57 More Mountains Opened for Climbing in Nepal

KATHMANDU, Oct 12:The government has announced the opening of 57 additional mountains for climbing, as part of its tourism development plans for Fiscal Year 2024/25.

The decision was made during the Council of Ministers' meeting on October 7, following recommendations from the Department of Tourism.

The newly opened peaks range between 5,000 and 6,500 meters in height, bringing the total number of mountains open for climbing in Nepal to 461, according to Rakesh Gurung, director at the Department of Tourism. The initiative, coordinated with the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), aims to expand climbing destinations and promote adventure tourism.

NMA President Nimanuru Sherpa welcomed the decision, noting that opening new peaks sends a positive message to the tourism sector. "Opening new peaks means developing new tourism destinations," he said. Sherpa highlighted that there are over 2,000 mountains in Nepal suitable for climbing and urged the government to consider further openings in the future to boost tourism.

However, Sherpa emphasized the importance of developing infrastructure and expanding communication networks around the newly accessible mountains to attract more tourists. He claimed that increasing the number of accessible peaks would likely lead to a rise in foreign tourist visits to Nepal.