KATHMANDU: Climbers from around the world have started leaving Kathmandu for Samagaun in Gorkha district to begin their autumn expedition on the world’s eighth-highest peak.

More than 200 climbers, including their support staff, have already set out for the base camp of Mt Manaslu via Samagaun after receiving climbing permits from the Department of Tourism (DoT), said Damber Parajuli, president of the Expedition Operators Association Nepal.

“The rope-fixing team is making good progress and is heading towards Camp II, placing ropes along the climbing route,” said EOAN General Secretary Rishi Ram Bhandari. All climbing logistics have already reached the base camp, while climbers will hike from Samagaun to the base camp for acclimatization rotations, Bhandari, who has also secured a Manaslu permit for Satori Adventure team, shared.

The Department of Tourism stated that it has issued climbing permits to 348 people from 29 teams for Mt Manaslu, collecting more than Rs 150 million in royalty to date. “We expect over 400 climbers on Mt Manaslu and a few on Mt Dhaulagiri and Mt Makalu as well this season,” a DoT official said.

Legendary climber Chhang Dawa Sherpa, expedition director at Seven Summit Treks (SST), said that SST’s international climbing teams would soon reach the base camp to begin climbing activities. “All preparations are completed, and many climbers have already left for the mountain, while more are arriving in Kathmandu in a day or two,” added Chhang Dawa, who will lead SST’s Manaslu expeditions this autumn.

Lakpa Sherpa, managing director and expedition leader of 8K Expeditions, said his company has already secured permits for three international teams that have left for Manaslu to begin acclimatization rotations. “I will reach the base camp early next week with our last team to operate the expedition on Manaslu this season,” Lakpa said.

Tashi Lakpa Sherpa, chief executive officer of 14 Peaks Expedition, which is running at least three expeditions on Manaslu and one on Dhaulagiri this autumn, said that most of the team members have already started arriving in Kathmandu to attempt to scale mountains in the autumn season.

Jiban Ghimire, managing director at Shangri-La Nepal Treks, said that renowned mountaineer Ben Jones from Alpine Ascents, along with an international team, has already arrived in Kathmandu to kick-start the Manaslu expedition. TAG Nepal said that members from Climbing the Seven Summits have already arrived here, and the teams will be led by renowned guides Mike Bennett, Abiral Rai, Tendi Sherpa and Dorjee Sherpa, among others.

Expedition outfitters including Imagine Nepal Treks, Elite Exped, Asian Trekking, Pioneer Adventure, AltiPro Adventure, Glacier Himalaya, Himalayan Guides, Seven Summit Club and Makalu Adventure among others have stated that they have all concluded preparations for the Manaslu expedition this season.