KATHMANDU, OCTOBER 8

The government has announced the opening of 57 additional mountains for climbing as part of its tourism development plans outlined for the fiscal year 2024/25.

The decision was made during the Council of Ministers' meeting on October 7, following recommendations from the Department of Tourism.

The newly opened peaks range between 5,000 to 6,500 meters in height, bringing the total number of mountains open for climbing in Nepal to 461, according to Rakesh Gurung, Director at the Department of Tourism.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism, and Civil Aviation coordinated with the Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) for this initiative, aimed at expanding climbing destinations and promoting adventure tourism. NMA President Nimanuru Sherpa described the move as a positive development for the tourism sector. 'Opening new peaks creates new tourism destinations,' he stated.

Sherpa noted that over 2,000 mountains in Nepal are considered suitable for climbing and encouraged the government to continue opening more peaks to boost tourism.

However, he stressed the need for the development of infrastructure and communication networks around these newly accessible mountains to attract more tourists.