KATHMANDU: Three Georgian climbers have successfully stood atop two mountains, making the first-ever ascent to the peaks above 6,500 m in western Nepal.

A three-member team of Georgian climbers from Satori Adventures Pvt Ltd scaled Panpoche – I (6,620 m) and Panpoche – II (6,504 m), according to company’s managing director Rishi Bhandari.

“Archil Badriashvili, Tepnadze Giorgi and Bakari Gelashvili stood atop Panpoche – II on September 23 and Panpoche – I on October 3,” Bhandari said, adding that the climbers scaled the 'virgin' peaks in an alpine style.

“It’s the very first team which climbed both peaks after the government opened the mountains for climbing in 2014,” he said.

A five-member team of climbers from Seven Summit Treks also obtained a permit for Panpoche –I in the autumn season. “But, the team, however, abandoned the climbing bid.”

Bhandari said that his company decided to run expeditions on ‘virgin’ peaks this autumn to explore the new adventure opportunities for the world climbers in Nepal’s Himalayan regions. “The first ascent would certainly explore a positive message among the world mountaineers.”

The government has collected $200 as royalty from each foreign climber attempting to climb the ‘virgin’ peaks.