689 climbers of 84 teams so far acquire permits to climb various peaks this spring

KATHMANDU: A total of 84 mountaineering teams have obtained permits till April 13 to climb mountains and peaks in Nepal this spring season.

These expedition teams have 689 members. Through the issue of mountain climbing permits, the government collected royalty of over Rs 373 million.

The expedition teams obtaining permissions for 19 mountains and peaks including the Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) comprise people from different 65 countries including Nepal. Of them, 250 members: 194 males and 56 females) from 45 countries will be attempting to scale the world’s tallest peak.

The royalty collection so far from the permission to climb Everest this season is calculated at over Rs 310 million. It may be noted that the 2021’s spring season witnessed the ever-highest expedition teams (45) for Everest.

The Department of Tourism (DoT) hopes that the number of mountain expedition teams will climb this year too as mountain tourism is vibrant after the COVID-19 crisis and the climate is favourable for the climbing.

Tourism entrepreneurs say they are somehow enthusiastic to see the atmosphere suggesting good indicators in the tourism sector with the slowing down of COVID-19 infection risk.

Outgoing chair of Nepal Mountaineering Association and noted tourism entrepreneur Aang Chhiring Sherpa said, “Though a lesser number of climbers this year relative to the previous year, it seems Nepal’s mountain tourism is attracting more foreign climbers and it is indeed noteworthy. The number is gradually rising.”

Both Nepali and foreign climbers are continuously setting out for this season’s expedition to Mt Everest after taking the climbing permit. So far 250 climbers belonging to 31 expedition teams have alone acquired permission for climbing Mt Everest (8848.86 metres).

Similarly, 64 climbers of nine expedition teams have acquired permission to climb Mt Lhotse (8516 metres), 65 climbers from six teams have taken permission for climbing Mt Amadablam (6814 metres) and 38 mountaineers of five expedition teams have got permission to climb Mt Kanchanjangha (8586 metres).

Likewise, 38 mountaineers belonging to five groups have taken permission for climbing Mt Nuptse (7855 metres), 26 climbers of four groups have acquired permission to climb Mt Annapurna (8091 metres), two expedition teams have taken permission for climbing Mt Dhaulagiri (8167 metres), two teams for climbing Milung Chuli, and three mountaineering teams for climbing Bhemdong, Gangapurna and Thapa Peak, the Mountaineering Section of the DoT stated in a press release. RSS