09:18 am CST Nov 20, 2006
(MountEverest.net) Here they are, the new climbing fees for Everest north side in 2007. The new fees will be applied to each individual climber - previously, the fee was shared between members of a group, allowing larger teams to enjoy a better price. In addition, Sherpa expenses will be higher.
Climbing Sherpa: Each Sherpa will cost US$ 1700 - $ 500 up from previous years.
Kitchen staff: The fee for each member of the kitchen staff will increase from US$800 to US$1100.
Permit Royalty: Climbing Royalties will be US$ 4900 per person – no matter the size of the team. Previously, a 10 member permit knocked down the price to US$ 4000; that rebate is now gone.
Fees established straight by China’s central government
The Chinese government states the increase is, “due to a special program focused on China’s Olympics 2008.”
The Nepal Mountaineering Association is organizing a conference in Kathmandu next month, asking the Chinese to reduce the climbing fees to 2006-prices. A spokesperson from the China/Tibet Mountaineering Association (CMA/TMA ) will attend the meeting, however, CMA/TMA has already noted that the increased fees have been established straight by China’s central government.
Some weeks back, the China/Tibet Mountaineering Association announced that the number of climbing expeditions on Everest’s north side will be limited and their fees raised next spring, in preparation for the 2008 Olympic Flame ceremony. The new north side climbing fee is still lower than the $10,000 fee in Nepal.
Beijing plans to take the Olympic Flame to Mount Everest as a stage on the Olympic Torch Relay to Beijing, an event of major symbolic importance starting by March, 2008. CTMA stated there will be a trial run of the torch ceremony on the mountain next spring.
Chinese troops invaded Tibet in 1950. The Dalai Lama fled the country in 1959 and now lives in exile in Dharamsala, northern India. Pro Free-Tibet organizations have held protests against Beijing hosting the upcoming Olympic games.
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