Everest's new gatekeeper: climbers must summit a 7,000m Nepali peak first

After the busiest and most crowded spring in its history, Everest is about to get a tougher front door. A new Tourism Bill working its way through Nepal's parliament will, for the first time, require anyone applying for an Everest permit to prove they have already summited a 7,000-metre peak inside Nepal. It is the most significant change to Everest eligibility in years — and it is aimed squarely at the inexperienced climbers blamed for congestion and accidents on the world's highest mountain.

What the rule says

The headline requirement is the 7,000-metre rule. Would-be Everest climbers will need a verified certificate, endorsed by the Department of Tourism, showing they have stood on top of a Nepali peak above 7,000 metres. There are 72 such peaks to choose from — Baruntse, Pumori and Himlung Himal are among the popular training objectives. There is also discussion of allowing the famously technical Ama Dablam (6,812m) to count, given its difficulty, though that is not yet settled.

The bill bundles in several other tightening measures: a medical clearance certificate proving fitness for high altitude, a rule that only Nepali guides may lead expeditions (ending the era of foreign IFMGA guides running the show), and stricter environmental obligations.

The context: a record, crowded season

The rule did not appear in a vacuum. The spring 2026 season set an all-time record of 1,008 summits, smashing the previous high of 877 from 2019. Nepal issued 494 individual Everest permits this spring, each costing USD 15,000 after the first fee rise in a decade. With those numbers came the familiar images of queues in the death zone — and renewed pressure on the government to act.

What is confirmed, and what is not

Here is the honest status: the bill has passed Nepal's National Assembly (the upper house), but it is not yet law and was not in force for the 2026 spring season. It is expected to be ratified by the lower house after the March 2026 elections, with a three-month grace period before it takes effect. The direction of travel is clear, but exact dates and the final list of qualifying peaks could still shift.

For Nepal, the calculation is simple: fewer unprepared climbers means fewer accidents, less congestion and less strain on Sherpa rescue teams — while protecting the expedition business that so many mountain families depend on.

Source: ExplorersWeb; The Kathmandu Post; Travel And Tour World.

Cover photo: Vyacheslav Argenberg via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).