Government Opens 57 New Mountains for Climbing to Boost Tourism

The government has announced the opening of 57 additional mountains for climbing as part of its tourism development plans for the fiscal year 2024/25. This decision, made by the Council of Ministers on October 7, follows the recommendations of the Department of Tourism.

The newly opened peaks range between 5,000 to 6,500 meters in height, bringing the total number of mountains available for climbing in Nepal to 461, according to Rakesh Gurung, Director at the Department of Tourism. This initiative is part of a broader effort, in collaboration with the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), to promote adventure tourism and expand climbing destinations.

NMA President Nimanuru Sherpa welcomed the decision, stating, “Opening new peaks for ascent means developing new tourism destinations.” He highlighted that there are over 2,000 mountains in Nepal suitable for climbing and encouraged the government to consider opening more peaks in the future.

Sherpa also emphasized the need to improve infrastructure and communication networks in newly accessible mountain areas to attract more tourists. He expressed optimism that these new climbing opportunities would significantly boost foreign tourist arrivals in Nepal.