Newly Opened & Royalty-Free Peaks of Nepal (2024-2025)

Between late 2024 and mid-2025 the Government of Nepal took two connected mountaineering decisions aimed at the same objective: opening more of the Himalaya to climbers and steering some of the pressure away from Mount Everest (Sagarmatha) and the well-trodden Khumbu peaks. The first decision, taken by the Council of Ministers (Cabinet) on 7 October 2024 (Ashoj 2081 BS), opened 57 additional mountains for expeditions. The second, taken on 17 July 2025 (roughly 1-2 Shrawan 2082 BS), waived the climbing royalty entirely on 97 peaks in the far-western Karnali and Sudurpashchim provinces for two years.

Both decisions were driven by the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation and administered by the Department of Tourism (DoT), which issues climbing permits and collects royalties. The Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), which manages the smaller 'trekking peaks', and the Nepal Tourism Board (NTB) supported the moves. The stated intent is to diversify Nepal's adventure-tourism product, distribute climbers and their spending into under-visited regions, and create jobs and income for local communities far from the traditional Everest and Annapurna circuits.

For operators and independent climbers these are among the most significant policy shifts in years: a bigger official menu of open mountains, and a rare fee holiday on a cluster of genuinely remote 5,000m-7,000m summits. The two changes are best read together, because much of the 2025 royalty waiver applies to peaks that sit in the same far-western districts the government has been trying to open up since 2014.

On 7 October 2024 the Cabinet approved a Department of Tourism recommendation to open 57 additional peaks for climbing. All 57 lie below 7,000 metres, spanning roughly 5,870 m to just under 6,900 m. According to the department, the highest of the batch is Pathibhara South East in the Kanchenjunga range of Taplejung district (about 6,868 m), and the lowest is Ghyambu Peak in Dolpa (about 5,870 m). The peaks are scattered across the country's mountainous districts, from Taplejung in the east to Dolpa and Humla in the far west, taking in ranges such as Rolwaling and Janak Himal.

The government said the opening raised Nepal's total number of officially open peaks to 461. Nepali outlets reported the pre-2024 baseline slightly differently - most cited around 419 previously open peaks, while some gave 404 - but the headline 461 total was consistent across reports and is the figure the Department of Tourism used. The number matters because 'open' is a legal and administrative status: only gazetted, open peaks can be climbed with a permit, and each opening expands the pool of mountains for which the DoT (for expedition peaks) or the NMA (for trekking peaks) can issue royalties.

The 2024 batch continued a long-running effort. Nepal has opened peaks in waves - notably a large opening in 2014 and smaller additions in later years - to move beyond a handful of famous summits. Officials framed the 57 new peaks as giving expeditions fresh, uncrowded objectives and encouraging first ascents; the American Alpine Club noted that some of the listed mountains already had prior climbing history or confusingly overlapping names, so climbers should verify a peak's true ascent record before claiming a first ascent.

On 17 July 2025 the Cabinet decided to scrap the government climbing royalty on 97 peaks in Nepal's far west for a two-year trial. Of these, 77 peaks are in Karnali Province and 20 are in Sudurpashchim Province. The peaks range from about 5,870 m to 7,132 m in height. The waiver took effect on 17 July 2025 and, as a two-year measure, is due to expire on 17 July 2027 unless the government renews or extends it.

The tallest peaks on the free list are among the far west's best-known summits: Api (7,132 m) and Api West (about 7,076 m) in the Byas/Api region of Darchula (Sudurpashchim), and Saipal (about 7,030 m) in Bajhang. The Karnali list is anchored by summits in the Kanjiroba, Kanti Himal and Changla ranges across Dolpa, Humla, Mugu, Jumla and Kalikot. Because different sources publish slightly different heights and English spellings for these remote mountains, climbers should confirm the exact elevation and coordinates against the Department of Tourism's official notice before planning.

The proposal was pushed by figures within the Nepal Tourism Board and Nepal Mountaineering Association - reporting credited NMA/NTB member Rajendra Bahadur Lama - and endorsed by Tourism Minister Badri Prasad Pandey. Himal Gautam, a Director at the Department of Tourism, said the aim was to bring more visitors to remote regions, create jobs and generate income for local communities. Only the government royalty is waived; climbers must still obtain a permit and meet all other rules, including insurance for staff and conservation-area entry fees where they apply.

The far-western Himalaya is spectacular but barely visited. Officials and reporting noted that only around 68 climbers, on roughly 21 expeditions, attempted these Karnali and Sudurpashchim peaks between 2023 and 2025, generating just about Rs 1.4 million in royalties. By contrast, Nepal earned on the order of USD 5.92 million from all climbing permits in 2024, with the large majority - about three-quarters - coming from Mount Everest alone. Waiving a small, rarely collected royalty therefore costs the treasury very little while signalling that the far west is open for business.

The waiver also fits a wider push to manage Everest crowding and geographic concentration. Separately, from 1 September 2025 Nepal raised the standard spring Everest permit fee to USD 15,000 per climber (up from USD 11,000), its first increase since 2015. Pairing a higher Everest fee with free far-western peaks is a deliberate nudge: make the crowded flagship more expensive while removing the fee barrier on quiet alternatives.

For Karnali and Sudurpashchim - among Nepal's least developed provinces - the hope is that even a modest rise in expeditions brings work for porters, cooks, guides, lodge owners and jeep and charter-flight operators, and puts these districts on the mountaineering map. The measure is explicitly framed as a two-year experiment, so its continuation past July 2027 will likely depend on whether it measurably increases visitor numbers and local income.

It is important to read the waiver precisely. What is removed is the government's mountaineering royalty - the per-climber peak fee the Department of Tourism charges for permission to attempt a specific mountain. Everything else about mounting an expedition remains. Climbers still need a valid climbing permit, mandatory insurance for their Nepali staff (porters, cooks and guides), and, where a peak lies inside a protected area, the relevant national park or conservation-area entry fees.

Experienced Himalayan climbers have cautioned that the royalty is only a small slice of a far-western expedition's total cost. Independent climbers quoted in international coverage noted that permits and associated fees for peaks below 6,500 m already ran to roughly USD 1,500, rising to around USD 3,000 for peaks in the 6,500-7,000 m band, because those totals bundle in staff insurance and conservation charges rather than the royalty alone. The far bigger expenses - reaching the trailhead via two weather-dependent domestic flights, long overland legs on unreliable roads, and self-sufficient logistics in areas with little infrastructure - are unaffected by the waiver.

The practical takeaway: the free peaks are a real saving and a strong signal, but they are not 'free to climb'. Budget for permit paperwork, insurance, mandatory or recommended guides and liaison arrangements, conservation fees, and substantial travel and logistics. Always confirm current requirements and the exact peak status with the Department of Tourism or a licensed Nepali operator before committing, because rules and the waiver list can change.

The 97 royalty-free peaks split unevenly between two far-western provinces, reflecting where Nepal's less-climbed high mountains sit. Karnali Province holds 77 of them, concentrated in Dolpa, Humla, Mugu, Jumla and Kalikot and clustered around ranges such as Kanjiroba, Kanti Himal (including the Kubi Gangri massif near the Tibet border) and Changla. Sudurpashchim Province holds the remaining 20, mostly in Darchula, Bajhang and Bajura, dominated by the Api-Saipal group.

Because these are remote mountains with limited survey history, published lists vary in spelling and elevation, and a few peaks appear near the edges of the stated 5,870-7,132 m band. The table below gives well-established anchor peaks from each province for orientation; it is not the full 97-peak gazette. Treat the heights as approximate and verify against the official Department of Tourism notice, which is the authoritative source for the complete, filterable list and each peak's exact status.

For trip planning, the Sudurpashchim group offers the highest and most iconic objectives (Api and Saipal both exceed 7,000 m), while the Karnali group offers a wide spread of 6,000 m peaks suited to teams seeking uncrowded, exploratory objectives with genuine first-ascent or early-repeat potential.

The single authoritative reference for both the 461 open peaks and the 97 royalty-free peaks is the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation. The DoT publishes the gazetted list of open expedition peaks with their heights, districts and royalty rates, and it issues public notices when peaks are opened or when royalties are waived. For the smaller 'trekking peaks', the Nepal Mountaineering Association maintains its own official list and fee schedule.

Before booking an expedition to any newly opened or free peak, climbers and operators should cross-check three things against the official notice: that the peak is currently on the open list; that it is within the waiver window (for the 97 peaks, until 17 July 2027) if you are relying on the fee holiday; and the full set of accompanying requirements - permit, staff insurance, guide/liaison rules and any protected-area entry fees. Media summaries, including this page, are useful orientation but are not a substitute for the government's own list.

Finally, keep the timeline in mind: the 57-peak opening (October 2024) is a permanent status change, while the 97-peak royalty waiver (July 2025) is a time-limited two-year measure. If you are planning a far-western expedition for 2026 or 2027, confirm well ahead whether the waiver will still be in force for your departure and whether the government has announced any extension.