Nepal has officially banned solo expeditions on all mountains above 8,000 meters, including Sagarmatha, by amending its mountaineering regulations, according to the government publication Nepal Gazette. The sixth amendment to the mountaineering regulations prohibits solo expeditions on all 8,000-meter peaks.

Under the new regulations, every two members of a mountaineering team must be accompanied by at least one altitude worker or mountain guide. This rule applies to all mountains above 8,000 meters, including Sagarmatha. “When climbing a mountain peak with an altitude of more than 8,000 meters, every two members of the mountaineering team must be accompanied by at least one altitude worker or mountain guide. For other mountains, the mountaineering team must take at least one mountain guide with them,” states the newly introduced provision.

With these regulations now in effect, solo climbing on Nepal’s peaks has officially ended. The government is determined not to allow anyone, regardless of experience, to climb alone. This restriction applies to both alpine-style and expedition-style climbers.

The new regulations also formalize an increase in the royalty fee for foreign climbers attempting to summit Sagarmatha via the standard south route in spring, raising it to $15,000 per person from the previous $11,000. Climbing royalty fees for other seasons have also been revised. The fee for autumn expeditions, which run from September to November, has been increased from $5,500 to $7,500. For winter expeditions from December to February and monsoon expeditions from June to August, the fee has been raised from $2,750 to $3,750.

Additionally, the updated provisions include revised fees for other 8,000-meter peaks. The spring expedition fee has nearly doubled, rising from $1,800 to $3,000. The autumn fee has increased from $900 to $1,500, while the winter and monsoon fees have been raised from $450 to $750.

For Nepali climbers, the royalty fee for normal routes in the spring season has doubled from Rs 75,000 to Rs 150,000. In 2015, Nepal switched from a group-based royalty system to a uniform fee of $11,000 per climber for Everest’s spring season via the normal route.

As part of the new regulatory measures, family members of climbers, guides, and high-altitude base camp workers are now banned from staying at base camps. However, with prior approval from the tourism department, family members may stay at base camp for up to two days.

Another key change is the requirement for high-altitude guides to ‘self-declare’ their clients’ successful summits. To verify a summit, expedition organizers and liaison officers must submit original photos clearly showing the climber’s face. These photos must include mountain ranges in the background, a new eligibility criterion for receiving an Everest summit certificate.

Beyond climbers, the revised provisions also increase wages for liaison officers, high-altitude guides, and base camp workers. The daily allowance for liaison officers has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,600 per day. Sirdars (lead Sherpas) will now receive Rs 1,500 per day, up from Rs 500. High-altitude guides’ wages have jumped from Rs 350 to Rs 1,200 per day, while base camp workers’ daily wages have increased from Rs 300 to Rs 1,000.

In an effort to curb pollution in the high mountains, climbers are now required to bring all their waste, including human waste, back to base camp for proper disposal. Biodegradable bags must be used for waste collection in the upper reaches.

Since 1953, nearly 8,900 people have summited the world’s highest peak from Nepal’s side. The new provisions will take effect on Sept 1, marking the start of the spring expedition season.