The allure of Mount Manaslu (8,163 meters), the eighth-highest peak in the world and the seventh in Nepal has grown among climbers this year. Similar to previous years, the autumn season has once again seen a significant number of climbers drawn to scale the mountain.
According to Rakesh Gurung, Director of the Department of Tourism, 308 climbers from 28 teams have received permits for Manaslu expeditions this season, with most already completing their climbs. Out of these climbers, 82 are women and 226 are men. “There has been a noticeable attraction towards climbing Manaslu,” said Gurung. “Most climbers have successfully summited, and the remaining expeditions will be completed in the next couple of days.”
The Manaslu climbing season began two weeks ago. In comparison, 301 climbers from 26 groups had obtained permits for the same season last year. Currently, expeditions on Mount Ama Dablam and Mount Himlung are also underway.
Despite the heavy rainfall on Ashwin 11 and 12 that caused floods and landslides across the country, the Department of Tourism noted that mountaineering activities have remained enthusiastic, with minimal impact on climbing, though trekking has faced some challenges.
For this season, a total of 510 climbers, including 113 women and 379 men, have obtained permits to climb 34 peaks, including Manaslu. Climbers from 58 countries, including Nepal, have received permits for various expeditions. This season alone, the government has collected NPR 49.73 million in royalties from these permits. Specifically, two climbing groups with 18 climbers are on Ama Dablam, 14 climbers on Dhaulagiri, and two climbers on Makalu.
Autumn is considered the ideal time for Manaslu expeditions due to favorable weather conditions, making it one of the most popular peaks among climbers. The mountain was first successfully climbed on May 9, 1956, by Japanese mountaineer Toshio Imanishi and Nepalese Sherpa Gyalzen Norbu. Two days later, on May 11, Japanese climbers Noboru Hiyeta and Kiichiro Kato also summited the peak, followed by Swiss climbers Hans Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger on May 18, 1956.
Pasang Furba Sherpa, Executive Director of Seven Summit Treks, shared that more than 80 climbers from his company have embarked on the Manaslu expedition, with only around 10% of the teams yet to complete the climb.
Manaslu, located in Gorkha, has a rich history of mountaineering and celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2016. The peak, also known as Kutang or the “Mountain of the Heart,” is part of the Mansiri Himalayan range. Manaslu gained international attention in 2020 when a team of 21 climbers, including Prince Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Mohammed Al Khalifa of Bahrain, successfully summited the mountain. This expedition helped further promote Nepal’s mountaineering scene on the global stage, according to the Nepal Mountaineering Association.
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