​The Himalayas stretch across six nations: Bhutan, China, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Afghanistan. It is the source of three of the world's major river systems, the Indus Basin, the Ganga-Brahmaputra Basin and the Yangtze Basin. An estimated 750 million people live in the watershed area of the Himalayan rivers, which also includes Bangladesh. The Himalayas, geologically young and structurally old, stretch over the northern borders of India. They form an arc, which covers a distance of about 2,400 km. The Himalaya mountain range is the highest on Earth and is often referred to culturally as the "roof of the world". The range is home to the world's highest peaks: the Eight-thousanders, including Mount Everest. The Himalayas has over 200 separate mountains exceeding 7,200 meters.​​​​​​​​​​​​​

 

Nepal is between India and China and is roughly 500miles by 120miles long and wide. It has a population of around 25 million people. Many of the people live in the Southern part on flat land known as the Terai. The rest are spread throughout the country in small villages. Nepal is divided into about 60 ethnic groups, including Gurkhas, Sherpa’s, Thakalis and Barhmans, each having their own culture and traditions with at least 45 different languages. The vast population of Nepal is Hindu, Buddhism generally makes up the rest.​

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Sherpa means, “people from the east,” Eastern Tibet. The Sherpa people fled to Nepal from Mongol invasions approximately 500 years ago. Sherpa’s are Buddhist people and mainly follow the “red hat” sect of Buddhism. Sherpa’s perceive the earth as mother earth, water is her blood, soil is her flesh and rocks are her bones. In death they will become one with the earth.

Sherpa’s are loyal people and are dedicated to the trekker and mountaineering expeditions and will often only become Sherpa guides after they have first trained as porters for many years. The most famous Sherpa settlements are in Khumbu in the Everest region. The Khumbu is also famous for Yeti sightings.