Government collects over Rs. 740 million from expedition permits this spring

Kathmandu: The spring season is favorable for mountain climbing in Nepal. During this season, the nation welcomes a noticeable number of aspiring climbers from across the globe for expeditions to Mount Everest and other various peaks.

People from 80 countries including Nepal took permission from the Department of Tourism for climbing Nepal's peaks including Mt Everest this spring season and of them, citizens from 65 countries acquired permits for the Everest expedition.

As the Department's Mountaineering Section said, the revenue of over Rs. 740 million has been collected so far from the expedition permit fees this spring. The permission for Mt Everest alone contributes Rs. 650 million to the collections followed by Rs. 28.3 million from the Lhotse permission and Rs. 13.6 from the permission for the Makalu expedition.

Section Officer Bigyan Koirala said this time the permissions for Everest climbing are ever highest and the revenue collection has also increased. Nepal is home to eight peaks over 8,000 meters.

He said till May 8, 467 people from 44 expedition teams obtained permission for climbing Mt Everest. This figure is likely to go up slightly as the Department expects a few permissions by Wednesday.

Almost all aspiring climbers have already arrived. They are in the Everest base camp and the second camp waiting for favorable conditions to set out for the journey to the Everest summit. Icefall doctors have already fixed a route to the Everest fourth camp towards the Everest South Col.

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