Beijing, 22 August 2026: China has completely closed the routes to Tibet's highest peaks to foreign climbers this year. Due to this ban imposed by China, expeditions and bookings of mountaineers around the world have had to be cancelled.
China had imposed this ban after investigating the 52-second firecracker incident near Shigatse in Tibet and corruption in issuing permits for foreign mountaineering expeditions.
China this year imposed a blanket ban on foreign climbers visiting Tibet's highest peaks, Cho Oyu (8,188 metres), Shishapangma (8,027 metres) and the north face of Mount Everest (8,849 metres).
wait for climbers
Due to this decision by China, mountaineering operators based in Nepal have had to cancel their autumn season bookings. As a result, the waiting period for climbers aiming to summit all 14 of the world's 14 peaks over 8000 meters in height has lengthened by at least a season.
Previously, the China-Tibetan Mountaineering Association (CTMA) had banned foreign teams from climbing the northern face of Everest, Cho Oyu and Shishapangma during the spring season, a ban that has now been extended.
Permission will not be given to climb Tibet route
According to the organizers of the Kathmandu-based expedition, they have been officially informed that foreign teams will not be allowed to climb the Tibet route even during the autumn season.
Earlier, China had not given any permission to foreign climbers for Everest even during the spring season. As a result, climbers climbed via Nepal and a record 1,008 climbers successfully summited Everest from Nepal.
However, Beijing has not yet made any official or public clarification regarding the extension of this ban.
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