Nepal will soon limit Mount Everest climbing permits only to the ones who have already summited at least one 7,000-metre peak in the country, according to a new draft law aimed at improving safety and reducing overcrowding.
The proposed law, part of the Integrated Tourism Bill, has been registered in the upper house of Parliament. The ruling alliance holds a majority and is expected to pass it, Reuters reported.
Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 highest mountains, has faced criticism for allowing too many inexperienced climbers on Everest. In 2023, the country issued 478 permits. At least 12 climbers died and five went missing. In 2022, eight climbers died. Many of these deaths happened in the 'death zone' near the summit, where oxygen is low and queues are common.
Under the proposed rules:
- Climbers must show proof of scaling a 7,000-metre (22,965 ft) mountain in Nepal before applying for an Everest permit.
- The sardar (head of local staff) and mountain guide must be Nepali citizens.
- Medical certificates from government-approved hospitals, issued within the last month, will be required.
- Climbers must declare in advance if they are attempting a record.
- Permits will not be transferable. If an expedition is cancelled due to natural disasters or other events, the permit will remain valid for two years but will not be refunded.
Permit fees will also rise by 36 per cent, from Pound 8,249 (over Rs 9.4 lakh) to Pound 11,248 (over Rs 12.8 lakh) - the first hike in almost 10 years.
The 2025 climbing season has started, and the country has issued 402 permits so far. The number is expected to exceed 500 in May.
Nepal earns significant foreign exchange from Everest expeditions. Climbers spend thousands more on local logistics, porters, Sherpas, and gear. But with more climbers on the slopes, Everest has also seen a surge in garbage, human waste, and environmental degradation.
The new rules aim to tackle these issues by ensuring only experienced climbers attempt Everest, reducing the need for risky and costly rescue operations.
International expedition operators have objected to limiting qualifying climbs to Nepal only.
Lukas Furtenbach of Austria-based Furtenbach Adventures, currently leading an Everest expedition, said they didn't have enough qualified Nepali guides.
"That wouldn't make any sense. And I would also add mountains that are close to 7,000 metres to that list and that are widely used as preparation, like Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, Denali and others," he told Reuters.
"It's too difficult to find a reasonable 7,000-metre plus peak in Nepal," Garrett Madison of US-based Madison Mountaineering said, adding that a 6,500-metre peak anywhere in the world should be accepted.
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