Dudh Kosi Valley, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Buddhist prayer wheels, Namche Gompa (Monastery), Namche Bazaar, Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Prayer flags at the Everest Base Camp sign, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Mount Everest, 8850m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Kantega, 6685 metres, Dudh Kosi Valley, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Namche Bazaar, Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Tents at Camp 2 at 6500m on Mount Everest, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Climbers at Camp 1 on Mount Everest, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Climbers crossing crevasse and ladder on Mount Everest, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Dudh Kosi Valley, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Kongde Ri, 6187 metres, Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Crevasses and peak of Mount Everest, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

View towards Cho Oyu, Gokyo, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Mount Everest, 8850m, and Khumbu glacier, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Puja ceremony, Everest Base Camp, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Prayer flags, Dudh Kosi Valley, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

View from Gokyo Ri, 5300 metres, Dudh Kosi Valley, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Dudh Kosi Valley, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Lukla, 2800 metres, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Buddhist Stupa, Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Prayer flags and Buddhist stupa, Namche Bazaar, Solu Khumbu Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Climber on summit ridge of Island Peak, 6189m, Ama Dablam, 6812m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Sherpa woman, Gapchu monastery, Solu Khumbu, Nepal

Dudh Pokhari Lake, Gokyo, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

A lab technician working in a laboratory in a small hospital in Nepal holds a rack of test tubes, Jiri, Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

A lab technician working in a laboratory in a small hospital in Nepal looks into a microscope, Jiri, Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Trekker crossing a mountain stream, Ama Dablam, 6812m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Lingtren, 6697m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Trekker crossing a mountain stream, Ama Dablam, 6812m, behind, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Yak on a trail below Kala Pattar and Pumori, 7165m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

A lab technician working in a laboratory in a small hospital in Nepal holds a rack of test tubes, Jiri, Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Mani stone, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Mountain scenery on flight to Lukla, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Tents at Island Peak Base Camp, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

View of Ama Dablam, 6812m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Mountain scenery on flight to Lukla, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

View of Cholatse, 6440m, from Gokyo Ri, 5483m, Gokyo, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Tengboche Monastery, Tengboche, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Tengboche Monastery, Tengboche, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Portrait of an elderly Sherpa couple in traditional clothing, sitting outdoors, look at the camera, at Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Climbers on an ice wall, Island Peak 6189m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Trekkers in Chukhung Valley, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Ama Dablam 6812m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Crossing ladders in the Khumbu icefall on Mount Everest, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, UNESCO World Heritage Site, Nepal, Himalayas, Asia

Trekkers arriving at Everest Base Camp, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Climbers on an ice wall, Island Peak 6189m, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

Portrait of two Sherpa women of the mountains in traditional clothing, Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Lukla, Solu Khumbu (Everest) Region, Nepal, Asia

Chorten, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, Asia

Portrait of a Nepali family at the Lang Maya teahouse in the Taktor King area of Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Mountains reflected in a lake, Thame, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Nepal, Asia

Yellow tents at Everest Base Camp, Solu Khumbu Everest Region, Sagarmatha National Park, Himalayas, Nepal, Asia

A group of Sherpa women indoors around a fire cooking, in the interior of a kitchen in a house in Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Mani stones printed with Tibetan prayers beside a track in Solu Khumbu, Nepal, Asia

Sang sang rimpoche uses the dorje, a sacred ritual object to make the first decisive cut into the sand mandala on the last day of the mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal. solu khumbu, nepal

Thupten choeling nuns prepare butter-salt tea at nunnery-kitchen. solu khumbu, nepal

Fire ritual at chiwang monastery during the mani rimdu festival. these monks circumambulate the pyre after its ignition. one holds a long book wrapped in a felicitous scarf. the purifying fire takes the offering and raises them towards the sky in smoke. the circumambulatory ritual also recalls the way disciples showed respect for the buddhas body. solu khumbu, nepal

Monk beating traditional drum called gong, int he courtyard of chiwang monastery during mani rimdu festival. chiwang monastery, solu khumbu, nepal

A solitary mask dancer appears wearing a frightening mask and silk brocade. they circle the courtyard with sprightly leaps. called protectors of faith, or dharmapdla, the origins of figures like these can be traced back to the pre-aryan peoples of india. originally known as yaksas (literally, a wondrous thing), they were tree spirits, who were accepted by the buddhists as defenders of the faith. in nepal and tibet, as in india, local deities were converted into protectors. a devotee of an alien sect devised a means to humiliate the buddha and his disciples. the buddha discovered it and succeeded in converting him to his teaching. due to lack of wisdom, the buddha remarked, some could not realize the goodness of his disciples and he compared the ignorant to the blind and the wise to those who have eyes.nobody is condemned in buddhism, for greatness is latent even in the seemingly lowliest just as lotuses spring from muddy ponds. -the dhammapada. solu khumbu, nepal

Sang Sang Rimpoche initiates Mani Rimdu festival at Chiwang Monastery.Solu Khumbu, Nepal.