Nepal Focuses On Economic Growth In Karnali And Sudurpaschim Provinces By Granting Free Climbing Permits To 97 Mountains Between 5,970m And 7,132m

Published on August 12, 2025 |

Nepal has unveiled a strategical move to boost tourism and economical improvement successful its astir distant and impoverished regions by offering free climbing permits for 97 Himalayan peaks complete nan adjacent 2 years. This inaugural intends to pull mountaineers to lesser-known mountains successful nan Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces, areas that person historically seen small tourer activity owed to difficult entree and underdeveloped infrastructure. At nan aforesaid time, Nepal is expanding licence fees for Mount Everest, nan world’s highest and astir celebrated peak, to negociate overcrowding and biology concerns. By making these distant peaks free to climb, Nepal hopes to diversify its mountaineering tourism, trim unit connected Everest, and bring much-needed gross and opportunities to its far-western provinces.

Nepal is opening up 97 of its Himalayan mountains for free climbing complete nan adjacent 2 years, aiming to boost tourism successful immoderate of its astir distant and underdeveloped regions. This bold move contrasts pinch nan rising costs of summiting Mount Everest, arsenic licence fees for nan world’s highest highest will summation to \$15,000 starting this September—the first hike successful astir 10 years.

Mountaineering plays a important domiciled successful Nepal’s economy, particularly fixed nan country’s unsocial position arsenic location to nan 10 tallest mountains connected Earth. Last year, climbing permits generated astir \$5.9 cardinal successful revenue, pinch Everest unsocial accounting for complete 75% of that total.

The mountains disposable for free climbing are dispersed crossed Nepal’s Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces. These peaks scope successful tallness from 5,970 meters (19,590 feet) up to 7,132 meters and are located successful nan acold occidental portion of nan country. Both provinces rank among Nepal’s poorest and slightest developed areas, pinch constricted infrastructure and accessibility.

Himal Gautam, head of Nepal’s Tourism Department, highlighted nan intent down nan initiative: “Despite their stunning earthy beauty, these regions person seen very fewer visitors and climbers owed to nan trouble successful reaching them. Waiving climbing fees could beryllium a game-changer.”

However, questions stay astir nan readiness of these provinces to grip accrued tourism. The authorities has not yet clarified whether it plans to put successful infrastructure improvements, specified arsenic roads, connection networks, and section services, which are important to supporting a imaginable influx of visitors. Moreover, it is uncertain really nan section communities will accommodate to a emergence successful climbers, some culturally and economically.

Historically, these 97 peaks person attracted constricted liking from mountaineers. Over nan past 2 years, only 68 permits were issued for climbs successful these distant mountains, compared to 421 permits issued for Everest successful 2024 alone. Everest’s immense fame continues to tie climbers contempt ongoing issues specified arsenic overcrowding, biology degradation, and galore fatal accidents.

In consequence to nan overcrowding and biology accent connected Everest and different awesome peaks, Nepal’s Supreme Court ruled successful April 2024 that nan authorities must enforce restrictions connected nan number of climbing permits. The determination emphasized nan value of respecting nan carrying capacity of these vulnerable upland ecosystems.

In January, authorities raised Everest licence fees by 36%, expanding nan costs for climbers attempting nan acme extracurricular nan premier April to May window. From September to November, nan licence will costs \$7,500, while from December to February, it will beryllium \$3,750. These changes purpose to modulate nan travel of climbers and trim nan biology footprint connected nan mountain.

Further tightening regulations, Nepal’s parliament is presently discussing a projected rule that would require climbers to person antecedently summited a upland complete 7,000 meters wrong Nepal earlier being granted support to effort Everest. This move is intended to guarantee that only knowledgeable climbers return connected nan challenging and hazardous ascent.

In this context, nan free-to-climb mountains successful Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces are seen arsenic cleanable mentation grounds for aspiring Everest climbers. These less-trafficked peaks supply an opportunity for mountaineers to summation valuable high-altitude acquisition earlier attempting nan world’s tallest summit.

Overall, Nepal’s determination to waive fees connected these 97 distant mountains intends to diversify nan country’s mountaineering tourism and bring economical benefits to immoderate of its astir isolated regions. While Everest remains nan crown jewel of Nepal’s upland tourism, these lesser-known peaks could go important stepping stones for early adventurers and a measurement to easiness unit connected Everest itself.

Nepal is waiving climbing fees connected 97 distant Himalayan peaks to boost tourism successful underdeveloped regions while raising Everest permits to negociate overcrowding. This move intends to dispersed economical benefits beyond Everest and protect nan environment.

How successful this strategy will beryllium depends mostly connected whether nan authorities invests successful infrastructure and manages nan biology and societal impacts effectively. If executed well, this inaugural has nan imaginable to unfastened up caller frontiers successful Nepal’s trekking and climbing scene, spreading tourism much evenly crossed nan state while safeguarding its iconic mountains for generations to come.