Nepal Increases Mount Everest Climbing Fees
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Synopsis
The Nepali government has announced a significant increase in climbing permit fees for Mount Everest, raising charges for both foreign and local climbers. The new fees will come into effect in September 2025, with substantial hikes across different climbing seasons.
Key Takeaways
- Increased fees for foreign climbers: Now $15,000.
- Fall climbing fee: $7,500, up from $5,500.
- Fee for Nepali climbers: Doubled to 150,000 rupees.
- Spring climbers exempt from new fees.
- Last fee revision: January 1, 2015.
Kathmandu, Jan 22 (NationPress) The Nepali government has raised climbing permit fees for Mount Everest, also known as Mount Qomolangma, as announced by an official on Wednesday.
The new fee for international climbers is now $15,000, up from $11,000, marking a 36 percent increase.
According to Madhav Adhikari from the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, this updated rate will take effect on September 1, 2025.
He also mentioned that those aiming to ascend Mount Qomolangma this spring will not be subject to the new fee, as confirmed in an interview with Xinhua.
However, climbers planning to tackle the world's tallest peak during the fall will now face a fee of $7,500, an increase from the previous $5,500.
The fees for the winter and monsoon seasons have risen from $2,750 to $3,750.
For Nepali climbers, the fee has been significantly increased from 75,000 Nepali rupees (approximately $545) to 150,000 rupees (about $1,090).
The last adjustment to climbing permit fees occurred on January 1, 2015.
Mount Everest, referred to locally as Sagarmatha or Qomolangma, is the tallest mountain on Earth above sea level, situated in the Mahalangur Himal sub-range of the Himalayas. The summit marks the border between Nepal and China. Its height (including snow) of 8,848.86 meters was jointly confirmed in 2020 by Chinese and Nepali authorities.
Mount Everest draws numerous climbers, including seasoned mountaineers. There are two primary routes to the summit: one from the southeast in Nepal (referred to as the standard route) and another from the north in Tibet. While the standard route does not present major technical challenges, climbers must contend with risks such as altitude sickness, adverse weather, and wind, as well as potential dangers from avalanches and the Khumbu Icefall.
Nepal is a prime destination for adventure tourism due to its diverse and often challenging topography, rich in natural beauty. Visitors can engage in a variety of outdoor activities, from paragliding near the mountains to observing Bengal tigers in the dense forests of Chitwan.
