Nepal govt halts solo expeditions to Mt Everest, other peaks above 8000 meters

The Nepal government has formally ended solo expeditions on Mt Everest and other mountain peaks above 8,000 meters by making one mountain guide mandatory for two climbers, according to revised mountaineering regulations.

The sixth amendment to the Mountaineering Regulation came into force on Feb 4 after it was published in the Nepal Gazette, the government's official publication.

The revised regulations require a high-altitude support staff or mountain guide to be assigned for every two climbers for peaks above 8,000 meters, including the 8,849 meters tall Mt Everest.

For other mountains, the rule requires at least one guide per group, according to a notice published in the Nepal Gazette.

Under the previous rule, one mountain guide was sufficient for a group of climbers scaling mountains above 8,000 meters.

“The government has made guides mandatory to ensure the climbers’ safety on the mountain,” said Arati Neupane, Director at the Department of Tourism. The amendment was made to minimize the risk associated with mountain climbing, she added.

This new regulation should have been made long ago, as it would have a positive impact on mountain tourism, said Mingma G Sherpa, Managing Director of Imagine Nepal Treks, a tourism company.

He, however, said that the royalty to climb Mt Everest should not be increased, as it would discourage expeditions from coming to Nepal.

The government recently hiked the royalty to climb Mt Everest from USD 11,000 per person to USD 15,000, effective September 1 during the spring season.

Under the revised regulations, the royalty fee for foreign climbers attempting to climb Mt Everest from the south route in the spring season (March-May) has increased from USD 11,000 to USD 15,000 per person.

The climbing fee for the autumn season (September-November) has increased from USD 5,500 to USD 7,500. For winter (December-February) and the monsoon (June-August) season, the fee has increased from USD 2,750 to USD 3,750.

(PTI)