Mountaineering

Nepal first came into world focus when Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal and Sir Edmund Hillary of New Zealand conquered Mt. Everest in 1953. Ever since, there have been countless expeditions heading off to the Himalayas. With eight of world’s highest peaks within Nepal’s boundaries, there is tremendous interest in the Nepal Himalaya. Most of the peaks over 8000m high were conquered during the Golden Decade of Climbing in the 1950s. Climbing by then had become a national affair with various nations vying with each other to be the first to climb. Today it is all about breaking records. There are some 326 peaks in Nepal open for mountaineering today.Climbing permits for peaks in the Nepal Himalayas are issued for all seasons by the Mountaineering Section of the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The requisite official documents must be furnished when seeking permission to climb. Around 121 peaks do not require liaison officers for expedition while the rest must be accompanied by one.Climbing gear and equipments can be bought or rented in Kathmandu or the whole expedition can be handled by mountaineering and trekking agencies. All logistics are taken care of by these agencies including gear, food, transportation, guide and porter services. They also arrange for insurance coverage. Always choose an agency that has a good track record.