Navin Singh Khadka grew up in Nepal's capital watching the Himalayas. Ever since he left, he has missed sweeping, panoramic views of some of the highest mountain peaks on Earth.
“Each time I visit Kathmandu, I hope to catch a glimpse of the dramatic mountain range. But these days, there's usually no luck,” he told BBC, adding that the main culprit is severe air pollution that hangs as haze above the region.
“And it's happening even during the spring and autumn months, which once offered clear skies,” Singh Khadka said.
Just last April, the international flight he was in had to circle in the sky nearly 20 times before landing in Kathmandu, because of the hazy weather impacting visibility at the airport.
“The hotel I checked in at was at a reasonable height from which mountains are visible on a clear day – but there was no such day during my two-week stay,” he said.
Even from the major vantage point of Nagarkot, just outside Kathmandu, all that could be seen was haze, as if the mountains did not exist, he added.
Yogendra Shakya, who has been operating a hotel at Nagarkot since 1996, said, “I no longer brand the place for views of 'sunrise, sunset and Himalayas' as I did in the past.”
“Since you can't have those things mostly now because of the haze, I have rebranded it with history and culture as there are those tourism products as well here,” Shakya added.
During an earlier trip a year ago, Singh Khadka was hopeful he would be able to see the mighty Himalayan peaks on a trek in the mesmerizing Annapurna region – but had hardly any luck there either.
Scientists say hazy conditions in the region are becoming increasingly intense and lasting longer, reducing visibility significantly.
Haze is formed by a combination of pollutants like dust and smoke particles from fires, reducing visibility to less than 5,000 m. It remains stagnant in the sky during the dry season - which now lasts longer due to climate change.
