Nepal issues new coronavirus guidelines for mountaineers

According to reports, the Nepal government has put several restrictions on foreign trekkers and mountaineers in order to minimise the threat of coronavirus in the country.

Also Read: Nepal's Ang Rita Sherpa, first to climb Mount Everest ten times, dies

Nepal tourism ministry will now ask tourists for entry visa and they will have to carry PCR test report conducted not more than 72 hours ago including booking document for hotel stay to ensure seven-day quarantine period.

Reports say if a person tests positive then they would have stay in quarantine for as long as they do not test negative.

The Nepal government will also check tourist papers to see if people coming from abroad have insurance of $5,000. 

The Himalayan Kingdom currently has Nepal 74,745 coronavirus cases including 481 deaths. The Nepal government had allowed mountaineering activities from July 30 after halting it for five months due to the coronavirus pandemic, however, it had cancelled permits for the spring season this year on March 13 as the pandemic hit various countries.

Nepal economy depends heavily on tourism and mountaineering which is its major source of revenue. Last year, the country had issued 381 permits for Mount Everest costing $11,000 per person.