A Guide to Filming in the Everest Region of Nepal.

Filming in the Everest Region for the first time can be an extremely intricate and taxing process. Nepal as an open studio and a mine of stories possesses its own challenges. Its cultural diversity and diverse geography can pose challenges in terms of language barrier and locations that aren’t easily accessible. Especially, when it comes to the Everest Region, the government of Nepal advises filmmakers and media personnel to get in touch with local coordinators to be able to tackle these challenges. 

The local coordinators are experienced professionals who are trained to facilitate and ensure the successful completion of your project. These local coordinators usually work as fixers, line producers and local producers who possess the skills and knowledge to swiftly assess, handle and search for alternative options for any kind of roadblocks related to the project and your stay here in Nepal especially while filming in the Everest region. These local coordinators should be appointed based on the information they possess. 

Sagarmatha National Park:

The Everest region (Solukhumbu) falls under the Sagarmatha National Park. This is one of the most visited National Parks of Nepal. It is famous for its Everest Trek and is home to some of the highest peaks in the world aside from Mt. Everest. National Parks in Nepal are strictly regulated and since it attracts many foreign tourists, it is one of the most sensitive regions of Nepal. 

Filmmakers traveling and planning to film in Nepal especially in the Everest Region must thoroughly understand the filming permit process along with all of the local regulations. The traveling crew must also get in touch with a local coordinator who is well versed in the local rules and regulations. There is no specific filming permit for Everest region. The National Filming Permit itself encompasses all the necessary permits needed to film in Everest. Five ministries are involved in providing the permits. The name of these Ministries are as follows:

1. Ministry of Communication and Information Technology
2. Ministry of Defense
3. Ministry of Home Affairs
4. Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation
5. Ministry of Forestry (Department of National Parks & Conservation Areas)

What to expect when filming in the Everest Region?

Trekking to the highest elevations, high altitude sickness if one doesn’t acclimatize properly, hence, it is very important to find the right trekking guide/companion. Sudden drop in temperature, unpredictable weather pattern, filming and drone permit are some of the key elements to consider while filming in the Everest Region. 

This “process” of filming is project specific; in that it can vary from project to project. Things can be extremely uncertain while undertaking such projects but if you are able to identify and connect with the right local coordinator/fixer in Nepal, the work becomes easier and a lot more fun!