Bahraini prince permitted to climb Mt. Everest 

• CB Adhikari

Kathmandu. The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Department of Tourism has issued an expedition permit for the spring season. Two groups of climbers have received the first permission to climb Mt. Everest this season.

According to the department, a team including Bahraini Prince Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Mohammed Al Khalifa has taken permission to climb.

A team of 16 people including Prince Sheikh Nasser bin Hamid Al Khalifa’s brother Sheikh Mohammed had arrived in Nepal on April 20 to climb the highest peak.

Preparations are underway for the ascent through the Seven Summit Trek in Nepal. A team of 13 Bahrainis and three Britons from the Bahrain Royal Guard (Defense Force) will stay in Nepal for 79 days.

Madan Vimli of the mountaineering branch of the department informed that the first ascent permission was given to a group of climbers including members of the Bahraini royal family to climb Mt. Everest in the spring. According to him, as the group of Bahraini climbers is 16, two groups have been allowed. A climber group has a maximum of 15 members.

The department hopes that the issuance of climbing permits amidst the Covid-19 epidemic risk and the presence of special guests will help spread the message that Nepal’s adventure tourism is safe around the world.

Due to the corona affecting Nepal’s mountaineering and trekking during the main season last year, some winter hikes amid the epidemic and bookings for the upcoming season have shown signs of improvement this year.

Seven climbing groups took permission 

So far, five groups of climbers have been allowed to climb in the spring, according to the department. A total of 61 climbers from seven groups of climbers have been allowed to climb Mt. Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu and Nupse. According to the statistics of the mountaineering branch of the department, there are two groups for climbing Mt. Everest (8,848.86 m) in Solukhumbu and one group for climbing Nupse (7,864 m) in the same area.

Three groups have been allowed to climb Annapurna Himal (8,091) in Gandaki region. Similarly, there is a group of climbers at Manaslu Himal (8,163 m) in Gorkha. Forty climbers, including 11 women, have taken permission to climb Annapurna.

Climbers with permission have already left for their destination. Spring is considered to be the best season for mountaineering. In this favorable weather, local and foreign climbers mostly climb various famous mountains including Mount Everest. Everest, Annapurna, Manaslu and other high mountain ranges are the choice of climbers.

The department has stated that an icefall doctor is also in the destination to pave the way for the ascent. Icefall doctors have reached above the base camp of Everest. The department is issuing permits for spring climbing.

The government has opened 414 mountains for climbing. It is said that there are still more than 1,300 mountains to be climbed. Although bookings for the March, April and May climbs begin in March, the department is expected to issue permits by the second week of April.