Permit to Climb Mount Everest

Mount Everest is the highest mountain with an altitude of 29,017.16 ft (8, 844.43 m) above sea level. It attracts numerous travelers at home and abroad as well as swarms of experienced mountaineers every year. As the main peak of Himalayas, Mount Everest located in the east section of border between China’s Tibet Autonomous Region and Nepal.

Permit to Climb Mount Everest: Mount-Everest-Base-Camp

There’s two mainly routes to climb the Everest. Ascending Mt. Everest through the north routes in Tibet is a lifetime dream for every mountaineer since it is far more challenging than the south one in Nepal. Every April and May, mountaineers from all over the world gather together at the Everest base camp, preparing for their tough Mt. Everest expedition.

Do You Need a Permit to Climb Mount Everest in Tibet?

Many people may ask a same question--do I need a permit to climb mount Everest? The answer is yes. Every foreign traveler needs to apply for at least three permits to visit the mount Everest base camp. Why? Because the international border between China and Nepal runs across the precise summit point of mount Everest. To climb Mount Everest you need the permit from the Tibet Tourism Bureau.

What Permits Do You Need to Climb Mount Everest in Tibet?

Permit to Climb Mount Everest

The first one is a Tibet Entry Permit which is issued by the Tibet Tourism Bureau, but it has to be applied through a Tibet travel agency. Detail application process and documents needed please click here. What Document is Needed for a Tibet Tour

The second one is a Frontier Pass, which can be applied through Armed Police Tibet Frontier Corps in Lhasa. This permit will allow you to go to Mt. Everest or Nepal via Zhangmu Border. The application costs 1-1.5 hours. To apply for this permit, the documents below are needed:

1. The original copy of your Tibet Travel Permit

2. The copy of your passport

3. The copy of your Chinese visa

4. Your tour itinerary

5. Liability statement of travel agency

The third one is the Aliens' Travel Permit issued by the Public Security Bureau. This permit will allow you travel into the closed areas of Tibet, such as Tingri, Dromo, Nyalam, Nhagartse, Medog ,Burang and Pemako counties. To apply for this permit, the documents below are needed:

1. The original copy of your Tibet Travel Permit

2. The copy of your passport

3. The original copy of your tour guide’s certificate

4. The original frontier pass

5. Your tour itinerary

The fourth one is a mountaineering license. If you want to visit any places higher than the EBC, or any altitude above 5,000m, you need to apply for a mountaineering license which is issued by Tibet Mountaineering Association.

Only these four certificates are ready, you are permit to climb Mount Everest.

How to Get a Mountaineering License?

1. Submit application
If you plan to climb Mount Everest, you should submit mountaineering application, and should notify, in written form, to Tibet municipality administrative department of physical education (PE). If you are in a Chinese and foreign joint team, the application should be submitted by Chinese mountaineer representative. Please pay attention that you must submit the application 10 days before your mountaineering expedition.

2. Items in your application
A. Name, altitude and location of the peaks to be climbed;
B. Time and route of mountaineering;
C. Name, gender, nationality, occupation, resume, address and contact info of all members;
D. Goods list
E. Traffic and accommodation service needed

3. You will get the response from municipality administrative department of physical education (PE) within 20 working days after your team submits complete application materials (in written form).

Permit to Climb Mount Everest: Mount-Everest-Base-Camp

4. Apply for mountaineering license
The climbing team which is approved to climb mountains in Tibet should apply for their licenses from municipality administrative department of physical culture and sports. The teams should pay the registration fee and get the mountaineering license in 30 days after their applications being approved.

5. Correlative fees
The mountaineering team should pay the correlative fees confirmed by the treasure department of municipality government. And except for the treasure departments, no other department, organizations and individuals can claim for other charges or obstruct the climbing team.

Later the charging items and standard will be published by the municipality. And the department will also make a budget for climbing teams which will be published too.

When the climbing plan is confirmed, the expeditions shall be implemented according to the plan. If you need to change the plan, the changing part should be confirmed by the municipality administrative department of physical culture and sports or you need to apply for a new license again.

Overview, you need apply for Tibet Entry Permit,Frontier Pass, Aliens' Travel Permit and mountaineering license to get a permit to climb Mount Everest.