Over 400 climbers from 53 countries set to summit Mt. Everest so sar

KATHMANDU, APRIL 28: Till date, 402 climbers from 53 countries have obtained permits for climbing Mt. Everest, the world's tallest peak, during this year's spring climbing season, according to the Department of Tourism. Among them, 74 are women.

Department Director Liladhar Awasthi reported that 41 expeditions have received permission for the ascent.

In the same season last year, a total of 414 climbers, including 75 women and 339 men from 41 expeditions, had received permits to climb Mt. Everest.

This year, the Department has collected Rs 684 million in royalty from permits issued for climbing various mountain peaks. The royalty amount is expected to increase as more climbers continue to arrive.

To ensure safe and orderly mountain climbing and regulate activities, the Department has set up a field office at the Everest Base Camp. Over the 72 years of Everest climbing, numerous new records have been set, as a growing number of mountaineers vie to reach the summit.

Despite the risks and challenges involved, the allure of scaling the tallest mountain on Earth continues to attract more climbers. One such climber is Tashi Gyaljen Sherpa from Solukhumbu, who has set out to climb Mt. Everest four times in 20 days this season in an effort to set a new record.

So far, more than 8,000 domestic and foreign climbers have successfully reached the summit, and the trend of setting new records persists.