Chuck Bednar for redOrbit.com – @BednarChuck
People who are unable to make the journey to Nepal or are physically incapable of undertaking strenuous activities such as mountain climbing can now trek up Mount Everest virtually, thanks to 360-degree panoramic images added to Google Maps earlier this week.
According to BBC News, the new Street View images of the Khumbu valley surrounding the famed mountain were unveiled by Google on Thursday, and while users will not be able to make it to the summit of Everest, they can explore many of the trails and towns in the region.
Check out video of the virtual expedition here:
The panoramic images were collected in collaboration with Apa Sherpa, a Sherpa mountaineer who holds the record for reaching the summit of Everest more times than any other person – an astonishing 21 times – during a 10-day trek through the Khumbu region in March 2014.
“Our region is famous for being home to Everest,” Sherpa wrote in a blog post, “but it’s also the home of the Sherpa community and has been for centuries. The region has much more to offer than just the mountain. So last year, I guided the Google Maps team through my home region to collect Street View imagery that improves the map of our community.”
“Partnering with Google Maps allowed us to get important local landmarks on the map and share a richer view of Khumbu with the world, including local monasteries, lodges, schools and more, with some yaks along the way,” he added. “My hope is that when people see this imagery online, they’ll have a deeper understanding of the region and the Sherpa people that live there.”
Other places you can ‘trek’ through
The new virtual tour of the region around Everest joins a growing list of renowned locations that have been recreated using Street View, according to the BBC. Among the others are Viking ruins and the fjords of Greenland, the Amazon rainforest and the wedding chapels of Las Vegas.
“When people ask what it feels like to reach the top of Mount Everest, I say ‘heaven.’ But I haven’t summited the mountain 21 times because I love climbing,” Sherpa said. “I earned this world record in pursuit of a greater goal: to provide a good education and a better, safer life for my kids. My hope is that my children and future generations have many choices for employment outside of mountaineering.”
[STORY: Should climbing Everest be banned?]
“Through the Apa Sherpa Foundation, I now work to improve educational access by funding the Lower Secondary School in my hometown to give children other options for their future, so they can pursue their dreams,” he added. “Your online trip to my home awaits you on Google Maps. And if you ever get the chance to visit the Khumbu region in person, come stay at the Everest Summiteer Lodge that I built with my own hands. We’ll be ready to welcome you.”
In February, Google Maps celebrated its 10th anniversary. The service originally launched for use on desktops, and the first mobile version was released in April. Turn-by-turn navigation was made available in October 2009, and in September 2010, Street View became available on all seven continents for the first time, the Mountain View, California-based tech giant said.
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