Kathmandu. For the first time in history, climbers have successfully set foot on Lyahul Peak (Bhavya Himal, 6,396 meters), located in the Api Himal region of Sudurpaschim Province. The ascent was achieved on October 2 under the leadership of the Mountain Guide Association of Nepal (MoGAN).
According to MoGAN’s General Secretary, Ramkaji Tiwari, the climb was part of a professional mountain guide training program, where both instructors and trainees jointly scaled the peak.
Api Himal Rural Municipality Chairperson, Bhakta Singh Thekare Bohara, confirmed that a seven-member team successfully summited the mountain. The training was organized to promote mountaineering in the region, especially attracting attention towards Api Himal (7,131m), the highest peak in Sudurpaschim.
The successful summiteers include instructors Lal Bahadur Jirel, Ramkaji Tiwari, and Rakeshraj Tamang, along with trainees Suryaman Tamang, Suraj Tamang, Bhishan Yonjan, and Dali Sherpa.
Located to the right of Api Himal-1, Bhavya Himal has now opened a new chapter in mountain tourism for Sudurpaschim Province. Former Tourism Minister Bandri Prasad Pandey, who bid farewell to the team from Kathmandu, remarked that the achievement marks a new milestone for mountain tourism in the region.
The training program was organized by the Nepal Mountaineering Association, with technical support from MoGAN, and financial assistance from Api Himal Rural Municipality, Nepal Tourism Board, and UNDP. MoGAN President Sanjiv Gurung emphasized that this accomplishment highlights Sudurpaschim as a promising destination for both mountaineering and adventure tourism.
Earlier, the federal government had announced that 97 peaks in Sudurpaschim and Karnali provinces would be open for climbing without royalty fees for the next two years, further encouraging exploration in these remote regions.
