Himalaya

Himalaya climbers can relax - 50% cut of royalties for mountaineers to climb peaks above 6,500 meters

Cuts in royalty to boost mountaineering

ISLAMABAD: The Tourism Ministry has decided to continue with its 50-percent relaxation in royalty for mountaineers intended to scale above 6,500 meter high peaks.

It also upheld its decision to waive off royalty on up to 6,500 meter high peaks and charge only 10 percent of the total royalty on mountains in Gilgit, Chitral and Ghizar for the year 2006.

The ministry has announced the decision through three different notifications. The first notification maintained that the 50-percent reduction in royalty for climbing mountains above 6,500 metre of height in the Northern Areas would continue.

Teams comprising seven members fall directly under the relaxation entitlement but they have to pay $1,000, for each extra member to climb the world’s second highest peak K-2 (8,611 meter high), $ 750 for each extra member to climb any of the four above-8,000-meter-high peaks - Nang Parbat (8,125 meter), Gasherbrum (8,068 meter), Broad Peak (8,047 meter) and Gasherbrum-II (8,035 meter). There will be $250 extra charges for each extra member on mountains ranging from 7,500 to 8,000 meters of height, $150 for 7,001 to 7,500 meter heights and $100 for 6500 to 7,000 meter heights. (Daily Times)