KATHMANDU: This spring, an unprecedented number of climbers are making attempts to climb the world’s tallest peak, Mt Everest.

A total of 466 climbers — 98 female and 368 male — from 43 groups have obtained permits to climb Mt Everest this season, according to the Department of Tourism.

The Department’s statistics show that climbers aiming to ascend Mt. Everest this season are from 65 different countries, including Nepal.

As many as 15 climbers have received the climbing permit from Nepa.

Similarly, 96 climbers from China have been granted the permit followed by 89 from the USA and 40 from India.

Among others, 33 climbers from Hungary, 21 from Canada, 18 from Russia, and 15 from the UK have obtained permits.

Former President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, Ang Tshering Sherpa, stated that the number of climbers obtaining permits from Nepal might have increased considerably as climbing from Tibet side (northeast ridge route) is not permitted since the COVID-19 pandemic.

It has been 70 years since humans first set their feet at the top of Mt Everest.

Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Edmund Hillary successfully reached the Everest summit on May 29, 1953.

Since then, around 7,000 national and international climbers have successfully climbed the 8,848.86 meters mountain while over 300 have lost their lives attempting it to date, according to the Department.

In 2022, 323 climbers from 44 groups had obtained permission for the Everest expedition, informed Bigyan Koirala, Officer at the Mountaineering Section of the Department.