Nepal has recorded a historic climbing season in 2026, issuing a record 492 permits for climbers attempting to scale Mount Everest, surpassing the previous high of 479 permits set in 2023. The government earned around USD 7.19 million (over NPR 1.07 billion) in royalties from Everest expeditions alone.
Climbers from 55 countries are participating in this year’s mountaineering season. The United States has the largest Everest contingent with 76 climbers, while China leads the overall count across all peaks with 109 climbers. India follows with 95 climbers, ahead of the United Kingdom, Germany, and Russia.
According to Nepal’s tourism authorities, a total of 1,134 climbing permits have been issued for 30 peaks between March 1 and May 8, 2026. Of these, 860 permits were issued to male climbers and 274 to female climbers. Total royalty collections from mountaineering activities have reached NPR 1.24 billion.
After Everest, Mount Lhotse recorded the second-highest number of permits with 120 climbers, followed by Ama Dablam and Makalu. Source: News On Air
