*The north face of Mount Everest, as seen from the Tibetan region of China. Pic: AP. Image taken from:* *https://news.sky.com/story/nepal-steeply-increases-cost-of-climbing-mount-everest-13294806*

Nepal - a nation famous not just for the unique design of its flag, but for sharing the honour with China of holding the world’s highest summit, Mount Everest. The climb up the world’s highest mountain, first completed by Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Sherpa Tenzing Norgay in 1953, has been successfully attempted by over 7000 people while simultaneously claiming the lives of many more. Some of their bodies remain trapped in the icy depths of Mount Everest as a testament to the dangers of climbing such a high mountain. The dangers, combined with increased waste pollution and the need to maintain safety features, have influenced the Nepali government to sharply increase the price of permits to climb Mount Everest. For Nepali guides, their permit prices will double to $1100 from $550. For foreign climbers in the popular April-May season, their price has increased by over 36% from $11000 to $15000. In the rarely climbed September-November season, prices have increased to $7500 and, in the December-February season, foreign climbers will pay $3750.

However, as inconvenient as it may sound, such price increases must be understood in the context of the dangers of Mount Everest and the scale of the increasing threat from climate change. Simultaneously, they must be appreciated within the broader background of the Nepali economy, which relies heavily on tourism to climb or even visit the world’s highest peak. However, questions continue to be asked as to whether this legislation will have any effect at all.

*Image of Nepali Tourism Board from:* *https://thehimalayantimes.com/kathmandu/nepal-tourism-board-drafts-health-and-hygiene-protocols*

Background

Nepal’s Department of Tourism has announced this steep increase as the beginning of many new pieces of legislation aiming to preserve and protect both the mountain and inexperienced climbers. The announced increase in permit prices was the first in 2015 and will certainly help the cash-strapped nation, for which permit prices, along with other expenses for foreign climbers is a key revenue stream, amounting to around 4% of its national economy. Nepal is currently facing a decline in public spending due to economic woes, therefore raising permit prices will have a significant impact on the government coffers, which continue to be strapped in line with the majority of the world’s economic woes. For Nepal, the services sector, which includes tourism, is a critical lifeline to the nation to prevent it from sinking into economic downturn. After all, tourism to visit Mount Everest is continually in demand for climbers as the defining achievement for which they can claim the title of the ‘Conqueror of the World’s Highest Mountain’.

Furthermore, the Nepali Government has faced repeated calls arguing that they allow too many climbers to climb the mountain at one time, and that they do very little to keep the mountain clean and that they fail to guarantee the safety of climbers. This piece of legislation provides additional funds to remove dead bodies and trash on the mountain and address environmental issues. The increase in permit pieces will be a key source of funding, financing government operations after climbers dump copious amounts of trash on the peak - in 2024 alone, climbers managed to generate 100 tons of waste! Furthermore, environmental issues - a consequence of climate change are impacting the safety of climbers on the mountain. The mountain, according to climbers, is becoming more dry and rocky with less amounts of snow or other forms of precipitation. Therefore, new paths must be created to avoid the old melted or dangerous paths and safety features must be readjusted or changed after damage by nature and time.

*Image of Kami Rita Sherpa - the record holder for the most climbs of Mount Everest. Taken from* *https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-48464030*

Consequence

However, criticism has emerged from climbers and the international scene that the permit price rise will amount to nothing since many climbers are willing to pay anywhere between $40,000 and $75,000 and even beyond for adequate support on the mountain, which includes a local guide, oxygen, insurance and much more. Therefore, demand will not drop to climb the highest mountain. Instead, the legislation fails to tackle the key issues of expedition companies bringing upwards of 100 people. The Chinese have already tackled this, employing a 1:1 ratio between climbers and guides for peaks, such as Mount Everest, that are over 8000m tall. However, implementing the same ratio in Nepal will be much harder since a majority of climbs up Mount Everest occur from the Nepalese side of the mountain - 91% of 861 summits in 2024. In future legislation, it is touted that Nepal will adopt a 2:1 ratio between climbers and guides, along with other acts, such as a shorter valid permit period, a raise in insurance coverage and a requirement for climbers to pick up and carry their faeces, which will enable the nation to fight against pollution and protect the safety of the many climbing Mount Everest each year. Such legislation, marked by the increasing of permit prices this January, will undoubtedly enable the country to prosper and reward the many sherpas and workers who risk their lives every day climbing the mountain or repairing its safety features.