Nepal is planning new rules to limit Mount Everest permits only to climbers who have already scaled a 7,000-metre peak. Officials hope this move will reduce overcrowding and improve safety on the world’s highest mountain.
Overcrowding in Everest’s dangerous “death zone” has been blamed for multiple deaths. In 2023, at least 12 climbers died, and five went missing after Nepal issued 478 permits. Last year, eight climbers also died on the slopes.
The new law, now in Nepal’s National Assembly, would require Everest climbers to prove past high-altitude experience in Nepal. It also states that team leaders and guides must be Nepali citizens.
However, international climbers and tour operators argue for more flexibility. They want experience from other global peaks, like Denali or Aconcagua, to count toward Everest permits.