Kathmandu, April 9 -- The number of climbing permits for Mount Everest have already surpassed 120 in the first week of April-twice as fast as last year-indicating the potential for another record-breaking season on the world's tallest peak.

This will be the last spring climbing season under the existing regulations.

Leeladhar Awasthi, director at the Department of Tourism, the government body responsible for issuing climbing permits, confirmed that 120 individuals have been granted Everest climbing permits as of Tuesday noon, generating Rs180 million in revenue.

Of these climbers, 95 are men and 25 women.

"It's a good start," said Awasthi.

In 2024, the department issued 421 Everest climbing permits, a decline from 479 the previous ye...