KATHMANDU: Manaslu peak (8,163 meters) has attracted mountaineers during this autumn season. As of September 28, a total of 374 climbers, including 95 women and 279 men from 31 groups, have obtained climbing permits for Manaslu, said Himal Gautam, Director of the Department of Tourism.

According to Director Gautam, some climbers have already scaled Manaslu while others are preparing for the ascent.

According to him, last year at this same season, there were 28 climbing groups for the Manaslu expedition. Companies such as Seven Summit Treks Pvt. Ltd., Satori Adventure Pvt. Ltd., and Elite Expeditions have already reached the base camp of Manaslu.

Currently, with favorable weather, the climbing of the world’s eighth highest peak, Manaslu, along with Dhaulagiri, is ongoing. In addition, climbers have reached their destinations for mountains such as Ama Dablam, Mera Peak, and Island Peak, according to the department.

According to the department, this season, a total of 667 climbers, including 152 women and 515 men from 67 countries including Nepal, have obtained permits for various 36 mountains and peaks. According to the statistics from the department’s mountaineering section, two climbing groups have received permits for climbing Mount Everest.

For Dhaulagiri, eight members of one climbing group have received permits, and for Makalu and Lhotse, the same one group has been granted permission.

Royalty of more than 180 million collected

According to the Department of Tourism, so far this season, Rs 182 million 168 thousand 624 in royalties has been collected from mountain climbing. Rs 150 million has been collected in mountaineering royalty from Manaslu alone.

Director Gautam of the Department stated that the highest royalty to date has been collected from mountaineers climbing various mountain including Manaslu in the autumn. In the past, royalty of around 70 million to 80 million rupees used to be collected in this season.

Nima Chhiring sets new record of youngest climber on Manaslu

Nima Chhiring Sherpa has set a new record by ascending Manaslu at the youngest age. He climbed Mt Manaslu at 6:24 am on September 28 at the age of 16 years four months 18 days.

Also, an 86-year-old Spanish climber set a record by climbing Manaslu this season.

The Polish adventure mountaineer Andrzej Bargiel has set a record by skiing down from the summit of Mount Everest without using supplementary oxygen. He had climbed Everest for skiing through the Seven Summit Treks Pvt Ltd.