KATHMANDU: A total of 466 foreign climbers have received permits to scale Mount Manaslu this autumn season. According to Suraj Ghimire, director at the Department of Tourism, the group includes 342 men and 124 women who are currently preparing for their ascent. The 8,163-meter peak is located in Samagaun, Chumanubri Rural Municipality-1, Gorkha.
Climbers and their support staff have already reached the base camp, which is now filled with tents. The Manaslu Conservation Area Project (MCAP) in Gorkha reported that preparations, including the management of climbing gear, are underway. The expedition teams have successfully completed fixing ropes up to Camp 3.
Information officer at MCAP, Bhuwan Ojha, stated that further route preparation to higher camps will continue depending on favorable weather conditions. A traditional puja was also performed at the base camp, a customary practice believed to ensure a safe and successful climb.
Manaslu, the world’s eighth and Nepal’s seventh highest mountain, has become a popular destination for international climbers in recent years. Often referred to as the ‘Killer Mountain’ due to its challenging terrain and risks, it continues to attract significant interest compared to other peaks in Nepal this season. The base camp is considered relatively accessible, being only about a two-hour walk from Samagaun village.
The mountain was first successfully summited on May 9, 1956, by Japanese climber Toshio Imanishi and Nepali climber Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa. Local authorities expect this year’s climbing activities to significantly boost tourism in the Samagaun and broader Manaslu region.
