Joint secretary at Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation Madhu Sudan Burlakoti confirmed that four climbers paid US$ 8,000 as royalty to climb Mt Dhaulagiri, “They paid extra amount as there was no provision to transfer the permit from one mountain to another,” thehimalayantimes quoted him as saying.
John All, of the American Climber Science Programme from Himalayan Ecstasy, said his team also opted for another peak as they had failed to scale Mt. Lhotse due to adverse situation in the Everest base camp.
The portal further reported quoting Anil Bhattarai of Himalayan Ecstasy that John and few others would opt for other mountains as they found it very hard to give up thousands of US dollars it took to get to Nepal.
Likewise, four more climbers from Seven Summit Treks are also planning to climb Mt. Makalu after their dream of summiting Mt. Everest was shattered, Sherpa said.
In the meantime, Ang Tshering Sherpa, President of Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA) said majority of the mountaineers arriving Nepal are in a mood to return home though a few are opting for alternatives.