As Nepal government is set to hike the fee to climb the Everest, the world’s highest peak from next month, around 100 smaller mountain peaks situated in the Western Nepal are offered for free climbing to promote mountain tourism in the remote region.
Nepal has announced that the per person fee to scale the 8,88.86 metre peak will jump from $11,000 to $15,000 effective from September 1, 2025. The royalty for climbing other peaks will also vary depending on their height, location and climbing season, according to officials.
However, the government has offered mountaineers to climb 97 peaks situated in remote areas without paying any royalty fee for the next two years. The height of these peaks situated in Karnali and Sudur Pashchim Provinces in the western Nepal range from 5,870 ft to 7,132, informed Himal Gautam, directed at the Department of Tourism.
“The government has made this offer so that inflow of tourists in these remote areas will help increase economic activities in the region,” Gautam told PTI. ”Such initiatives are intended to highlight our unexplored tourism products and destinations,” he pointed out. ”They may create jobs for the local people, generate income as well as promote economic activity.”
The government has also proposed to include a provision that requires mountaineers wishing to climb the Everest to climb at least one peak of 7,000 metre altitude. However, the bill related to amendment to the Tourism Act is just sent to the Upper House for discussion. It needs to be approved by both the Houses for enactment, he added.
