Nepal issues record 454 permits to climb Mount Everest despite fears of overcrowding

More than 900 climbers expected to scale what is said to be the world’s highest peak

Climbers cross the Khumbu icefall of Mount Everest, as seen from the Everest Base Camp, some 140 km northeast of Kathmandu in 2021 (AFP/Getty Images)

Nepal has issued a record 454 permits for climbing Mount Everest this spring despite fears of overcrowding on what is said to be the world's highest peak.

There are concerns that the high number of climbers could cause traffic and bottlenecks en route to the summit.

In 2019, overcrowding on Everest led to long queues, waiting times and depleted oxygen levels, causing at least 11 deaths.

The number of permits granted this season are higher than any of the previous ones, according to officials, with the potential for even more permits to be granted in the coming weeks.

More than 900 climbers are expected to head to the summit of Everest this season, with a majority attempting the climb with the help of a Nepali guide, according to AFP.

Some mountaineers have expressed concerns about the potential risks this season, especially if there is a shorter window to reach the summit due to unfavourable weather, the news agency reported.

The highest number of climbers receiving permits this season are from China (96), followed by the United States (87).

Ang Tshering Sherpa, former president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, told AFP that the high numbers this season are due mainly to many climbers being unable to travel to Nepal in recent years because of disruptions by the Covid pandemic.

New rules on the Chinese side of Everest, requiring climbers to have scaled one other 8,000m peak first, have also sent more Chinese climbers to Nepal.

Base camp and path to climb to the top of Mount Everest, relief height, mountains. Lhotse, Nuptse (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A team of professional mountaineers is currently preparing the route up to Everest and has already fixed ropes up to Camp IV at 7,924m.

Recent snowfall has heightened the risk of avalanches on the mountains, with three Nepali climbers going missing while crossing the treacherous Khumbu Icefall on 12 April.

Authorities had called off the rescue after concluding that it was not possible to retrieve their bodies from a deep crevasse.

Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest peaks, and foreign climbers who flock to its mountains are a major source of revenue for the country.

The government has collected a total of $4.86m (£3.49m) from the Everest permits, charging $11,000 (£8,000) per foreign climber.