Kolkata: An expedition to Mt. Everest from Bengal, received a jolt as they were refused permission to use the climbing route through Tibet, China for reaching the top of world's highest mountain.
The expedition is organised by the Mountaineers Association of Krishnanagr (MAK) and led by Basanta Singha Roy.
According to a message received from Singha Roy from Lukla, the five member team which was scheduled to proceed to Tibet via Kodari and Nilayan was forced to change their plans and have now decided to attempt the climb through the traditional South Col route off Khumbu glacier in Nepal.
Singha Roy said the Chinese authorities did not issue them permission to climb through North East ridge route in Tibet as the expedition members are government employees.
He said that they had accordingly sought and received permission to climb Mt. Everest through Nepal and that the change of plan would result in more expenditure for the team.
The permission has been granted to attempt to climb the peak through Nepal jointly with another group, however the MAK team would be able to maintain their separate entity of the venture, Singh Roy said.
“But it appears to be blessing in disguise,” Singha Roy believes as the traditional South Col route is comparatively easier than the north east ridge route which lies in Tibet.
“Moreover to reach the base camp, unlike the route through Tibet, we have to trek for eight days from Lukla which will help us to acclimatise better,” he added.
Climbers usually reach base camp through the route in Tibet on vehicles.
Singha Roy said from Lukla, where they reached by flight from Kathmandu on Monday, that they will start their approach march and after eight days of trekking, they they would set up their Base Camp at Khumba glacier at an altitude of about 16,000 feet.
The expedition intends to set up four more camps before they can make an attempt to reach the summit around third week of May provided weather holds good.