KATHMANDU, May 10: Spring is considered the prime mountaineering season in Nepal, drawing climbers from around the world to the Himalayas. While many first-time climbers are preparing for expeditions, others are aiming to break previous records and set new milestones on some of the world’s highest peaks.
Nepal Tourism Board issues permits for mountains above 6,500 meters, while the Nepal Mountaineering Association(NMA) oversees climbing permits for 27 peaks ranging between 5,800 and 6,500 meters.
This season, Seven Summit Treks alone is leading 85 climbers to Mount Everest. Out of the 464 climbers who have obtained permits for Everest, 85 are associated with the company, according to its operator Mingma Sherpa.
Besides Seven Summit Treks, companies including Elite Expeditions, TAG Nepal, Imagine Nepal Expeditions, Himalayan Guides Expeditions and 8K Expeditions are also organizing Everest climbs for international mountaineers.
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 peaks above 8,000 meters, continues to attract thousands of climbers annually. During the ongoing spring season, a total of 1,072 climbers from 79 countries have received permits for various mountains, according to the Department of Tourism Nepal.
Among them are 811 men and 261 women, and officials say the number could still rise in the coming weeks.
689 climbers of 84 teams so far acquire permits for climbing va...
Last year, 1,140 climbers obtained permits during the spring season, generating around Rs 794.7 million in revenue for Nepal. In 2024, the number stood at 991 climbers.
Rajendra Lama, general secretary of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, said foreign interest in Nepal’s mountains has grown steadily after the COVID-19 pandemic. He noted that the 27 trekking peaks managed by the NMA are also witnessing increasing demand from international climbers.
According to Lama, the association issued 2,204 permits between July 2024 and July 2025, generating nearly Rs 160 million in revenue. From July 2025 until now, it has already issued 2,025 permits and collected over Rs 200 million in revenue.
Everest has received the highest number of permits this spring. Department of Tourism Director Nisha Thapa Raut said 464 climbers from 55 countries have secured permits to climb Everest, including 364 men and 100 women.
Chinese climbers make up the largest group this year, with 139 permits issued to climbers from China. The United States follows with 132 climbers. Other major groups include climbers from India, the United Kingdom, Germany, Russia, Canada, Japan, France, Australia and Ukraine.
The government has issued permits for climbing 29 mountains and peaks, including Everest. Besides Everest, permits have been issued for Lhotse, Ama Dablam, Annapurna I, Dhaulagiri, Makalu and Kanchenjunga among others.
Although Nepal’s tourism industry has been affected by ongoing tensions in West Asia, participation in mountaineering expeditions has remained encouraging.
This year alone, the government has collected more than Rs 1.17 billion in royalty revenue from mountaineering permits. Everest contributed the largest share, generating over Rs 1.01 billion. Significant revenue has also been collected from Lhotse, Makalu, Ama Dablam, Dhaulagiri-I, Annapurna-I and Kanchenjunga expeditions.
Climbers have already begun heading toward their destinations, with many reaching Everest Base Camp. Rope-fixing work for the Everest route is currently underway.
The Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee has completed route preparation and rope fixing from Everest Base Camp through the Khumbu Icefall to Camp II. Rope fixing from Camp II to the summit is being handled by the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal.
Association president Dambar Parajuli said ropes have already been fixed up to Camp III, though unfavorable weather has delayed progress toward the summit. He expressed hope that the remaining work could be completed within four to five days if weather conditions improve.
Meanwhile, the Himalayan Rescue Association Nepal has deployed medical teams to Everest Base Camp and Pheriche to provide health services to climbers and trekkers.
The medical team at Everest Base Camp includes Australian doctor Samantha Allison Wills, Nepali doctor Pins Singh and assistant Lakpa Norbu Sherpa. At the Pheriche health post, Australian doctor Rebecca Allen Carpenter, American doctor Caitlin Brooke Harper, Nepali doctor Aakriti Singh and assistants Ang Dawa Sherpa and Thaneshwar Bhandari have been deployed.
The first successful ascent of Everest took place on May 29, 1953, by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa. The day is now celebrated annually as Everest Day.
