gyachung  Kang . The  park  was a dded  to  the list of World 

Heritage Sites in 1979.

     The mountains of Sagarmatha National Park are geological
-ly young  and  broken up by deep gorges and-glacial valleys. 
Vegetation includes pine and hemlock forests at lower 
altitudes, fir, juniper, birch and rhododendron woods, scrub 
and alpine plant communities, and bare rock and snow. The 
famed bloom of rhododendrons occurs during spring (April and 
May) although other flora is most colorful during.the monsoon
season (June to August).

     Wild animals most likely to be seen in the park are the 
Himalayan tahr, goral, serow and musk deer. The snow leopard
 and Himalayan black bear are present but rarely sighted. 
Other mammals rarely seen are the weasel, marten, Himalayan 
mouse hare (pika), jackal and langur monkey.

    The park is populated by approximately 3,000 of the famed
Sherpa people whose lives are interwoven with the : teachings
of  Buddhism. The main settlements are Namche Bazar, Khumjung,
Khunde, Thame, Thyangboche, Pangboche and Phortse.The economy 
of the Khumbu Sherpa community has traditionally been heavily
based  on trade and livestock herding. But with the coming of 
international  mountaineering  expeditions since 1950 and the 
influx  of  foreign  trekkers , the  Sherpa  economy today is 
becoming increasingly dependent on tourism