November 22: The Government of Nepal has granted permission for climbers from 76 countries to scale mountain peaks during the autumn season this year, which is considered an ideal climbing period after the spring season.

According to the Department of Tourism, the government body responsible for issuing climbing permits, a total of 1,435 foreigners have been granted permission to climb 48 different peaks during the autumn climbing window.

During this autumn, a few climbers are interested in climbing Mt Everest, the world’s highest peak, which fetches good royalties. Most of the climbers prefer to scale Everest during the spring window and opt for Mt Manaslu (8,161 meters) during the autumn season.

As per the latest data of the department, altogether 404 climbers of 38 expedition groups have been issued permits to climb Mt Manaslu this season.

A total of 330 female climbers have received permission to climb mountains during this period. The department has collected royalties worth Rs 93 million from climbing permits. Royalties from Manaslu alone is worth Rs 46.2 million while the department has collected royalties worth Rs 3.5 million from 5 climbers attempting to climb Everest.

Even climbers from two warring countries, Russia and Ukraine, have also arrived here to climb mountain peaks this year. According to the department, almost half a million tourists have arrived in Nepal in the first ten months of 2022 after a decline in Covid-19 cases in Nepal.

Most of the climbers are from the UK (144) followed by the USA (132) and France (129).  

Others are from Germany, Spain, India, Japan, Italy, Australia, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, Iran among others.