G-B revises fee structure for mountaineering

The Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B) government has revised the royalty fee rates for the issuance of permits to the mountaineering and trekking of national and international expeditions and trekking parties, including a significant hike in the fee for permits for climbing K2.

According to a notification issued by the G-B Tourism, Sports, Culture, Archaeology & Museum Department last week, the permit fee for foreign climbers to scale the 8,611 metres high K2 had been set at $12,000 for group.

According to the notification, the fee for an individual to scale K2 would be $5,000 during the peak summer season (Apr-Sept). The fee for the autumn season (Oct-Nov) would be $2,500, while it would be further slashed to $1,500 for the winter season (Dec-Mar).

For the Pakistani climbers, according to the notification, the permit fees are Rs100,000 for the summer, Rs50,000 for autumn, and Rs30,000 for winter. The fee for a group had been set at Rs30,000, the notification added.

Additionally, the trekking fees for foreigners had now been set at $100 per group, $300 for an individual during the summer season, $200 for autumn, and $100 for winter.