(CNN) Five years later Ban lone adventurers From climbing Mount Everest, the Nepal government has extended restrictions to the entire country.
Nepal is home to eight of the tallest mountains in the world, but it’s also known for its beautiful backcountry trekking spots. From now on, travelers hoping to trek in the hinterland must hire a government-licensed guide or join a group.
While the trekking industry is one of the largest money makers in the country, the cost of search and rescue missions for individual trekkers who get lost is significant.
“When you are traveling alone, in an emergency, there is no one to help you,” Mani R. Lamishan, director of the Nepal Tourism Board, told CNN. “It’s okay if they are traveling in the cities, but in the remote mountains the infrastructure is not enough.”
“When tourists go missing or are found dead, even the government can’t track them down because they took such a long way off,” adds Lamichani.
In addition to the challenges caused by the disappearance of rural hikers, Lamichan says unlicensed tour guides and businesses are also a problem. These companies that do not register with the government do not pay taxes, and the director of tourism claims that they take jobs from Nepalese.
“There have been some cases where the trekking association asked us to stop unauthorized trekking operations. This has been a request of the tourism associations for a long time,” he says.
Those in the climbing and trekking community have mixed opinions about the new ruling.
Ian Taylor, owner Respected guide company With a long history in Nepal, he says the move makes sense because more and more people are trying difficult climbs in Nepal.
“Things have changed drastically in the region over the years,” he told CNN.
“I used to see only experienced hikers and climbers in the area, many of them traveling without guides, and they were completely self-sufficient.”
“Now, however, there are much more people traveling in the area and more of them are tourists rather than hikers. They are not self-sufficient in the outdoors and therefore need the help of experienced guides.”
Taylor adds that the Nepalese government does not have the capacity to screen each visa applicant individually, hence the decision to enact a blanket ban.
“As someone who loves mountains and visits mountainous areas of the world, it’s very frustrating to have come this far,” Taylor continues.
“We never want to see people’s access to the mountains restricted. However, the situation in Nepal is very unique, and changes need to be made.”
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