455 reach Everest summit this spring

More than 5,000 climbers have set foot on the summit of Everest from the Nepal side since Edmund Hilary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa first conquered the world’s tallest mountain in 1953.

This spring season, which ended on May 31, saw the fourth highest number of successes with 455 climbers making it to the hallowed peak, the Tourism Department said. Including these 455, the total number of Everesters has reached 5,324.

Giving a breakdown of the summiteers, Khem Raj Aryal, an official at the department that issues climbing permits, said there were 190 foreigners, 32 fee-paying Nepalis and 233 high-altitude climbing guides.

The government issued a record 375 climbing permits this season. An Everest climbing permit costs $11,000 for foreigners and Rs75,000 for Nepalis

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