KATHMANDU: The Department of Tourism has issued climbing permits to a total of 303 climbers from 37 groups aspiring to scale various mountains, including the highest mountain in the world, Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) for this spring season.

According to the Department, 303 climbers have been granted permission to climb mountains.

The Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Department of Tourism has so far given permission to 37 groups of climbers to climb various mountains, including Mt Everest.

According to the Department, 18 climbers will climb Mt. Everest.

So far, 37 groups, including 18 climbers, have been allowed to climb Mt. Everest, said Bhishma Bhattarai, an official of the Department’s mountaineering branch.

The Department has so far given permission to climb Mt. Everest, Mt Annapurna, Mt Makalu, Mt Manaslu, Mt Dhaulagiri, Mt Lhotse, Mt Pumori, Mt Nuptse, and Mt Tukuche.

A team including Bahrain’s Prince Sheikh Mohammed Hamad Mohammed Al Khalifa has taken permission to climb Mt Everest.

Preparations are underway for the ascent through the Seven Summit Trek in Nepal. The Bahrain Royal Guard (Defense Force) has a team of 13 Bahraini and three British climbers.

The Department of Tourism has so far collected about Rs 240 million in royalties for mountaineering this season. As per the details of the department till Wednesday.