The Government of Nepal has commenced issuing permits for the 2025 spring mountaineering season.
Till date, 58 climbers—18 women and 40 men—from eight mountaineering groups have secured permission to scale various peaks, including Annapurna I. These climbers represent 24 countries, including Nepal, according to the Department of Tourism.
Director of the Department, Liladhar Awasthi, confirmed that the permit issuance process is underway. "We will soon begin granting permission for climbing Mount Everest," he stated.
Mountaineering companies are actively preparing for the Everest climbing season. "Climbing-related activities in the Everest region have increased recently, and operators are intensifying their preparations," Awasthi added.
Spring is considered the ideal season for climbing peaks, including Everest, attracting a significant number of foreign climbers.
To facilitate Everest expeditions, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) has deployed a team of 'icefall doctors' to fix ropes along the climbing route. A 10-member team is currently working on constructing the path from the base camp to Camp II. Additionally, experienced climbers have been assigned to fix ropes from Camp II to the summit.
The Government of Nepal recently hiked the cost of a Everest climbing permit by a third, arguing it will help tackle pollution and boost safety on the world's highest mountain
According to the Department of Tourism, the fees for climbing the 8,849-metre Everest will rise from $11,000 to $15,000 per person, effective from the current spring season. The department clarified that the fees were constant for almost a decade and it was high time to revise the climbing fees.
The government in 2024 spring season collected over Rs 702 million in royalties by issuing 421 climbing permits for Everest.
In the previous year, a total of 478 climbers – the maximum number ever – were issued permits to climb Everest. The department collected revenue of Rs 760 million in 2023.
(With inputs from RSS, AFP and Reuters)
