Nepal will make 97 of its Himalayan mountains free to climb for the next two years, a move designed to increase tourism to the country’s more remote and undiscovered areas.
The peaks for which fees will be waived are in the far-western region of Nepal among the country's poorest and least developed provinces.
"Despite their breathtaking beauty, the number of tourists and mountaineers here is very low as access is so difficult. We hope the new provision will help," said Himal Gautam, director of Nepal's Tourism Department.
Permit fees to summit Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, during peak season will rise to US$15,000 in September - the first increase in nearly a decade - as Nepal seeks to limit damage to the mountain.