Nepal will make climbing permits free for 97 of its Himalayan mountains to create more tourism in some of its remote provinces.

Nepal will waive climbing permit fees for 97 peaks in two of the country’s most remote provinces as it aims to encourage mountaineers and tourists to get off the beaten track.

Nepal will waive climbing fees for nearly 100 peaks in the remote northwestern Himalayas for the next two years to try and lure more mountaineers to the less developed region bordering China, an official said on Monday.