More than 12,000 people visited the north slope of Mount Qomolangma in the first half of this year, according to the border police in southwest China's Tibet autonomous region.

Twenty-six mountaineering teams, including 24 overseas teams, climbed the world's highest peak during the period, said Tashi Dawa, police inspector of the Mt. Qomolangma border police station.

But the best time for climbing is from early September to late October, Tashi said, suggesting that more tourists will come in the latter half of the year.

Seated along the border of China and Nepal, Mt. Qomolangma, known in the west as Mount Everest, has become one of the most popular destinations for backpackers and mountaineers. The north climbing route of the peak is in China's Tibet autonomous region while the south side is in Nepal.