KATHMANDU, Nepal, April 29 (UPI) -- The Nepalese government says 29 teams have paid 254 million Nepalese rupees ($2.9 million) in royalty fees to climb Mount Everest this season.
The 29 teams will have 315 members who will attempt to climb the world's highest peak at 8,848 meters (29,029 feet) this season, which runs from mid-March through May, the Nepal Ministry of Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation said.
Last year, the government issued permits to 30 teams comprised of 335 mountaineers. Among them, 181 climbers made it to the summit of the Himalayan peak, Nepalnews.com reported.
Many of the teams this season already have left for the Khumbu Region of Everest for acclimatization.
Royalty fees to climb Everest ranges from $15,000 to $70,000 per expedition, determined by the size of the team and the route it takes to reach the summit.
