[News Today] HIMALAYAN TREKKING SAFETY TIPS

[LEAD]
Trekking in Nepal's Himalayas is gaining popularity again. It's quite common for climbers to face altitude sickness once they reach above 3,000 meters. We offer tips from Nepal alongside esteemed mountaineer Um Hong-gil.

[REPORT]
The Poon Hill viewpoint in the Himalayas overlooks 8,000m-tall peaks such as the Dhaulagiri and Annapurna.

Um Hong-gil/ Mountaineer
The Poon Hill viewpoint (3,210m above sea level) boasts the most scenic sunrise
in the Himalayas.

A KBS crew set out to trek to the Poon Hill viewpoint located 3,210m above sea level along with mountaineer Um Hong-gil.

Donning multple layers of warm clothing to fight the subzero temperatures, the team headed to the summit.

There were hikers from various parts of the world, including the Middle East and Europe. Some were climbing on horses.

At the 3,000m point, where oxygen concentration levels and atmospheric pressure usually plummet, some developed the symptoms of mountain sickness, the biggest obstacle in Himalayan trekking.

The typical symptoms are shortness of breath and dizziness.

Those who develop mountain sickness must rest to restore their condition. In severe cases, they should move to lower ground.

Um Hong-gil / Mountaineer
Staying in good condition is crucial. If you keep pace with others, you may end up in trouble.

Those who reached the top waited for sunrise gazing at the peaks shrouded in clouds.

Hikers from Tunisia/
It's a very beautiful view. It's our first time in Nepal.

The areas near the observatory and on high-lying slopes are even colder. Maintaining body temperature is even more crucial there.

Drinking plenty of warm water to improve blood circulation is one of the ways to keep mountain sickness at bay.

When the sun finally rose later than expected, several peaks revealed their appearance among the clouds.

Moving slowly and safely to take in the surrounding scenery rather than climbing fast to see as much as possible is the charm of Himalayan trekking.

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