Nepal will issue Everest permits only to climbers with experience of scaling at least one of the Himalayan nation’s 7,000-metre (22,965ft) peaks, according to the draft of a new law aimed at reducing overcrowding and improving safety.
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Nepal, which is heavily reliant on climbing, trekking and tourism for foreign exchange, has faced criticism for permitting too many climbers, including inexperienced ones, to try to ascend the 8,849-metre (29,032ft) peak.
This often results in long queues of climbers in the ‘Death Zone’, an area below the summit with insufficient natural oxygen for survival.
Overcrowding has been blamed for the high number of deaths on the mountain. At least 12 climbers died, and another five went missing on Everest’s slopes in 2023 when Nepal issued 478 permits. Eight climbers died last year.
Under the proposed law, an Everest permit would be issued only after a climber provides evidence of having climbed at least one 7,000-metre mountain in Nepal.
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