In this year’s autumn climbing season, 14 male climbers have received permits to scale Dhaulagiri, the seventh-highest mountain in the world, located in Myagdi district’s Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality-4. The Department of Tourism confirmed that a group of 14 mountaineers has secured permission for the ascent of Dhaulagiri.
According to the department, the permit fees collected from this group amounted to NPR 1,689,030. In comparison, during the last spring season, permits were issued to three groups consisting of 22 men and eight women, generating NPR 7,170,750 in revenue.
Hari Prasad Tilija, a member of Dhaulagiri Rural Municipality-4 and a hotel owner in the Italian Base Camp, reported that the climbers, along with their Sherpas, guides, porters, and support teams, are preparing to reach the base camp.
The latest data from the Department of Tourism reveals that for the current season, climbers from 54 countries, including 88 women and 274 men, have obtained permits to scale 10 different peaks across Nepal. The department collected a total of NPR 45,245,848 in climbing fees from these expeditions.
The department further stated that during the autumn season, foreign climbers seeking to scale mountains over 8,000 meters, excluding Mount Everest, are required to pay a permit fee of USD 900 per climber. For smaller peaks, the fees range from a minimum of USD 125 to a maximum of USD 400, depending on the mountain.
The most popular peak for autumn climbing remains Mount Manaslu in Gorkha, standing at 8,163 meters. The department noted that 308 climbers from 28 different groups have received permits to attempt Manaslu. Following Manaslu, Dhaulagiri has seen the second-highest number of permits issued.
Other peaks receiving climbing permits this season include Putha Himchuli (9 climbers), Annapurna IV (5 climbers), Thakar Go East (4 climbers), Punggi (5 climbers), Kumbhakarna (6 climbers), Araniko Chuli (3 climbers), Api (6 climbers), and Makalu I (2 climbers).
The department also highlighted that the highest number of climbers this autumn come from China, with 61 Chinese nationals securing permits for various peaks.
In the previous spring season, permits were issued to 1,002 climbers for expeditions on 30 mountains across Nepal. The total permit fees collected during that season amounted to NPR 689,975,311, according to the Department of Tourism’s website.
This steady influx of climbers continues to contribute significantly to Nepal’s tourism and economy, with Dhaulagiri and Manaslu remaining among the most popular mountains for mountaineers.
