The Economics Of Sherpas On Mount Everest

April 29, 2014 in Daily Bulletin

An avalanche on Mount Everest killed 16 mountain guides last week. Caroline Winter delved into the economics of those who help tourists make the climb:

  • Nepal makes $3.5 million each year in climbing fees from Mount Everest.
  • Climbers have to pay up to $150,000 to attempt to get to the top of the mountain.
  • Yet Sherpas only get between $2,000 and $8,000 per climb.
  • This isn’t bad for a country where the average income is less than $600. But in climbing Everest multiple times a year they take immeasurable risks.
  • In the wake of the accident the Nepalese government has announced that the guides who die on the world’s tallest mountain will be covered by an insurance policy worth $15,000.

Read more about the pressures that the guides face, what climbers get for their money, and what Sherpas themselves have to say over here.

Source: Businessweek