Manaslu Draws Record 224 Climbers This Autumn

Kathmandu,Nepal — The Department of Tourism has reported a historic surge in climbing permits for Manaslu, Nepal’s eighth-highest mountain, as the autumn season kicks off. A total of 224 climbers from 17 international teams have received permission to ascend the 8,163-meter peak between September and November—marking the highest number of climbers ever recorded for this season.

Of the approved climbers, 169 are men and 55 are women, contributing to a revenue of Rs 9.43 crore in permit fees. The largest contingent comes from China (43 climbers), followed by Poland (25), Russia and Nepal (23 each), and teams from the United States, Japan, France, and Canada.

Local guide Veer Bahadur Lama from Samagaon village confirmed that rope-fixing operations are currently underway on Manaslu, with climbers already arriving in the region. Many are trekking in via Lamjung and Manang, while others opt for helicopter transport.

In contrast, Sagarmatha (Mount Everest) has seen only one climber approved this season, and Lhotse just two. Other peaks under 8,000 meters have drawn modest interest, including Nuptse (7,855m) with 11 climbers, and Lyule (6,395m) with 15 climbers.

Last year, only 400 climbers were granted permits for Manaslu during the same period, highlighting a dramatic increase in mountaineering interest this year.