Across every climbing season in April and May, hundreds of climbers and their guides produce over 6,000 litres of urine – liquid that causes around 154 tons of melt on the Khumbu Glacier, the study says. This repeated seasonal input concentrates the warming effect in a small, heavily used area already under pressure from rising temperatures.

In recent years, climbers have been required to carry their faeces back down the mountain after their expedition, but the same rule does not apply to urine. After being encouraged to drink plenty of water to avoid dehydration, the visitors tend to urinate onto the glacier’s surface, melting it. 

Melting is not the only problem either. Urinating on the mountain pollutes water that reaches local communities. And at base camp, climbers who have paid between €26,000 and €260,000 for the privilege of summiting the world’s highest peak expect an increasingly premium offer. The camp proposes not only restauration and the respite of 1,600 heated and powered tents, but also Wi-Fi, coffee bars, and big screens—at a rate (in 2023) of 824 liquefied gas cylinders, over 5000 litres of petrol, and nearly19,000 litres of kerosene.

The result? Base camp temperatures are increasing at double the rate of the rest of the glacier, as reported by the New York Times, and three million kilograms of glacial ice and snow are lost during the spring.

Recognising Everest Base Camp as “a critical staging area for mountaineers” the study notes “a significant increase in human activity over the past few decades.” It adds: “The  increasing numbers of climbers, trekkers, and support staff, particularly at the campsite area, has intensified environmental impacts on the Khumbu Glacier.”

Scientists from the International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), based in the Nepali capital, warned as early as 2014 in a report that visitor-driven climate impacts could bring harsher and more frequent avalanches, floods, and landslides to the region, endangering both local communities and adventure-seekers.

Those predictions appear to be proving accurate. A high-altitude glacier collapse and flow of debris occurred on the China-Nepal border on 26 August, 2026, causing catastrophic flash floods and over 1,000 combined fatalities.

L’article Climbers’ urine is melting Mount Everest, researchers say est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Tourism Minister Khadakraj Paudel appealed directly to foreign travellers on Tuesday, stressing that much of the Himalayan country remains accessible despite the destruction caused by the 26 August disaster.

“Our mountain trails and trekking routes are still waiting for you,” Paudel said in a video message.

“Your coming to Nepal this time does not mean only a holiday. It’s a big support to the country fighting this catastrophic tragedy of flash floods.”

The minister said only some areas of Nepal had been affected and that airports, hotels and tourist destinations elsewhere in the country remained operational.

“Please do not take Nepal off your travel list if you have already planned a trip,” he added. “Your visit will help sustain our tourism industry. It’ll help our guides, hoteliers and all the workers whose livelihoods depend on tourism.”

More than 1,100 dead

The appeal comes as Nepal continues to deal with the enormous human and economic consequences of the floods.

A massive deluge triggered by a mountain and glacier collapse near the Nepal-China border swept through communities on 26 August, destroying buildings, roads and bridges. At least 1,114 people had been confirmed dead in Nepal by Wednesday, while nearly 4,000 remained missing.

Among those unaccounted for were 583 foreign nationals from 38 countries, including almost 250 Indians, 85 Americans and 36 British citizens.

On the other side of the border, Chinese authorities had confirmed 16 deaths and 546 people missing in Tibet.

As Travel Tomorrow previously reported, scientists have warned that the Himalayan region is becoming increasingly vulnerable to floods, landslides, avalanches and other disasters as rising temperatures transform glaciers and destabilise mountain environments.

Research by the Global Mountain Safeguard Research programme (GLOMOS), part of the United Nations University Institute for Environment and Human Security, has found that floods in the region have become five times more frequent since 1950.

Tourism sector suffers heavy losses

Beyond the immediate human tragedy, the floods have dealt a severe blow to Nepal’s economy and particularly its tourism industry.

Losses to the sector have been estimated at more than 50 billion Nepalese rupees, equivalent to approximately €300 million.

Paudel told a parliamentary committee that 142 hotels, 57 restaurants, 141 vehicles linked to tourism businesses and 27 heritage sites had been lost or damaged. Tourism businesses have been asked to submit detailed assessments of the damage they suffered.

Across the economy, total losses from the disaster have been estimated at around $5 billion, equivalent to approximately one-tenth of Nepal’s annual economic output. Hydropower infrastructure, another major area of investment for the country, has also suffered extensive damage.

Nepal has been deeply affected by the recent natural calamity. And at this difficult moment, we have a simple message for the world:

NEPAL IS NOT CLOSED.

This is a time to stand with Nepal.
This is a time to visit Nepal.
Nepal is calling.

Read more: https://t.co/ca5vadT3CM pic.twitter.com/eFOMjMcN0T

— Nepal Tourism Board (@nepaltourismb) September 1, 2026

That economic impact helps explain the government’s determination to prevent the disaster from triggering a nationwide collapse in international visitor numbers.

Tourism is one of Nepal’s most important sources of income and employment, supporting guides, porters, accommodation providers, restaurants, transport companies and communities across the country.

More than one million international tourists visited Nepal in 2025, attracted by its Himalayan landscapes, cultural heritage and some of the world’s most famous trekking and mountaineering routes, including Mount Everest.

Travelling as a form of support

Paudel’s message effectively presents continued tourism as part of Nepal’s recovery effort, asking visitors to distinguish between areas directly affected by the disaster and destinations elsewhere in the country that remain open.

The approach reflects a challenge faced repeatedly by tourism-dependent destinations after natural disasters. While safety concerns can understandably lead travellers to stay away, a prolonged fall in visitors can compound the economic consequences for communities that have escaped the physical destruction but depend heavily on tourism income.

For Nepal, that balance is particularly delicate given the magnitude of the disaster and the number of foreign tourists still missing.

Meanwhile, international assistance continues to arrive. China is preparing to send another team of DNA identification specialists and further emergency supplies to Nepal, including temporary bridges, communications equipment and mortuary refrigerators.

A second flight has just taken off, carrying 37.5 tonnes of HADR material, medicines & food packets for Nepal.

India remains in close and continuous touch with the Nepalese authorities. We will continue to strongly support the ongoing relief efforts.

pic.twitter.com/4m46leqfkC

— Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) August 27, 2026

Beijing has also been coordinating with foreign embassies over missing international visitors, while evacuations of stranded residents and pilgrims continue.

Nepal’s appeal is therefore not a declaration that the crisis is over. Rescue, recovery and reconstruction efforts are continuing across affected areas. Instead, the government is asking travellers not to treat the disaster as a reason to abandon the entire country.

For the millions of Nepalese whose livelihoods depend directly or indirectly on visitors, the tourism minister’s message is simple: coming to Nepal now is not just a holiday, but a contribution to the country’s recovery.

L’article Nepal urges tourists to keep visiting after deadly Himalayan floods est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The tragedy took place along the Bhote Koshi and Trishuli river, and was at first attributed to an earthquake. However, later seismic analysis by United States geologists suggested a massive landslide had triggered the disaster. Some outlets are speculating that climate change could have intensified both the phenomenon and its consequences.

As well as over 100 Nepalese visitors to the area, over 100 Indian citizens, 54 Americans, 34 Australians, and 33 Brits, including a child as young as 13, are among the missing, Nepal’s tourist board said. Chinese state media In Tibet are reporting at least three dead and 265 missing.

The victims were caught up in what one witness described to The Guardian as “a huge gush of mud.” Some survivors reported clinging to trees and rooftops while their loved ones were washed away. Some experts have suggested that people would have needed to gain at least six metres in elevation to escape the tide of water, sediment, and debris.

Verified videos show dwellings, power infrastructure, roads, and border crossings all affected by a fast-moving wall of sludge, with entire villages engulfed, according to aerial images. At least 28 police officers are missing at the time of writing.

The region where the catastrophe struck is along the Himalayan border, and is popular with Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims, trekkers, and other visitors who reach the site via bus. Tour company staff based in various countries have confirmed they have missing guests, and an Indian firm told press one of their buses had crashed off a mountain road during the land movement.

Embassy staff from the UK, Australia, Finland, France, Norway, Switzerland, and the EU are urging any citizens in the flooded areas to “follow the guidance of local authorities and official safety advisories.” A joint statement expressed solidarity with those affected and deep sadness at the “devastating flooding in Rasuwa and Nuwakot districts and surrounding areas.”

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Due to a combination of monsoon rains, fragile geology, unregulated construction practices, and climate, Nepal records hundreds of landslides and related deaths annually. These risks are most frequent during the June to September monsoon season.

Looking ahead, Chitwan, a jungle safari destination known for its rare species like the one-horned rhinoceros, Royal Bengal tiger, and gharial crocodile, is one of several municipalities that continue to be on high flood alert.

L’article Hundreds of tourists missing or dead in Nepal-Tibet flash floods est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

On 29 May 2026, 52-year-old climbing guide Hillary Dawa Sherpa was last seen while pausing at Mount Everest’s Camp 3, located at an altitude of 7,060 meters. Soon after, his client and the rest of his climbing team from Kathmandu-based company Nepal Mount Everest noticed he was missing.

As the party was one of the last to descend the mountain before the end of the climbing season and as the ladders across the Khumbu Icefall had reportedly already been dismantled, they had little other choice than to complete their descent. When search helicopters found no trace of the guide, the choice was made not to assemble a search team to go looking for Hillary Dawa Sherpa. Since that decision has sparked a lot of debate, people are especially questioning the working circumstances of the Nepali guides on the mountain.

Finally, on 4 June 2026, while his family had already started to organise funeral rites as they had lost all hope of being reunited, Hillary Dawa Sherpa was spotted climbing down the ice at Mount Everest’s Base Camp. Members of the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), who are in charge of setting up and removing routes, ropes, and ladders through the Khumbu Icefall at the start and the end of the season, were the ones who found the climbing guide.

“When we first heard about it, we could not be sure if that person was indeed our father. So to be certain we asked for photos to be sent and then only we were sure and very happy,” Hillary Dawa’s daughter, Mendo Lhamu, told the Associated Press.

After the people from the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee gave Hillary Dawa Sherpa some much-needed food and water, the guide was reportedly carried down the mountain on the back of another climber. Once arrived, he was airlifted to a hospital located in the Nepalese capital Kathmandu. According to news agency Reuters, he was suffering from frostbite and some other complications.

@thetimes A Nepali climbing guide lost on Mount Everest for six days managed to crawl alone to near base camp. Dawa Sherpa’s wife had given up on the mountaineer and had begun to offer the last rites. He was left by his climbing party on the upper reaches of the world’s highest mountain in bitter conditions early on May 30. In his fifties and better known as “Hillary”, after the climber Edmund Hillary, he was found on Thursday morning near base camp by the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee, a Nepali team that helps set routes on Everest and cleans up waste on the mountain. Sherpa’s wife, Damu, said her family was overjoyed. “We were very happy to hear the news, we had given up hope,” she said. “We also began puja [death prayers] yesterday.” He was recovering from “some frostbite” but was conscious, she said. Click the link to read more #mounteverest #sherpa #nepali #climbing #worldnews ♬ original sound – The Times and Sunday Times

“This is nothing short of a miracle surviving so many days in the mountains facing such harsh condition,” Ang Tshering Sherpa, another climbing guide, said in an interview with AP.

According to a video statement posted after his rescue, the guide fell into a crevasse near Camp 1, located at approximately 6,000 meters. He was only able to free himself after having spent two days inside the icy fissure, at which point he started his perilous descent without food or oxygen bottles.

A busy season

Hillary Dawa Sherpa’s story, considered by many as a miraculous event, comes at the end of the busiest season ever on Mount Everest, which started on 29 April 2026 after weeks of delays caused by a massive serac, a large block of glacier ice that experts warned could collapse at any moment.

Overall, more than 1,000 people summited the south side of the mountain, with 20 May registering no less than a record 274 climbers; images of people queuing at the so-called death zone made global headlines, once again raising the question of how responsible it is to climb Mount Everest in a world hit by climate change and overcrowding.

L’article Missing Mount Everest guide believed dead found alive in Nepal est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The route through the Khumbu Icefall was only opened on 29 April 2026 after weeks of delays caused by a massive serac, a large block of glacier ice that experts warned could collapse at any moment. Climbers are now moving forward with extreme caution as concerns grow over safety, overcrowding, and the changing conditions on the world’s highest mountain. 

The route up to CIII (~7200 m) on Mt Everest (8848.86 m) is opened!

— Everest Today (@EverestToday) May 5, 2026

The Khumbu Icefall is one of the most difficult parts of the Everest climb. The constantly moving glacier is filled with deep crevasses, unstable ladders, and towering ice formations that can shift without warning. Some hanging ice blocks are as large as ten-story buildings. This year, the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC), whose specialised “Icefall doctors” prepare the climbing route each season, warned expedition teams that the serac contained multiple cracks and could collapse at any time. The new trail now passes directly underneath the unstable formation because no safer alternative route could be found.

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The dangerous ice conditions delayed route preparation by more than two weeks. Normally, climbing ropes and ladders are installed by mid-April, allowing climbers time to acclimatise between camps before summit attempts in May. This year, however, teams were forced to wait while the serac slowly weakened. Climbers and expedition companies now fear the delay could create traffic jams higher on the mountain later this month. Long queues near the summit became an international symbol of Everest overcrowding after photos went viral in 2019.

Guides and expedition organisers say they are taking additional precautions this year. “Anyone who says they’re not concerned is either inexperienced or not paying attention. The serac is a real, objective hazard”, said Austrian mountain guide Lukas Furtenbach. He also explained that the route is currently more exposed than in previous years and passes beneath unstable ice formations. Nepali guide Ang Tshering Sherpa also warned that conditions become more dangerous later in the day as warmer temperatures increase the risk of ice melting and collapsing. The dangers are not theoretical. In 2014, a falling serac triggered an avalanche in the Khumbu Icefall that killed 16 Nepali guides and workers. 

Avalanche on Khumbu Icefall this morning, 01.05.2026.

Video ©: Julianu Lorne. pic.twitter.com/LrtjprjGrm

— Everest Today (@EverestToday) May 1, 2026

Climate change is adding to concerns on Everest and across the Himalayas. Scientists and local communities have warned for years that glaciers are melting faster because of rising global temperatures. Faster melting creates unstable ice structures and increases avalanche risks on climbing routes. During a visit to Nepal in 2023, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres warned about the rapid loss of Himalayan glaciers and their consequences for millions of people who depend on the mountain water system. Everest climbers are increasingly experiencing these changes directly on the mountain itself.

Despite the risks and rising costs, interest in Everest remains high. Climbing permits for foreign climbers increased this year from $11,000 (€9,400) to $15,000 (€12,700), while total expedition costs can reach between $45,000 (€38,000) and $70,000 (€59,500) per person. Even so, hundreds of climbers are attempting the summit this season. According to expedition organisers, the number of climbers from Europe and the United States has slightly decreased due to rising travel costs and geopolitical tensions affecting flights and fuel prices. However, the number of Asian climbers has continued to grow. China has also closed its side of Everest to foreign climbers this year, meaning all international expeditions are taking place from Nepal. 

A beautiful view descending the summit of Mt #Everest (8848.86 m). Video ©: Gao Li. pic.twitter.com/HzbpGQpfyI

— Everest Today (@EverestToday) May 7, 2026

Nepal is now trying to tighten control over Everest tourism after years of criticism about overcrowding and inexperienced climbers. Earlier this year, lawmakers approved a tourism bill that would require Everest climbers to first complete a 7,000-metre Nepali mountain before receiving a permit. Climbers would also need recent medical certificates and detailed ascent plans. The proposed reforms are designed to improve safety standards and reduce the number of underprepared visitors attempting the climb. Officials also hope stricter rules will help protect Everest’s international reputation.

That reputation had already been damaged in recent months by a major rescue fraud scandal in the Everest region. Nepali authorities uncovered an alleged multimillion-dollar insurance scam involving fake or unnecessary helicopter evacuations between 2022 and 2025. Investigators say guides, helicopter companies, hospitals, and trekking operators worked together to exaggerate or fabricate medical emergencies in order to claim money from international insurers. The scandal raised fresh questions about oversight and commercialisation in Nepal’s mountain tourism industry. Officials fear the controversy could harm confidence in Everest tourism at a time when the country is trying to present itself as a safer and more responsible destination.

Everest remains one of the world’s most powerful travel and adventure symbols more than 70 years after Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay first reached the summit in 1953. Thousand of climbers continue to be drawn to the mountain each year despite the physical dangers, unpredictable weather, and growing costs. Yet the challenges facing this year’s climbing season also reflect wider questions about the future of tourism on Everest. Climate change, overcrowding, safety concerns, and commercial pressures are all reshaping the experience of climbing the world’s highest peak.

L’article Mount Everest season opens amid unstable glacier block and rising safety concerns est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

For decades, Nepal has occupied a rare place in the global imagination. It is a country synonymous with Mount Everest, spiritual depth, Himalayan majesty, and a sense of wonder that few destinations can replicate. But in a global tourism economy now shaped as much by long term value as by natural appeal, Nepal deserves to be viewed through a far more serious lens: not simply as an extraordinary place to visit, but as one of Asia’s most intriguing tourism investment frontiers.

What gives Nepal this edge is not only its iconic geography. It is the country’s unusual ability to combine adventure, spirituality, culture, heritage, wildlife and community based hospitality within a single national identity. Very few destinations can credibly serve so many travel motivations at once. Nepal can appeal to the trekker, the pilgrim, the wellness traveller, the cultural explorer and the investor looking beyond saturated tourism markets. That breadth is not just a branding advantage. It is an economic one.

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Lumbini and Mount Everest alone would already give Nepal a powerful position in world tourism. One is among the most spiritually significant places on earth, recognised as the birthplace of Lord Buddha. The other remains the ultimate global symbol of exploration, endurance and human ambition. Together, they form a rare duality: a destination grounded both in transcendence and aspiration. That kind of symbolism matters in tourism because the strongest destinations do not merely attract travellers. They command emotional meaning.

Yet Nepal’s real depth goes beyond landmarks. Nepal Tourism Board describes the country as home to about 101 ethnic groups speaking over 92 languages, an extraordinary degree of diversity for a nation of its size. This is one of Nepal’s most underappreciated tourism assets. Diversity here is not a slogan; it is embedded in festivals, architecture, cuisine, ritual life, crafts, music and local hospitality traditions. For modern tourism, that creates something immensely valuable: authenticity with layers.

Its geography adds another strategic dimension. Within a relatively compact national footprint, Nepal stretches from lowland environments to some of the most dramatic alpine terrain in the world. This physical range helps explain why Nepal can support such a wide tourism spectrum, from nature and wildlife to trekking, pilgrimage and mountain wellness. In an age when travellers increasingly seek multidimensional experiences rather than single purpose holidays, Nepal’s geographic diversity becomes a business advantage as much as a scenic one.

@breterlop One of those places I never stop thinking about From trekking in the Himalayas to completing a silent retreat, seeing wild rhinos on a walking safari, & exploring Kathmandu- Nepal was one for the books • #travel #traveltok #traveltiktok #nepal #nepalitiktok #nepaltravel #trek #mardihimaltrek #himalayas #annapurna #silentretreat #backpacking #solotravel #solofemaletravel ♬ original sound –

Crucially, momentum is no longer hypothetical. Nepal Tourism Board reported that April 2025 was the strongest April on record for international arrivals, with 116,490 visitors, while the first four months of 2025 brought total arrivals to 415,048. Just as notably, April 2025 surpassed the pre-pandemic April 2019 benchmark. These figures suggest that Nepal is no longer simply recovering. It is reasserting itself.

That matters because investment stories become compelling when narrative meets timing. Nepal already possesses global recognition, emotional brand equity and clear differentiation. What it still has, and what many mature destinations no longer do, is room to build. In much of the world, premium tourism investment now means entering crowded, expensive, highly competitive markets. Nepal offers a rarer proposition: global fascination paired with underdeveloped upside.

Its medium term direction reinforces that promise. Public facing sources point not to a formal “Tourism 2040” doctrine, but to the Nepal Tourism Decade 2023–2032 vision, under which the country aims to attract 3.5 million annual visitors by 2032. That target is significant not because it signals scale alone, but because it reflects intent. Nepal is positioning tourism not as a passive byproduct of beauty, but as a structured national growth engine. For investors, 2040 is therefore best seen not as an official policy label, but as a strategic horizon built on the country’s current trajectory.

For foreign investors, the attraction is clear. Investment Board Nepal explicitly identifies tourism as a priority opportunity area, particularly across adventure, cultural, religious and MICE tourism. It also stresses the need for private sector participation in closing infrastructure and service gaps. That is the language investors pay attention to. It signals that Nepal’s next tourism chapter will not be built by promotion alone. It will be built through capital, design, execution and confidence.

This is where the real opportunity lies. Nepal is not simply looking for more visitors. It is implicitly making the case for better products, stronger infrastructure and higher value experiences. Premium hospitality, wellness and spiritual tourism concepts, pilgrimage linked infrastructure, destination mobility, resort led development and upgraded visitor services all sit naturally within that opportunity set. That is an inference from official priorities rather than a quoted government checklist, but it is a commercially logical reading of where value can be created.

The institutional story also matters. Nepal’s Department of Industries states that foreign investment is governed by FITTA 2019 and the Industrial Enterprises Act 2020, while Investment Board Nepal presents itself as a high-level body chaired by the prime minister and tasked with creating an investment-friendly environment. No emerging market is without friction, of course. But serious investors are more likely to engage when opportunity is anchored in institutional architecture rather than promotional rhetoric alone. Nepal appears increasingly aware of that distinction.

Political leadership may add further momentum. Nepal’s current prime minister, Balendra Shah, took office on 27 March 2026, amid a broader atmosphere of reform expectations and generational change. It would be too early to claim that he has already articulated a fully developed tourism doctrine. But youth in leadership can matter, particularly in emerging economies where symbolism and speed often move together. A younger prime minister can project dynamism, urgency and stronger alignment with the aspirations of a rising generation. If that energy is matched by policy execution, Nepal’s tourism and investment narrative could gain an added layer of confidence and credibility.

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That reformist tone is already visible in tourism sector messaging. On 6 April 2026, Nepal Tourism Board reported Tourism Minister Khadak Raj Paudel calling for a new working style centred on quality, innovation, long term planning and results oriented strategy. These are not abstract buzzwords. They are signals that Nepal understands an increasingly competitive truth: tourism success today cannot rest on image alone. It must be supported by delivery.

This is why Nepal now deserves more serious attention from the global investment community. It is globally recognised, culturally layered, emotionally resonant and institutionally engaged, yet still early enough for investors to help shape the market. That combination is rare. In many destinations, the brand is strong but the upside is already priced in. In Nepal, the brand is global, but the investment story is still being written.

The most compelling tourism opportunities of the next decade may not come from places the world has overlooked. They may come from places the world has admired for years, but not yet fully built around. Nepal fits that description perfectly. Its next great ascent may not be on its mountains alone, but in its ability to transform extraordinary identity into investable scale.

L’article Nepal’s next ascent lies in tourism investment, not just its peaks est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

The scheme, which was uncovered by a police investigation, allegedly involved guides triggering costly helicopter evacuations between 2022 and 2025, affecting at least 4,782 climbers. Investigators estimate that around 300 evacuations were carried out under fraudulent or unnecessary circumstances. So far, 32 people have been charged under the Organised Crime Prevention Act, with around eleven individuals having been arrested. 

Initial reports from international media outlets claimed that climbers had been deliberately poisoned in order to justify emergency evacuations. Food was allegedly tampered with using substances such as baking powder or misused medication, while other accounts mentioned the introduction of uncooked chicken or rat droppings into tourists’ meals to induce symptoms resembling altitude sickness.

The scheme reportedly extended well beyond individual guides, involving tour operators, Sherpas, trekking companies, helicopter operators and hospital executives. Once travellers displayed symptoms such as nausea, dizziness, or body aches, they were persuaded to accept a helicopter evacuation.

From there, the alleged fraud unfolded. Medical and flight documents were forged to claim costs from international insurers. Flights carrying multiple passengers were billed as individual evacuations, and hospital admissions and treatment reports were fabricated. In some cases, investigators say, tourists never even set foot in the facilities for which they were billed.

The first arrests were made in January.

The total fraud is estimated at around $20 million, extracted from insurers through unnecessary, exaggerated or entirely fabricated claims.

However, Nepal’s Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has dismissed some of the more sensational claims. While confirming that the insurance scam is well established, the CIB told Climbing magazine that the official investigation has found no evidence of “poisoning”.

In a press release signed by Senior Superintendent of Police Shiva Kumar Shrestha and addressing inaccuracies in international reporting, the CIB stated that “no facts have been found to suggest that poisonous substances were mixed into food” to facilitate fake rescues.

Attention of the Central Investigation Bureau (CIB) has been drawn to recent news reports circulated in national and international media regarding the Bureau's investigations into the "FAKE RESCUE" of tourists.#theeverestnews #nepal #nepalnow #fakerescue #CIB pic.twitter.com/yMvrbWAb6q

— The Everest News (@TheEverestNews) April 4, 2026

Although the fraud itself is well documented, the 748-page charge sheet makes no mention of the widespread global media claims of deliberate poisoning.

The CIB also warned that the scheme has “caused harm to Nepal’s pride, prestige and dignity internationally”.

The fake rescue economy is not new, though. A similar scheme was exposed as early as 2018 by the Kathmandu Post, prompting a 700-page report and promises of reform, which largely failed to materialise.

“There was lax punitive action”, conceded Kumar, adding that “when there is no action against crime, it flourishes”.

Similar reports emerged in 2019, detailing how visitors colluded with operators to fake illness and split insurance payouts in an attempt to offset the rising cost of expeditions. In the mid-1990s, an Everest expedition cost between £2,000 and £3,000. Today, climbers pay anywhere from £33,000 to £55,000.

For Nepal, which has already been criticised for allowing Everest to become what many describe as “a complete circus”, the implications of this fraud are significant. The scandal has landed at a particularly sensitive moment, as the financial stakes have never been higher.

Tourism is a cornerstone of the national economy, and Everest remains its most powerful symbol. Damage to its reputation could deter visitors just as Nepal moves to tighten access to the mountain by introducing stricter requirements for climbers and increasing permit fees in an attempt to restore credibility.

L’article Everest fraud scandal exposes fake rescues and broken oversight est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Soaring 8,800m above sea level, Mount Everest (known as Qomolangma in Tibet and Sagarmatha in Nepal), represents a mountaineering challenge that attracts competitive thrill seekers and completionists, as well as increasing numbers of inexperienced climbers.

Expeditions from Base Camp usually last up to three months – an endurance test of extreme physical discomfort, low temperatures and oxygen levels, dangerously changeable weather conditions, and avalanche risks, which combine to mean climbers must wear mandatory tracking chips to increase their chances of being found when things go wrong. 

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What’s more, climbers are required since 2014 by Nepalese law to lug back eight kilograms of rubbish in addition to their own, and by local laws since 2025, to bring their own excrement back down the mountain in specialist “wag bags,” too, or lose their $4,000 (€3,400) deposit. And on top of all that, climbers generally find it costs between $45,000 (€38,000) and $70,000 (€59,000) per person for the privilege of undertaking an expedition.

Despite the barriers, climber numbers have increased to “complete circus” levels according to Caradoc Jones, the first Welshman to climb Mount Everest in 1995. But that could soon change, if Nepal’s Lower House approve restricting permits to those who have previously conquered at least a 7,000-metre Nepalese summit. Climbers would also need to supply recent health certificates and a comprehensive ascent plan (as well as paying the necessary fees).

The idea, in the face of shocking social media footage of long queues to reach the peak and climbers passing by corpses in the snow, is to ensure only those fit and adequately prepared are summiting Everest. Outside magazine says up to 300 deaths have occurred on the mountain, including five in 2025.

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Other elements of the legislation include more Environment Protection measures to tackle litter and human waste, a Mountaineers’ Welfare Fund, and substituting the refundable deposit for a straightforward fee which will go towards conservation.

A mountaineer with over 20 years’ experience speaking anonymously to Travel Tomorrow, said: “Today with sufficient money almost anyone can ‘climb’ Everest,” but pointed out, “there are plenty of mountains in the Himalayas and what they suggest is a good way to spread the crowds (and the revenues).” Arguing that Everest has become an “object of consumerism” that attracts people who are unable to climb an average 4,000-metre summit in the Alps, he added: “If it were up to me, I would restrict the mountain to those climbing with oxygen and/or I would limit the ratio sherpa/climbers. This would require the climbers to be more experienced. And more experienced means more respectful.”

With a General Election pending in Nepal, the Lower House is expected to vote on the Tourism Bill sometime after March. The rules could take three months to come into force, meaning expeditions taking place in the most favourable, pre-monsoon, spring season 2026 could avoid the new restrictions. 

L’article Nepal moves to tighten rules for Mount Everest expeditions est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

Amid the burning of public buildings, including the parliament, the closure of Tribhuvan International Airport, and the resignation of Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli, the United Kingdom’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has reissued its official travel advice for the capital and other areas, noting that: “Protests are taking place in Kathmandu and elsewhere across the country. There have been violent clashes, with lethal force used by the police. This has led to a number of deaths and injuries.”

In less than 48 hours Gen Z protest in Nepal did the following:
– Burnt down multiple politicians' houses
– Increased the protest even during curfew and firing around multiple cities
– made the Prime Minister resign
– entered parliament and burnt it.

This is the generation that… pic.twitter.com/ovY2tWAASY

— CG (@chandangoopta) September 9, 2025

Still current at the time of writing on 10 September, the FCDO update also points out that freedom of movement has been limited and advises visitors already in Nepal to stay away from demonstrations and obey official instructions. “Curfews have been introduced in several cities, including Kathmandu and Pokhara,” the advisory continues. “Avoid protests, check local media for updates, and follow direction of the authorities.”

For those with plans to travel in or out of the country, it is important to be aware that “Kathmandu airport has also been disrupted, impacting domestic and international flights.” Anyone potentially affected should “Contact your airline, hotel and tour operator for up-to-date information before travel. Tourists should be able to move around and travel to and from airports with proof of travel plans,” the British ministry said.

There are ongoing violent protests in Nepal.

British nationals in need of consular assistance should call +977 1 4237100 or +44 (0)20 7008 5000.

Link to our travel advice in the reply. pic.twitter.com/XpkBfWWYtU

— Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (@FCDOGovUK) September 9, 2025

The protests follow the introduction of a ban on social media framed as a way of tackling hate speech and extremism. Many young people have taken part in denouncing the censorship and are calling for a focus instead on fighting corruption. Although the social media ban has been reversed in the wake of the uprising, the FCDO warns of “continued disruption to services.”

However, the UK has so far stopped short of officially advising against travel to Nepal, meaning that would-be visitors may find it hard to make insurance claims if they change their travel plans. Nonetheless, UK law means that those affected by flight cancellations are entitled to food, drink, accommodation, and other support from airlines.

Meanwhile, neighbouring India has urged restraint on all sides, and its Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has advised Indian nationals to postpone trips to Nepal. It has also told citizens already there to shelter indoors.

Advisory for Nepal @MEAIndia pic.twitter.com/lLoMTi5HgQ

— IndiaInNepal (@IndiaInNepal) September 9, 2025

Canadian authorities have issued similar warnings.

L’article International authorities issue new travel advice for Nepal amid violent crackdown est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.

In Nepal, home to eight of the ten highest mountains in the world, climbing is big business. Over the course of 2024, the sale of climbing permits brought in $5.9 million, three-quarters of which were thanks to Mount Everest. However, most peaks require some kind of climbing permit.

The country has now decided to temporarily scraps those fees for 97 peaks. The mountains are situated in Nepal’s Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces and stand between 5,970 meters and 7,132 meters high. As the provinces are located in the far west of Nepal, they are less developed and poorer than most in the country.

“Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help. They can create jobs, generate income, and strengthen the local economy,” said Himal Gautam, director of Nepal’s Tourism Department, according to The Kathmandu Post.

NEPAL OFFERS “FREE” MOUNTAINS TO CLIMB FOR 2 YEARS

For the next 2 years, Nepal is waiving climbing fees on 97 massive peaks in its remote northwest, some topping 23,000 feet.

They want adventurers to ditch crowded Everest and explore untouched mountains while boosting cash… https://t.co/pC0qdzI2Ea pic.twitter.com/fVOfFXVxBG

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) August 11, 2025

Training grounds

Over the past two years, only 68 climbers have ventured towards some of the 97 mountains. While making the peaks free to climb might be able to boost tourism in some way, it is unclear whether or not the Nepalese government also plans on updating the local infrastructure. Moreover, due to their remote location, the peaks are difficult to reach and improving the connectivity to the areas would be crucial to boost their popularity.

As other Nepalese mountains have difficulty attracting climbers, Everest is dealing with quite the opposite problem. In 2024, 421 climbing permits were issued for the world’s highest peak, even after Nepal’s Supreme Court ordered the government in April 2024 to limit the number of permits issued for Everest and a handful of other peaks. As the mountain welcomes a growing number of climbers, overcrowding, fatal accidents, and environmental concerns have become increasingly problematic as well.

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Uma publicação partilhada por David Goettler (@david_goettler)

In an attempt to lower visitor numbers and to make sure climbers contribute enough to the local economy, a 36% markup in permit fees was introduced at the start of 2025. Peak season (April-May) climbers thus have to pay $15,000 instead of $11,000, while it now costs $7,500 to climb Everest from September to November, and $3,750 from December to February.

Another law is currently underway to limit the number of incidents on Mount Everest. If accepted, the law would require anyone who wants to climb Everest to have trained by summiting another mountain over 7,000 meters in the country. Some of the mountains in Karnali and Sudurpaschim would be ideal training grounds for enthusiastic climbers.

L’article Nepal scraps fees for 97 peaks as Everest tourism booms est apparu en premier sur Travel Tomorrow.