Record Number Of Everest Permits Issued For 2026 Season
Nepal has issued a record 492 permits to climb Mount Everest this spring, surpassing the previous high set during the post-pandemic climbing boom of 2023.
Officials confirmed on Friday that the number of permits for Sagarmatha — the Nepali name for Everest — has reached an all-time high ahead of the main summit period later this month.
“We have issued a historic high number of permits for Sagarmatha,” tourism department spokesman Himal Gautam told AFP.
The previous record stood at 478 permits, issued during the 2023 season.
With most foreign climbers accompanied by at least one Nepali guide, the total number of people expected to move towards the summit in the coming weeks is likely to exceed 1,000 climbers and support staff.
Preparations on the mountain have already faced challenges this season after a collapsing serac above the dangerous Khumbu Icefall disrupted route fixing operations carried out by Nepal’s specialist “icefall doctors”.
However, officials say the route has now been successfully opened to the South Col at 7,906m, allowing acclimatisation rotations to continue.
“Climbers are now making acclimatisation rotations as usual and we hope for a good season,” Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks told AFP.
Despite optimism over improving conditions, the record numbers have once again raised concerns about overcrowding high on the mountain.
Traffic jams near the summit have become one of the defining issues of modern Everest expeditions, particularly during short weather windows when hundreds of climbers attempt the summit within a matter of days.
The dangers of overcrowding were highlighted during the infamous 2019 Everest traffic jam, when huge queues formed near the summit ridge, forcing exhausted climbers to spend hours in freezing temperatures while oxygen supplies ran dangerously low.
At least four of the 11 deaths recorded that season were linked to overcrowding.
This year’s congestion concerns may be intensified further after China closed Everest from the Tibetan side, pushing additional climbers towards Nepal’s southern route.
The largest number of permits issued this season have gone to climbers from China (109), followed by the United States (76).
Mountaineering remains a major source of income for Nepal, which is home to eight of the world’s 10 highest mountains. Officials say Everest permit fees alone have generated $7.1 million in revenue this season.
