The Government of Gilgit-Baltistan has announced new fees for mountaineering and trekking permits, including a significant increase in the cost to climb K2.
Foreign climbers now face a fee of $5,000 to climb K2 in the summer season, $2,500 in the autumn, and $1,500 during the winter. For Pakistani climbers, the fees have been set at Rs100,000 for summer, Rs50,000 for autumn, and Rs30,000 for winter. Additionally, trekking fees for foreign visitors have also increased.
There is now a limit on group size, with a maximum of 20 members allowed. In a new rule, porters who assist climbers must be insured to ensure their safety and well-being during the expedition.
One of the most notable changes is the replacement of collective permits with individual permits, which means that climbers will now have to pay individually rather than sharing the cost as a group. This will almost double the overall cost for mountaineers by the year 2025.
These new regulations are intended to improve the management of mountaineering activities and ensure safer, more organized expeditions. The changes are effective immediately, impacting both foreign and local climbers.
