Uttarakhand has opened 83 major Himalayan peaks across the Garhwal and Kumaon regions for mountaineering expeditions, a move aimed at placing the state firmly on the global climbing map. The decision, taken on the directions of chief minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and implemented by the Uttarakhand Tourism Development Council (UTDB) in coordination with the forest department, is expected to expand high-altitude tourism and generate local employment, officials said.
According to officials, the newly opened peaks range from 5,700 metres to 7,756 metres in height and include some of the most renowned and technically challenging summits in the Indian Himalayas, such as Kamet (7,756m), Nanda Devi East, the Chaukhamba group, Trishul group, Shivling, Satopanth, Changabang, Panchachuli, Neelkanth and the Nilkanth group of peaks. These mountains are internationally known for their difficult terrain, technical climbing routes and scenic grandeur, and are considered symbolic of the Himalayan landscape.
Dhami said the initiative marks a historic step for the state’s adventure tourism sector. “The Himalayas are our identity, our heritage and our strength. Opening 83 major peaks for mountaineering is a historic step towards giving global recognition to adventure tourism in Uttarakhand,” he said.
“The objective is to encourage the country’s youth to take up adventurous fields like mountaineering, generate employment for local communities and ensure balanced development along with environmental conservation. The state government is fully committed to safe, responsible and sustainable mountaineering,” he added.
Officials said that for these 83 notified peaks, Indian mountaineers will no longer be required to pay any expedition-related fees, including peak fees, camping charges and environmental fees. Earlier, these charges were levied by the Indian Mountaineering Foundation (IMF) and the forest department. The state government will now bear these costs, a move expected to significantly benefit young climbers and mountaineering aspirants who were earlier constrained by financial barriers.
In a parallel decision to promote international expeditions, the additional state-level fees earlier imposed on foreign mountaineers have been abolished. Foreign climbers will now be required to pay only the fees prescribed by the IMF, a step that officials said would enhance Uttarakhand’s global appeal and attract more international mountaineering teams.
To streamline the process, all expedition applications will now be routed through the Uttarakhand Mountaineering Permission System (UKMPS), a fully digital online portal. Officials said the system is transparent, time-bound and designed to eliminate delays and procedural bottlenecks in granting permissions.
The move is also expected to have a significant socio-economic impact in border and remote villages. Tourism activity will increase in interior Himalayan regions, creating new livelihood opportunities for local residents as guides, porters, homestay operators, transport providers and service workers. This will help curb migration and strengthen the rural economy, officials said.
At the same time, the government has made strict safety and environmental compliance mandatory for all expeditions. Mountaineers will be required to follow prescribed safety protocols and adhere to the ‘Leave No Trace’ principle to protect the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, officials added.
UTDB officials described the decision as a milestone in promoting the adventure heritage of the state. The initiative will take the state’s mountaineering and adventure tourism potential to new heights and establish Uttarakhand as a premier global destination for climbers and explorers, officials said.
Notably, Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in the Union Budget 2026–27, had also announced the development of eco-friendly mountain trails in Uttarakhand, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu and Kashmir to strengthen adventure tourism.
Curated by James Chen
