Nepal has announced a first increase, for nearly 10 years, in the amount of money it charges visitors looking to climb the iconic Mount Everest.
The country charges climbers a permit fee if they want to climb the world’s most famous peak. That fee is set to rise by 36%, later this year, to $15,000/€14,400 for peak season climbs. It has been set at $11,000 for the last decade.
The permit fee is a huge source of tourism revenue for Nepal. The new top rate will come into being in September and will cover climbs across the most popular climbing season of April to May.
Two less expensive rates – also coming into force in September and both also rising by 36% – of $7,500 and $3,750 will be charged for the less popular September to November climbing season and the rarely climbed December to February season, respectively.
Nepal’s national tourism department issues around 300 permits to climbers every year. The new rates are not expected to discourage climbers to the iconic site.
