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Kathmandu (dpa) - The Nepalese government has announced cuts to mountaineering fees aimed at attracting more climbers and improving the management of its peaks, the Ministry of Tourism said Thursday.
The fee for climbing Mount Everest on the main route from the Nepal side has been reduced to 11,000 dollars per person for foreigners during the spring climbing season, down from the previous rate of 25,000 dollars.
Those climbing alternative routes will pay 10,000 dollars. The fees have also been lowered for other seasons, which are not as popular with climbers, and for other peaks.
“One of our aims is to increase the number of solo tourists," said Dipendra Poudel, secretary of the Tourism Ministry's mountains section.
"In the past, tourists have been joining groups as it costs less to go in a group than to go individually.”
Six to 15 people travel in group expeditions, paying significantly less in fees depending on the number.
The government hopes that slashing the fees will lead to fewer people climbing the peaks illegally to avoid paying, lure more solo climbers and reduce overcrowding on the peaks.
In the past, Nepal has made headlines after climbers complained of overcrowding on Everest, the world’s highest mountain, during the peak climbing season.
“Encouraging solo climbers will reduce overcrowding on the mountains, because in big groups people move together and it clogs traffic on the slopes. Fewer groups means less traffic as individuals can move up quickly without having to wait for the other members of the group,” said Poudel.
The ministry said the amendments would ensure that the fees for both group and individual climbers are the same.
The fee changes for foreign climbers will come into effect from January 1, 2015, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The Everest climbing fee for Nepalese has been set at 75,000 Nepalese rupees (around 760 dollars) per person, with effect from Thursday.
“There was no separate fee for Nepalese climbers in the past, so many had to climb as guides so they could get a waiver, in order to avoid the high climbing fees,” said Sharad Pradhan, spokesman for the Nepal Tourism Board.
“But with the new rule, they will be able to climb as mountaineers themselves and avoid the lengthy process of applying for a waiver.”
Nepal is preparing to open 103 more peaks to climbers.
# dpa NOTEBOOK
* * * *
The following information is not for publication
Internet:
[Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation's current price list](http://dpaq.de/922iK)
## dpa contacts
- Reporting by: Pratibha Tuladhar
- Editing by: Mark Fenn
Tel: +66 2 7142073; <englishservice@dpa.com>
dpa pt maf ses
Kathmandu (dpa) - The Nepalese government has announced cuts to mountaineering fees aimed at attracting more climbers and improving the management of its peaks, the Ministry of Tourism said Thursday.
The fee for climbing Mount Everest on the main route from the Nepal side has been reduced to 11,000 dollars per person for foreigners during the spring climbing season, down from the previous rate of 25,000 dollars.
Those climbing alternative routes will pay 10,000 dollars. The fees have also been lowered for other seasons, which are not as popular with climbers, and for other peaks.
“One of our aims is to increase the number of solo tourists," said Dipendra Poudel, secretary of the Tourism Ministry's mountains section.
"In the past, tourists have been joining groups as it costs less to go in a group than to go individually.”
Six to 15 people travel in group expeditions, paying significantly less in fees depending on the number.
The government hopes that slashing the fees will lead to fewer people climbing the peaks illegally to avoid paying, lure more solo climbers and reduce overcrowding on the peaks.
In the past, Nepal has made headlines after climbers complained of overcrowding on Everest, the world’s highest mountain, during the peak climbing season.
“Encouraging solo climbers will reduce overcrowding on the mountains, because in big groups people move together and it clogs traffic on the slopes. Fewer groups means less traffic as individuals can move up quickly without having to wait for the other members of the group,” said Poudel.
The ministry said the amendments would ensure that the fees for both group and individual climbers are the same.
The fee changes for foreign climbers will come into effect from January 1, 2015, according to the Tourism Ministry.
The Everest climbing fee for Nepalese has been set at 75,000 Nepalese rupees (around 760 dollars) per person, with effect from Thursday.
“There was no separate fee for Nepalese climbers in the past, so many had to climb as guides so they could get a waiver, in order to avoid the high climbing fees,” said Sharad Pradhan, spokesman for the Nepal Tourism Board.
“But with the new rule, they will be able to climb as mountaineers themselves and avoid the lengthy process of applying for a waiver.”
Nepal is preparing to open 103 more peaks to climbers.
# dpa NOTEBOOK
* * * *
The following information is not for publication
Internet:
[Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation's current price list](http://dpaq.de/922iK)
## dpa contacts
- Reporting by: Pratibha Tuladhar
- Editing by: Mark Fenn
Tel: +66 2 7142073; <englishservice@dpa.com>
dpa pt maf ses
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