‘Return percentage of hiked permit fees to Mount Everest and her people’

Amitava Banerjee, MP, 24 Jan 2025, Darjeeling: With Nepal announcing a 36 per cent hike in royalty or permit fees for climbing Mount Everest from Nepal (Southern route), the mountaineering fraternity has urged Nepal to reinvest a percentage of the revenue generated to maintain environmental preservation of the world’s tallest peak (8848.86 m) and also for the safety and welfare of the families of the Sherpa climbers who meet with accidents or die while climbing. 

The permit fees for foreign nationals are all set to be hiked from $11000 to $15000 per climber from September 1, 2025. 

The hike is seasonal. The spring season (March to May), which offers the best climbing conditions, including weather and witnesses the highest number of successful summits, will see the hike from $11000 to $15000. 

For the autumn season (September to November), fees have been hiked from $5500 to $7500; winter (December to February) and monsoons (June-August), the fees have been hiked from $2750 to $3750. 

Climbers of Nepali origin will also have to dish out NPR 1,50,000 from September 1 that will be raised from the present permit charges of NPR 75,000. 

“With the increase in revenue, Nepal should give back a portion to the environment and to the climbing guides (the sherpas). A percentage from the earnings should be set aside for the environment, like addressing issues like garbage left behind on the mountain by climbers. 

A percentage from the revenue should also be used to open a trust for the welfare of families of Sherpas who meet with accidents and die on the mountain,” stated Jamling Tenzing Norgay, an Everest summiter and also the son of legendary mountaineer Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, the first man along with Sir Edmund Hillary to climb Mount Everest. 

Jamling lauded the Nepal government for having increased the insurance for the Sherpa climbers to NPR 20 lakh. “It is a good step but needs to be increased further. NPR 20 lakh is not enough to support a family. 

The revenue earned is huge,” added Jamling. Nepal issues around 300 permits for Everest every year. The mountaineering fraternity however criticises the Nepal government for this stating that this has caused human traffic jams atop the world’s tallest mountain. 

“The hike in permit fees might just ease traffic atop Everest with less climbers,” prophesied Jamling while talking to Millennium Post. 

“From the environment aspect, the hike in permit fees might do good with less climbers thereby easing the load on the mountain. 

On the other hand, only the affluent will be able to climb. It will close the doors for many talented climbers who do not have that type of money. However, Nepal should also concentrate on the environmental aspect. 

The way the mountain has been promoted, it is more of quantity that Nepal has been looking at, at the cost of the mountain,” stated Bhaskar Das, Member, Governing Council, Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF). 

However, this spring could be a witness to a heavy rush before the rates are hiked from September 1. Already expedition organising companies of Nepal have started giving a shout-out stating: “Spring 2025 the ideal year to embark on Mount Everest expedition as current rates still apply.” 

Courtesy & source- Millennium Post

https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/return-percentage-of-hiked-permit-fees-to-mount-everest-and-her-people-596144