Khumbu: Gateway to Mount Everest Pathways to Kinship

Ever since Edmund Hillary's ascent of Everest with Tenzing Norgay, New Zealanders have connected strongly with the mountainous Himalayan kingdom of Nepal. For over three decades, photographer Peter Laurenson has repeatedly visited Khumbu, the Nepalese gateway to Mount Everest and home to the Sherpa people. On his second visit, a chance meeting with a Sherpa family sparked a friendship that grew stronger as Laurenson brought his three sons, each in turn, to trek through this enchanted region. Accompanying this unfolding story of kinship are Laurenson's insights into Sherpa culture, the explosion of activity on Everest, and the changing nature of Khumbu as the area's popularity grew. Throughout, his striking photographs convey the essence of this remarkable land and its people.