Over Rs 770 million in royalty collected from Spring mountaineering season

KATHMANDU: More than Rs 770 million in royalties have been collected from mountaineering permits issued for the spring climbing season this year, according to the Mountaineering Section of the Department of Tourism.

As of Sunday, the department reported a total collection of Rs 773.59 million in royalties.

Mount Everest alone contributed Rs 676.09 million to the total amount, highlighting its continued popularity among climbers worldwide.

This spring, a total of 1,127 climbers—240 women and 887 men—have obtained permits to climb 26 different peaks, including Mount Everest.

According to Lila Dhar Awasthi, Director at the Department of Tourism, Everest attracted the highest number of climbers, with 456 individuals (84 women and 372 men) from 45 expedition teams receiving climbing permits. Climbers attempting Everest this year hail from 57 different countries.

Other notable peaks and the number of climbers include:

Ama Dablam: 102 climbers from 10 teams

Lhotse: 107 climbers from 9 teams

Makalu: 79 climbers from 8 teams

Kanchenjunga: 75 climbers from 7 teams

Nuptse: 76 climbers from 6 teams

Annapurna: 66 climbers from 6 teams

Spring is considered the most favorable season for Himalayan expeditions, especially for Mount Everest.

With permits still being issued, the department expects the total number of climbers and revenue to rise further in the coming days.