Nepal: Under the new draft law emerging to increase safety and minimize congestion, only climbers who have already summited at least one 7,000-metre peak in Nepal will be permitted to climb Mount Everest.
The proposed law is part of the Integrated Tourism Bill and has been registered in the upper house of Parliament. The ruling coalition commands a majority and is poised to smoothly pass this proposal, according to a report by Reuters.
Nepal is home to eight out of the 14 tallest peaks in the world and has been accused of allowing many inexperienced climbers on Everest. The country granted 478 permits in 2023, with at least 12 climbers dying and five missing. Eight climbers died in 2022; most fatalities occurred in what is called the ‘death zone’ near the summit, where there is low oxygen and the presence of long queues.
Nepal’s proposed rules:
Before applying for an Everest permit, climbers must present proof of summiting a peak in Nepal higher than 7,000 metres (22,965 ft).
The sardar (head of local staff) and mountain guide must be Nepali citizens.
A medical certificate from a government-recognized hospital obtained within the last month will also be required.
They have to declare beforehand if they are trying for a record.
Permits cannot be transferred. In the event that an expedition is canceled by natural disasters or other happenings, the permit would remain valid for two years but without reimbursement.
Permit costs will increase otherwise by 36%, from £8,249 (over Rs. 9.4 lakhs) to £11,248 (over Rs. 12.8 lakhs) – the first hike in almost 10 years
The 2025 climbing season is on its way, with the country issuing 402 permits thus far; the total number is expected to surpass 500 in May.
Nepal receives huge foreign currency from Everest expeditions. Climbers also spend many thousands on local logistics, porters, Sherpas, and gear and justifiably so, as more expeditions mean more litter, human waste, and degradation of the environment.
According to the new regulations, the idea steaming from these issues is whether capable climbers should attempt Everest at all, thereby reducing the need for difficult and hazardous rescues.
International expedition operators have protested against limiting these qualifying climbs to Nepal only.
“This irrelevant argument is based on a small pool of Nepali guides even being able to be qualified.” Furtenbach continued by saying, “I would also recommend adding mountains pretty much in the sneak preview of those mountains: things like Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, Denali, and the others.”
Commented Garrett Madison with Madison Mountaineering in US: “It is too hard to find a reasonable peak over 7,000 metres in Nepal, so at least 6,500 metres anywhere in the world must be accepted.”
The Integrated Tourism Bill proposed in Nepal’s upper house of Parliament on 18 April is expected to address the overcrowding, improve safety for climbers, and reduce environmental issues associated with Everest, which has recently been suffering from increased problems like pollution and dangerous bottlenecks.
It has been said that such an effective country as Nepal has only given voice to commercializing Everest by issuing permits to many climbers, inexperienced sometimes.
As part of the proposed bill, climbers would require a certificate attesting to having climbed at least one peak above 7,000m in Nepal before seeking a permit to climb Everest. This is done to have high-altitude experience enough to overcome the challenges of Everest so as to mitigate the dangers brought about by inexperience.
Mount Everest stands at 8,848.86m (29,031.7ft) above sea level, as confirmed by joint survey between Nepal and China in 2020; and the route goes through deadly glacier travel, ice climbing all the way up, and fixed-rope sections as well. The Khumbu icefall and Hillary step zones are the most dangerous areas termed death zones.
The head of local staff, called the sardar, and the mountain guide accompanying climbers must also be Nepali citizens, as per the new proposed law.
However, International expedition operators have raised objection to the Nepal government only allowing climbers with certificates from of 7,000m peak from within the country and not from anywhere else in the world.
“It doesn’t stand for anything anyway. I should also include mountains very close to 7,000 meters that are commonly used for preparatory climbs like Ama Dablam, Aconcagua, Denali, and the rest,” he said to Reuters, Lukas Furtenbach, expedition organizer based in Austria with the business Furtenbach Adventures.
Medical checks would also be stipulated for the climbers. They must submit a certificate from a government-recognized medical institution that was issued within the last month.
As per the report published in the Kathmandu Post, all Everest applicants need to declare beforehand whether they will be trying to break records.
They must not transfer their paid permits to others for whatever reason, and if their expedition is canceled because of unforeseen events, such as natural disasters, war or other events beyond their control, the fee remains valid for two years but not refunded.
Mr Furtenbach, who is currently on Everest leading an expedition, said that mountain guides from other countries must also be allowed to work on Everest as qualified Nepali mountain guides are not sufficient in number.
“It is important that mountain guides have a qualification like IFMGA (International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations), no matter what nationality they are. We do also welcome Nepali IFMGA guides to work in the Alps in Europe,” he told Reuters.
The 2025 Everest climbing season began in April, and Nepal has already issued 402 climbing permits. The number is expected to rise over 500 in the coming days with the main window for summit attempts opening in May.
It comes as Nepal announced a hike in permit fee by 36 per cent, rising from £8,249 to £11,248, marking the first price hike for the world’s highest peak in nearly a decade.
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