It’s an extreme adventure playground that is there for the conquering – but increasingly, there are distressing stories of overcrowding at the summit, pollution across the ranges and locals who disappear from view after helping climbers achieve their dream. Rod Ardehali reports

Cost of scaling world’s tallest peak rises for first time in nearly a decade to $15,000

Nepal will increase the permit fees for climbing Mount Everest by more than 35%, making the world’s tallest peak more expensive for mountaineers for the first time in nearly a decade, officials have said.

Income from permit fees and other spending by foreign climbers is a key source of revenue and employment for the cash-strapped nation, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains.