Latest news with #mountaineers
The Independent
15 hours 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.
Yahoo
20 hours ago
- Yahoo
Nepal offers free climbs to 97 peaks as tourism to Everest surges
Nepal will make 97 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb for the next two years in a bid to boost tourism in some of its more remote areas. It comes as permit fees to summit Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, during peak season will go up to $15,000 (£11,170) from September - the first increase in nearly a decade. Nepal's tourism department said it hopes the initiative will highlight the country's "unexplored tourism products and destinations". Mountaineering generates a significant source of revenue for Nepal, which is home to the world's 10 tallest mountains. Climbing fees brought in $5.9m last year, with Everest accounting for more than three quarters of that. The peaks for which fees will be waived are located in Nepal's Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, standing between 5,970m (19,590 ft) and 7,132m high. Both provinces, located in the far-western region of Nepal, are among the country's poorest and least developed provinces. "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," he said, as reported by The Kathmandu Post. But it is unclear if authorities have plans to improve infrastructure and connectivity to these remote areas - and how well communities in these areas might cope with an influx of climbers, if the free-to-climb initiative does take off. Climbers have historically shown little interest in these 97 remote peaks - only 68 of them have ventured there in the last two years. In contrast, some 421 climbing permits were issued for Everest in 2024 alone. Everest, the world's highest peak at over 8,849m, has in recent years been plagued by overcrowding, environmental concerns and a series of fatal climbing attempts. In April 2024, Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the government to limit the number of mountaineering permits issued for Everest and several other peaks, saying that the mountains' capacity "must be respected". In January this year, authorities announced a 36% mark-up in permit fees. For those attempting the summit outside the peak April to May season, it will now cost $7,500 to climb Everest during September to November and $3,750 during December to February. Nepal's parliament is also debating a new law that will require anyone wanting to scale Everest to have first summited a mountain over 7,000m in the country. This makes the peaks in Karnali and Sudurpaschim "ideal training grounds", according to The Kathmandu Post. Climbing Everest? You need to bring your poo back Deadly Everest season puts focus on record permits Solve the daily Crossword
BBC News
21 hours ago
- BBC News
Nepal makes 97 mountains free to climb as Everest fees rise
Nepal will make 97 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb for the next two years in a bid to boost tourism in some of its more remote areas. It comes as permit fees to summit Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, during peak season will go up to $15,000 (£11,170) from September - the first increase in nearly a tourism department said it hopes the initiative will highlight the country's "unexplored tourism products and destinations". Mountaineering generates a significant source of revenue for Nepal, which is home to the world's 10 tallest mountains. Climbing fees brought in $5.9m last year, with Everest accounting for more than three quarters of that. The peaks for which fees will be waived are located in Nepal's Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, standing between 5,970m (19,590 ft) and 7,132m high. Both provinces, located in the far-western region of Nepal, are among the country's poorest and least developed provinces. "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," he said, as reported by The Kathmandu it is unclear if authorities have plans to improve infrastructure and connectivity to these remote areas - and how well communities in these areas might cope with an influx of climbers, if the free-to-climb initiative does take off. Climbers have historically shown little interest in these 97 remote peaks - only 68 of them have ventured there in the last two years. In contrast, some 421 climbing permits were issued for Everest in 2024 alone. Everest, the world's highest peak at over 8,849m, has in recent years been plagued by overcrowding, environmental concerns and a series of fatal climbing April 2024, Nepal's Supreme Court ordered the government to limit the number of mountaineering permits issued for Everest and several other peaks, saying that the mountains' capacity "must be respected".In January this year, authorities announced a 36% mark-up in permit fees. For those attempting the summit outside the peak April to May season, it will now cost $7,500 to climb Everest during September to November and $3,750 during December to parliament is also debating a new law that will require anyone wanting to scale Everest to have first summited a mountain over 7,000m in the makes the peaks in Karnali and Sudurpaschim "ideal training grounds", according to The Kathmandu Post.
The Herald
a day ago
- Business
- The Herald
Nepal waives climbing fees for some peaks to lure mountaineers
Nepal will waive climbing fees for nearly 100 peaks in the remote northwestern Himalayas for the next two years to try to 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 about 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 5,870m to 7,132m 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. Nepal has just increased the fees it will charge from September for permits to $350 (R4,400) for a smaller mountain, from a previous $250 (R6,200), to $15,000 (R266,000) for Everest from $11,000 (R195,000). 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. Reuters
CNA
11-07-2025
- Climate
- CNA
Climbers face torrential rain while descending Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu
Scroll up for the next video X Climbers face torrential rain while descending Malaysia's Mount Kinabalu
