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Miami Herald
15 hours ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Nepal makes 97 mountains free to climb, raises fee for Mount Everest
Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Nepal will make climbing permits free for 97 of its Himalayan mountains, while also raising fees to summit Mount Everest. The government plans to offer free permits to peaks located in Nepal's Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, ranging in height from 19,590 feet and 23,398 feet, in an effort to create more tourism in some of its remote provinces and prevent overcrowding on Mount Everest. "Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help," said Himal Gautam, director of Nepal's Tourism Department. "They can create jobs, generate income, and strengthen the local economy." The Nepal government is also considering a new law that would require anyone wanting to climb Everest to have first summited a mountain over 23,000 feet in their country. Permit fees to summit Mount Everest will go up to $15,000 from $11,000 in September this year. Permit fees are a vital income stream for Nepal, bringing in more than 4% of the national economy. In 2024, the Nepal government received $5.92 million in climbing fees with Everest bringing in $4.5 million. Over the last two years, only 68 of the 97 remote peaks have been ventured, in comparison to 421 climbing permits being issued for Everest in 2024. Copyright 2025 UPI News Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
UPI
17 hours ago
- Business
- UPI
Nepal makes 97 mountains free to climb, raises fee for Mount Everest
Nepal will make climbing permits free for 97 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb to create more tourism in some of its remote provinces. File photo by Narendra Shrestha/EPA-EFE Aug. 12 (UPI) -- Nepal will make climbing permits free for 97 of its Himalayan mountains, while also raising fees to summit Mount Everest. The government plans to offer free permits to peaks located in Nepal's Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, ranging in height from 19,590 feet and 23,398 feet, in an effort to create more tourism in some of its remote provinces and prevent overcrowding on Mount Everest. "Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help," said Himal Gautam, director of Nepal's Tourism Department. "They can create jobs, generate income, and strengthen the local economy." The Nepal government is also considering a new law that would require anyone wanting to climb Everest to have first summited a mountain over 23,000 feet in their country. Permit fees to summit Mount Everest will go up to $15,000 from $11,000 in September this year. Permit fees are a vital income stream for Nepal, bringing in more than 4% of the national economy. In 2024, the Nepal government received $5.92 million in climbing fees with Everest bringing in $4.5 million. Over the last two years, only 68 of the 97 remote peaks have been ventured, in comparison to 421 climbing permits being issued for Everest in 2024.
NDTV
a day ago
- Business
- NDTV
Nepal Waives Climbing Fee For 97 Peaks To Boost Tourism
Nepal is making nearly 100 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb for the next two years. The Himalayan nation's government has waived the royalty for 97 peaks in the provinces of Karnali and Sudurpashchim. The step aims to draw mountaineers to the less developed region bordering China. Nepal has opened 491 peaks, but tourists mainly focus on the 25 of them in the country's northeast and central regions, including Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, which hundreds of people attempt to climb annually. The country has also hiked the permit prices beginning in September to $350 for a lower peak, up from $250 previously, and to $15,000 for Everest from $11,000, the first such increase in nearly a decade. The fee for mountains in the Karnali and Sudurpaschim regions, where peaks range from 5,970 metres to 7,132 metres, will be waived. Located in the far-western region of Nepal, these provinces are among the poorest and least developed in the country. Mountaineering is a major source of revenue for Nepal, which is home to the ten tallest mountains. Last year, climbing fees generated $5.9 million, with Everest accounting for over three-quarters of it. The country's tourism department expressed hope that the effort would highlight the "unexplored tourism products and destinations". According to Himal Gautam, a Tourism Department official, the move to waive permit costs for 97 peaks is intended to encourage mountaineering on smaller mountains in remote locations. Speaking with Reuters, Mr Gautam said, "The idea is to encourage climbers to go to unexplored yet scenic areas and mountain peaks." Of these peaks, twenty are in Sudurpaschim and seventy-seven are in Karnali province, according to The Kathmandu Post. "Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help. They can create jobs, generate income, and strengthen the local economy," Mr Gautam was quoted as saying by the outlet. The removal of the permit fee will boost tourism and improve economic conditions in the least developed region of the country, he said. The country's parliament is debating a law requiring climbers to summit a mountain over 7,000m before attempting Everest, which makes the Karnali and Sudurpaschim peaks an ideal training ground, The Kathmandu Post reported.
The Independent
a day ago
- Business
- The Independent
Nepal makes nearly 100 peaks free to climb as it pushes these top alternatives to overcrowded Everest
Nepal will waive climbing permit fees for 97 peaks in the country's remote provinces for the next two years, aiming to draw mountaineers to lesser-known scenic areas and boost tourism in underdeveloped regions. These mountains, ranging from 5,870 to 7,132m, are rarely climbed compared to popular peaks like Everest. The move comes as Nepal raises other climbing fees – Everest 's permit will jump from $11,000 to $15,000 in September this year. Officials hope the waiver will attract climbers, create jobs, and improve the local economy in some of the country's least developed areas. 'These are some of the most remote parts of Nepal,' Himal Gautam, director at the Department of Tourism, told The Kathmandu Post. 'Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help.' Of the 97 peaks, 77 are located in Karnali province and the other 20 in Sudurpaschim. For decades, these regions, ringed by jagged peaks, carved by deep valleys, and dotted with isolated settlements, have stayed well off the tourist map, officials said. With scant roads, arduous trails, and almost no basic services, they rank among Nepal 's poorest and most marginalised, languishing near the bottom of the Human Development Index. In January this year, Nepal authorities announced that starting this September, climbers aiming for the summit of Everest in peak season will face a permit fee of $15,000 – a 36 per cent jump from the long-standing $11,000. Off-season expeditions will see similar hikes, authorities said at the time. Attempts between September and November will cost $7,500, while climbs from December to February will be priced at $3,750. Permit fees remain a vital income stream for Nepal, with mountaineering and trekking together accounting for over four per cent of the national economy. Meanwhile, employment opportunities are scarce near the peaks that have been made free in Nepal in Karnali and Sudurpaschim. Daily life for the residents of the remote villages is also hard, especially during winter. On top of this, climate crisis is adding to the challenges. Tourism entrepreneur and Nepal Tourism Board member Rajendra Lama warned that policy alone will not suffice for the betterment of the regions. 'We need coordinated efforts between the public, private, and community sectors, along with aggressive publicity,' he said. 'Only then will Karnali and Sudurpaschim find their place on the mountaineering map.' He added: 'Researchers could study how climate change has evolved here and how people are coping.' Earlier this year, it was reported that authorities are debating a new law that requires climbers eyeing the Everest summit to first conquer a Nepalese peak exceeding 7,000m. Officials note that this makes Sudurpaschim's Saipal (7,030m), Api (7,132m), and Api West (7,076m) – now exempt from permit fees – 'perfect training grounds'. In 2024, the Nepal government collected $5.92m in climbing fees, with Everest alone contributing $4.52m – more than three-quarters of the total. Nepal boasts 3,310 mountains rising above 5,500m, ranging from accessible trekking routes to demanding technical climbs. Of these, 461 are available for commercial expeditions, while 102 have yet to see a human summit. Fifteen are classified as trekking peaks under 6,000m. Towering at 8,849m, Mount Everest has in recent years faced mounting challenges – overcrowding at its slopes, growing environmental strain, and a string of deaths. In April last year, Nepal's Supreme Court stepped in, directing the government to cap the number of permits for Everest and other major peaks.
Dubai Eye
2 days ago
- Politics
- Dubai Eye
Nepal waives climbing fees for some peaks to lure mountaineers
News Home More from International File photo Nepal will waive climbing fees for nearly 100 peaks in the remote northwestern Himalayas for the next two years to try and lure more mountaineers to the less developed region bordering China, an official said on Monday. The country has opened 491 of its peaks but climbers typically focus on around 25 in the northeast and central parts of Nepal, including the world's highest peak Mount Everest, which hundreds scale every year. Tourism Department official Himal Gautam said the decision to waive permit fees to 97 peaks, ranging from 5,870 metres (19,258 feet) to 7,132 metres (23,398 feet) in Nepal's Karnali and Far Western provinces, was aimed at promoting mountaineering on smaller mountains in remote areas. "The idea is to encourage climbers to go to unexplored yet scenic areas and mountain peaks," Gautam told Reuters. Earlier in the year, Nepal had increased the fees from September for permits to $350 for a smaller mountain, from a previous $250, to $15,000 for Everest from $11,000. Gautam said the permit fee waiver would help promote tourism and improve economic conditions for people in the least developed areas of Nepal. Mountain climbing and trekking are the main attractions for tourists and a key source of income and employment in the cash-strapped nation. Israel strike kills Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza A prominent Al Jazeera journalist, who had previously been threatened by Israel, was killed along with four colleagues in an Israeli airstrike on Sunday, in an attack condemned by journalists and rights groups. Israel strike kills Al Jazeera journalists in Gaza Australia to recognise Palestinian state at UN in September Australia will recognise a Palestinian state at next month's United Nations General Assembly, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Monday, a move that adds to international pressure on Israel after similar announcements from France, Britain and Canada. Australia to recognise Palestinian state at UN in September India's top court orders Delhi authorities to move stray dogs to shelters India's top court ordered authorities in the capital Delhi and its suburbs on Monday to relocate all stray dogs to shelters within eight weeks, according to the Live Law website, after media reports of a rise in cases of rabies, especially among children. India's top court orders Delhi authorities to move stray dogs to shelters Arab League condemns Israeli plan to impose control over Gaza The Council of the Arab League has condemned the Israeli government's plans to impose military control over the Gaza Strip and displace its population, stating it constitutes a violation of international law and a threat to Arab and regional security. Arab League condemns Israeli plan to impose control over Gaza Firefighters battle 'fire whirls' in northern Spain Extreme heat and strong winds caused "fire whirls" as a blaze burned several houses and forced the evacuation of hundreds of people from near a UNESCO-listed national park in northern Spain, authorities said on Monday.
