Taplejung. Lately, mountaineering has begun in Taplejung. Two French nationals had successfully climbed the 6,808-metre-high White Wave Peak for the first time in the second week of September. According to Tenji Sherpa of Annarpun Foothills Tex and Expedition, French national Benjamin Charles, Eli Vedrins and Nicolas Paul Aristide are the French climbers.

Last week, a Chilean had successfully climbed Mt Pathivara at the foothills of Mt Kanchenjunga. Three French nationals have reached the base camp area of Mt Kumbhakarna (Faktanglung), the 32nd highest in the world and the 15th highest in Nepal, according to Sherpa. The height of this mountain is 7,710 meters.

It is said that a French citizen had successfully climbed Mt Kumbhakarna for the first time in 2019 BS. In recent years, the mountains here have started climbing with enthusiasm. In October last year, four South Koreans had successfully climbed Mt Sharfu-5 for the first time at an altitude of 6,328 metres.

The first climbing of Mt Sharfu-4 was made in March last year. Hernan Lil, a Chilean national, Lakpa Tshering Sherpa, Nada Sherpa and photographer Purnima Shrestha were the first mountaineers to climb the 6,433-metre high Mount Sharfu-4.

According to Taxi Tenzing, tourism assistant at Ghunsa Tourism Check Post Office of Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Management Council, 300 foreign tourists visited Mt Kanchenjunga, the third highest mountain in the world. Some have rested in the area. According to Sherpa, the Kanchenjunga visit season will run from the third week of August to November 30.

According to the Department of Tourism, a total of 41 people, including 26 men and 15 women, had successfully climbed the 8,556-meter peak from March 1 to April 21 last year. A total of Rs 197,460 was collected as royalty from the expedition.