Climb to the Heavy-Rest

Sherpa is one of the ethnic groups native to the highest altitudes of the Himalayan mountains of Nepal, Tibet, and Bhutan.

Sherpas are known for being elite mountaineers and are hired to guide and to support climbing expeditions in the peaks of the region, the most famous one being Tenzing Norgay. The term Sherpa is used by foreigners to call their guide or porter regardless of their ethnicity; in fact, our guide and porter were Tamang, an ethnic coming from lower altitudes of the Himalayan mountains.

Porters: Today, still, using porters is the most common way to transport cargo, such as water, food, equipment, construction materials, etc. in the Khumbu valleys on impracticable paths. I was impressed by how much loads they carry on their backs, often supported by a strap over their foreheads. Packs are sometimes heavier than their bodies, and they would walk for hours at high altitudes; I felt laughable in comparison struggling with my little backpack.