Why is it expensive to climb Everest?
Everest is a dream destination for landscape lovers, researchers and people who love adventure. There are different activities concentrated in and around Everest. The most adventurous one is climbing Everest. Many people figure out climbing Everest is beyond their pocket but they don’t know why it is so expensive to climb Everest, what is the reason that makes the trip expensive. In this article we are trying to explain the main expense to climb Everest and those expenses which nobody can avoid. Climbing Everest is not easy job and normally last about 60 days. Professional climbers may reduce some days but if a novice climber wants to reduce the days there is big possibility that they cannot reach the top. Following are the major expense to climb Mount Everest in Nepal.
Royalty to Nepal Government
Nepal government charge USD 11000 per person as royalty to climb Everest from normal route. There is a small discount if some individuals want to change the route but other than normal routes are technically difficult to reach the top. The rate is applicable for the spring season which is considered the best time to climb Everest. There is a heavy discount in royalty if somebody likes to climb Everest in the winter time or summer time but the success rate to reach the top is insignificant. If you want to entertain part of the Everest climb the idea is to go in the summer and winter. During summer one might get frequent avalanches and winter one might get frequent snowing which end up in closing the route and blocking the supplies so alternating all the activities there.
Personal gear
When an individual is trying to climb the top of the world, the qualities of the personal gears play an important role. The down suit which is used for climbing itself cost more than 1500 USD. Besides the down suit one need to get the good quality shoes, crampons, sleeping bags, gloves, hats, socks, backpack and many other small articles. One of the major expenses in personal gear is generated by anti-frostbite equipment. The cost of the personal gear with anti-frostbite equipment will cost around USD 6500 per person or more depending with the brand.
Liaison officer and his expense
Every individual group who departs for climbing Everest must be accompanied by a liaison officer appointed by government of Nepal. The organizer of the trip needs to pay a decent salary to the liaison officer and besides they need to manage equipment, transport, tent and meals for the accompanying liaison officer throughout the trip from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. This is one of the hefty investments for the company as it will be not less than USD 5000 per group. End of the day that will be chargeable to climbers and it is sharable among the member of the climbing group.
Oxygen for team, Sherpa and crews
Good quality oxygen and its equipment for the whole team is another major expense during the trip. All individuals need oxygen mask, a regulator and oxygen itself. Low quality oxygen contains humidity which freezes in the high elevation and may give troubles and put an individual in danger in the high elevation. Besides the climbing member, Sherpa and high altitude crew all need to have oxygen at least to use in an emergency situation.
Food and logistics for team and crew
The food and sleeping arrangement for the team members and crews must be organized for at least six weeks. Transportation of all the foods and equipment up there generate a heavy expense for climbing groups. In many cases a helicopter must be chartered to drop the food and equipment at base camp which itself is the hefty expense to the organizer.
Salary for the climbing Sherpa and crews
A good climbing team organizes one climber one Sherpa guide to reach the top. The climbing Sherpa receives USD 5000 -6000 per trip for the whole trip from Kathmandu to Kathmandu. The Sherpa and crew fix the tents, do the cooking, fix lines, build camps and carry the oxygen bottles. Besides the regular salary when they make the successful climb they receive the summit bonus and tips for all successful ascents to Everest, which will generate another expense of USD1000-1500 per person for the Everest climbers. Sherpa who climb Everest do party for all their friends and relatives on the way back after successful ascent to Everest and spend the bonus and tips on the way before reaching Kathmandu. Every successful ascent they make, they celebrate.
Satellite phone and communication equipment
As communication is essential for climbers and staffs, a handy satellite phones with spare accessories is essential during the trip and is not that cheap and need to pay the tariffs for at least six weeks climbing period.
Garbage Deposit
Many people heard about different campaigns of cleaning the Everest area. In 6000 meter walking alone itself is very difficult, what you do with your empty oxygen canisters, you just leave it there to collect it on your return journey but unfortunately you might not see your canister on the way back as the same trail hundreds of people passing. Some of the climbers might accidently kicked your empty canister and run out of your sight. Exhausted climbers do not like to look around for the missing gears there and leave it where it is. Every year a lot of garbage added in the area so there is a garbage deposit of USD 5000 for each climbing group. If you lost anything in the altitude your deposit is gone so please take care of what you carry to take back to Kathmandu.
Besides the above mentioned major expense the climbers need to figure out the cost of hotel in Kathmandu, international air ticket to and from your home country, insurance for the staffs and yourself which cover the rescue and medical expense, any optional sightseeing trips in Kathmandu, transportation of gear from home country to Kathmandu.
Climbing Everest easily cost you from 35000 USD or more depending with contingency days, weather and your physical condition. If somebody promises you for cheaper price please check where they have cut the corner and not to get any surprise later.
Even climbing Everest is expensive and dear to many adventure lovers you can admire the view of Everest doing trekking in the Everest area and reaching the Everest base camp. Our Everest Base camp trek is one of the best sellers in Nepal or if you are not in condition of doing this 12 days trek you can simply take the Everest helicopter flight to enjoy the breathtaking view of Everest.
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