On Saturday, eleven Nepali climbers became the first to reach the summit of Mount Everest from its southern approach, the first of hundreds expected to summit the world’s highest peak in the coming weeks.

The team reached the peak as part of an expedition to fix ropes leading up the ascent, setting the route for foreign climbers.

“We have received information that the rope-fixing team of eleven climbers has reached the peak at around 6:55 pm Nepal time,” tourism department official Bhisma Raj Bhattarai told AFP.

Nepal has issued 316 permits to mountaineers for this year’s spring climbing season, which runs from mid-April to the end of May.

Most Everest hopefuls are each escorted by a Nepali guide, meaning more than 600 climbers will tread the same path to the top of the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak in the coming weeks.

“Now the road has opened for other climbers to summit Everest, we will see teams move up in the coming days,” said Mingma Sherpa of Seven Summit Treks, which led the rope-fixing team.

A Chinese expedition reached the top of Everest on Wednesday from its north side in Tibet, according to Chinese state broadcaster CGTN.

Although China continues to ban foreign climbers because of the coronavirus pandemic, Nepal reopened its peaks to mountaineers last year.

With Covid-19 cases receding, expedition operators in Nepal are hopeful of a busier climbing season this year.

Last month, a Nepali climber transporting equipment uphill was discovered dead, marking the start of the Everest climbing season.