GILGIT: In a significant move to boost adventure tourism, the Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government has announced a major reduction in royalty fees for mountaineering and trekking expeditions, benefiting both international and local climbers.
According to a notification issued by the GB Department of Tourism, the revised fee structure comes into immediate effect for the fiscal year 2024–25. The decision was approved during the 16th cabinet meeting held on May 13, 2025, under the provisions of the GB Finance Act 2024.
For foreign climbers, the royalty fee to summit K2 — the world’s second-highest peak — has been reduced from $5,000 to $3,500 during the summer season, with even lower rates applicable in autumn and winter. Similarly, fees for peaks above 7,000 metres have been slashed by up to 50 percent, depending on the season.
Pakistani mountaineers will also benefit from the revision. Local climbers attempting K2 will now pay Rs50,000 in summer and Rs30,000 in winter — a significant reduction from previous rates. Trekking permit fees have also been lowered across all seasons.
The revised notification follows a stay order by the GB Chief Court, which suspended a previous government decision that had sharply increased royalty fees. Acting on a petition filed by tour operators, the court directed the government to revise the rates downward.
Tourism stakeholders believe the new rates will help revive the region’s adventure tourism sector, which had slowed following the earlier fee hike. The updated fee schedule has been circulated to all relevant federal and regional departments, including the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination and the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation.
Historic Climbing Feats by Pakistani Mountaineers: Meanwhile, in a landmark achievement for Pakistan’s mountaineering community, Saad Munawar on Saturday became the first Pakistani to summit Mount Everest (8,848.86 metres) from the northern face.
His official Facebook page confirmed the accomplishment, stating that he had “raised the green flag at the summit of the highest peak in the world” and had safely descended to Camp 3. “Requesting prayers for a safe descent back to base camp in the coming days,” the post added.
The northern route to Everest begins in Tibet and is considered less hazardous in certain aspects, notably bypassing the dangerous Khumbu Icefall found on the southern (Nepalese) side. Chinese authorities only resumed issuing permits for this route in January.
Mingma G, head of the Imagine Nepal expedition team, confirmed that Saad Munawar, along with eight other foreign climbers, successfully summited Everest from the north on Saturday morning.
“Saad recently began high-altitude climbing and has already conquered Aconcagua, Elbrus, Kilimanjaro, and Lobuche Peak in Nepal,” Mingma G added.
Karrar Haidri, Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, lauded Munawar’s achievement in a statement:
“We are immensely proud to share that Saad Bin Munawar has made history as the first and only Pakistani to summit Mount Everest via the challenging North Side route — a feat that places him among the world’s elite mountaineers.”
The club noted that Munawar is a “renowned adventurer, mountaineer, and author,” and previously became the first Pakistani to summit Mt Aconcagua, the highest peak outside Asia. “His leadership in expeditions and contributions to mountaineering literature continue to inspire a new generation of climbers,” the statement added.
Imagine Nepal also congratulated all climbers on the expedition, including three women, for successfully summiting Everest from the northern face.
Earlier this month, other Pakistani climbers also achieved notable milestones:
- On May 11, renowned mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara summited Dhaulagiri (8,167 m), the world’s seventh-highest mountain, without supplemental oxygen or porter support.
- On May 18, Sirbaz Khan successfully scaled Mt Kangchenjunga (8,586 m), the world’s third-highest peak, also without supplemental oxygen.
