Nepal steeply increases cost of climbing Mount Everest
Nepal steeply increases cost of climbing Mount Everest
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Conquering Mount Everest will cost climbers an extra $4,000 (£3,270) after Nepal hiked up fees for the first time in almost a decade. Nepal's government has announced a 36% increase in permit fees, meaning they will go from $11,000 (£8,930) to $15,000 (£12,200) from September.
Income from permit fees and other spending by foreign climbers is a key source of revenue and employment for the cash-strapped nation, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, including Mount Everest. The new $15,000 fee will apply for the popular April-May climbing season along the standard South East Ridge, or South Col route.
Fees for the less popular September-November season and the rarely climbed December-February season will also increase by 36%, to $7,500 (£6,090) and $3,750 (£3,040) respectively. Narayan Prasad Regmi, director general of the Department of Tourism, said: "The royalty [permit fees] had not been reviewed for a long time. We have updated them now.".
About 300 permits are issued each year for Everest. British adventurer's foot believed to have been found on Everest just over 100 years after disappearance. Former army major Sally Orange to run Everest Marathon dressed as lemon. Everest filmmaker and mountaineer David Breashears dies aged 68.
"We expected this hike in permit fees," said Lukas Furtenbach of Austria-based expedition organiser Furtenbach Adventures. Read more:Thousands flee as new wildfire burns in CaliforniaSame sex couples in Thailand celebrate equal marriage rights. He said it was an "understandable step" from the government of Nepal.
