Kathmandu, April 14 – The climbing route through the Khumbu Icefall has been prepared, paving the way for climbers aiming to summit Sagarmatha (Mt Everest) this spring season.

According to the Department of Tourism, a total of 214 climbers — 38 women and 176 men — from 22 expeditions have received permits to climb the world’s highest peak as of Thursday. Permits have been issued to climbers from 31 countries, including Nepal, since the process began at the end of March.

Department Director Aarati Neupane confirmed that climbers have started heading towards Everest Base Camp, with preparations now complete for the arduous journey ahead.

This year, the Department has issued expedition permits for 17 mountain peaks, including Mt Everest. So far, a total of 497 climbers — 99 women and 398 men representing 54 mountaineering teams — have secured permission to scale various peaks across the Himalayas.

As of the latest update, the government has collected Rs 365.81 million in royalties from mountaineering expeditions. Of this, Rs 316.99 million has come solely from permits issued for Mt Everest.

The route through the treacherous Khumbu Icefall has now been secured by a specialized team known as the "icefall doctors," who have completed rope-fixing operations to ensure climber safety.