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Malay Mail
4 days ago
- Business
- Malay Mail
Nepal waives climbing fees for 97 mountain peaks
KATHMANDU, Aug 13 — Nepal has waived climbing fees for 97 mountains, officials said today, hoping to steer people to its lesser-known peaks and boost local economies. Climbers pay for permits on Nepali peaks and the fees vary depending on the mountain's height and popularity, with heftier charges for those such as Everest. The 97 mountains, ranging in height from 5,870 metres to 7,132 metres, are located in the western Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. 'We hope it will bring our hidden treasures in the limelight and diversify the mountains Nepal offers,' Himal Gautam, of Nepal's tourism department, told AFP. It follows a busy spring climbing season in Nepal during which the government issued 1,168 climbing permits. Over half of those were for peaks above 8,000 metres, including Everest, the tallest in the world at 8,849 metres. In contrast, others saw little climbing activity and generated minimal revenue from so-called royalty fees. 'These remote areas have immense tourism potential and we hope the local economy can benefit,' said Gautam. Nima Nuru Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, welcomed the decision but said much more was needed to drive interest in remote mountains. 'Royalty fees alone is not keeping mountaineers (away) from these areas. We need to develop the infrastructure and manpower required for running expeditions there,' Sherpa said. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of climbers every year during the spring and autumn climbing seasons. A boom in climbers has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first Everest ascent in 1953. In February, Nepal increased permit fees for Everest from US$11,000 to US$15,000 starting next spring, hoping it will help tackle pollution and boost safety. — AFP
France 24
4 days ago
- France 24
Nepal waives climbing fees for 97 mountain peaks
Climbers pay for permits on Nepali peaks and the fees vary depending on the mountain's height and popularity, with heftier charges for those such as Everest. The 97 mountains, ranging in height from 5,870 metres (19,300 feet) to 7,132 metres, are located in the western Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. "We hope it will bring our hidden treasures in the limelight and diversify the mountains Nepal offers," Himal Gautam, of Nepal's tourism department, told AFP. It follows a busy spring climbing season in Nepal during which the government issued 1,168 climbing permits. Over half of those were for peaks above 8,000 metres, including Everest, the tallest in the world at 8,849 metres. In contrast, others saw little climbing activity and generated minimal revenue from so-called royalty fees. "These remote areas have immense tourism potential and we hope the local economy can benefit," said Gautam. Nima Nuru Sherpa, president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, welcomed the decision but said much more was needed to drive interest in remote mountains. "Royalty fees alone is not keeping mountaineers (away) from these areas. We need to develop the infrastructure and manpower required for running expeditions there," Sherpa said. Nepal is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and welcomes hundreds of climbers every year during the spring and autumn climbing seasons. A boom in climbers has made mountaineering a lucrative business since Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first Everest ascent in 1953. In February, Nepal increased permit fees for Everest from $11,000 to $15,000 starting next spring, hoping it will help tackle pollution and boost safety. © 2025 AFP
CNN
4 days ago
- CNN
As Everest costs go up, Nepal just made it free to climb nearly 100 other mountains
Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. A permit to climb the world's tallest mountain costs an eye-popping $15,000 — and that's before you add in the price of airfare, gear and a guide. But Nepal, which has long sought to diversify its tourism offerings beyond showpiece Mount Everest, has come up with a new plan to attract travelers to less expensive, less visited regions of the country. The government announced it's opening up 97 peaks in Karnali and Sudurpaschim, two states in far western Nepal, to international climbers for free. 'There are so many mountains (in Nepal),' Himal Gautam, a director in the Nepal Tourism Department, told CNN. 'Until now the government of Nepal has opened 462 mountains for commercial expedition. Out of them 102 mountains are still virgin, they are waiting for the first climbers.' He did not specify exactly which mountains are unclimbed. Gautam added that due to the region's remoteness and poverty, 'those mountains have not been marketed properly.' Karnali and Sudurpaschim border the Indian state of Uttarakhand on one side and China's Tibet region on the other. Gautam said that permits to climb these Himalayan peaks will be free for the next two climbing seasons. After that, the government will re-evaluate the plan. Seventy-seven of the mountains are in Karnali, and the other 20 are in Sudurpaschim. 'The government of Nepal wants to disseminate to the global mountaineering community that so many alluring and worth-climbing mountains are located in those two provinces. And there are many more other touristic destinations (there),' said Gautam. Getting travelers to these areas isn't easy. Sudurpaschim is 535 kilometers (330 miles) from Kathmandu, and Karnali is about 400 kilometers (250 miles) away. Both require three-hour flights from the capital. Once in Sudurpaschim and Karnali, roads are challenging and amenities sparse. Tourism is big business in Nepal. The country welcomed 1.15 million international tourists in 2024, and the tourism industry employs more than one million Nepalis. Overcrowding at the world's tallest mountain has caused increasing problems in recent decades. As a result, Nepal — which is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks — has made efforts to crack down on the number of unprepared climbers on Everest while redirecting tourists to other parts of the country. The price of climbing permits went up 36% earlier this year, up from $11,000. And now, would-be Everest climbers must show proof that they have previously scaled at least one 7,000-meter-plus mountain in Nepal. Several of the mountains on the new free-to-climb list fit the bill, offering an opportunity to practice, explore and set records. EDITOR'S NOTE: CNN's Esha Mitra contributed reporting.
CNN
4 days ago
- CNN
As Everest costs go up, Nepal just made it free to climb nearly 100 other mountains
Asia FacebookTweetLink Sign up for Unlocking the World, CNN Travel's weekly newsletter. Get news about destinations, plus the latest in aviation, food and drink, and where to stay. A permit to climb the world's tallest mountain costs an eye-popping $15,000 — and that's before you add in the price of airfare, gear and a guide. But Nepal, which has long sought to diversify its tourism offerings beyond showpiece Mount Everest, has come up with a new plan to attract travelers to less expensive, less visited regions of the country. The government announced it's opening up 97 peaks in Karnali and Sudurpaschim, two states in far western Nepal, to international climbers for free. 'There are so many mountains (in Nepal),' Himal Gautam, a director in the Nepal Tourism Department, told CNN. 'Until now the government of Nepal has opened 462 mountains for commercial expedition. Out of them 102 mountains are still virgin, they are waiting for the first climbers.' He did not specify exactly which mountains are unclimbed. Gautam added that due to the region's remoteness and poverty, 'those mountains have not been marketed properly.' Karnali and Sudurpaschim border the Indian state of Uttarakhand on one side and China's Tibet region on the other. Gautam said that permits to climb these Himalayan peaks will be free for the next two climbing seasons. After that, the government will re-evaluate the plan. Seventy-seven of the mountains are in Karnali, and the other 20 are in Sudurpaschim. 'The government of Nepal wants to disseminate to the global mountaineering community that so many alluring and worth-climbing mountains are located in those two provinces. And there are many more other touristic destinations (there),' said Gautam. Getting travelers to these areas isn't easy. Sudurpaschim is 535 kilometers (330 miles) from Kathmandu, and Karnali is about 400 kilometers (250 miles) away. Both require three-hour flights from the capital. Once in Sudurpaschim and Karnali, roads are challenging and amenities sparse. Tourism is big business in Nepal. The country welcomed 1.15 million international tourists in 2024, and the tourism industry employs more than one million Nepalis. Overcrowding at the world's tallest mountain has caused increasing problems in recent decades. As a result, Nepal — which is home to eight of the world's 14 highest peaks — has made efforts to crack down on the number of unprepared climbers on Everest while redirecting tourists to other parts of the country. The price of climbing permits went up 36% earlier this year, up from $11,000. And now, would-be Everest climbers must show proof that they have previously scaled at least one 7,000-meter-plus mountain in Nepal. Several of the mountains on the new free-to-climb list fit the bill, offering an opportunity to practice, explore and set records. EDITOR'S NOTE: CNN's Esha Mitra contributed reporting.
The Independent
5 days ago
- Business
- The Independent
Nepal to waive some climbing permit fees for two years
Nepal has announced a two-year waiver on climbing permit fees for 97 peaks located in the remote Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. This measure seeks to attract mountaineers to lesser-known areas, thereby stimulating tourism and economic growth in these underdeveloped regions. Conversely, the permit fee for Mount Everest will increase significantly from $11,000 to $15,000 in September this year. Climbing permit fees are a vital revenue stream for Nepal, with mountaineering and trekking collectively accounting for over four per cent of the national economy. The newly fee-exempt peaks could potentially serve as training grounds for a proposed law requiring climbers to conquer a 7,000m Nepalese peak before attempting Everest.
