Climbers wanting to take on Mount Everest will first have to tackle another Nepal mountain of at least 6,500 metres (21,325 feet) under new proposals by a committee seeking to improve safety on the world's highest peak.
The requirement is being proposed after a deadly traffic-clogged season saw 11 climbers die on Everest, which some experts blamed on inexperience.
"These recommendations have been made to ensure the quality and safety of Nepal's mountaineering tourism," Ghanshyam Upadhayay, tourism ministry official and head of the committee told AFP.