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Veteran Nepali climbers Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa have once again etched their names into mountaineering history after setting new records on Mount Everest.
Kami Rita Sherpa, widely known as the “Everest Man”, successfully reached the summit of the world’s highest mountain for a record 32nd time on Sunday.
The 56-year-old climber first conquered Everest in 1994 while working with a commercial expedition team and has since returned almost every year, mainly as a guide for international climbers attempting the peak.
Despite becoming one of the most celebrated figures in mountaineering, Kami Rita has repeatedly downplayed the attention surrounding his achievements. Speaking after another successful ascent in 2024, he insisted he was “just working” and not intentionally chasing records.
At the same time, 52-year-old Lhakpa Sherpa extended her own record for the most successful Everest summits by a woman after reaching the peak for an 11th time. Known globally as the “Mountain Queen”, she first made history in 2000 when she became the first Nepali woman to summit Everest and safely descend.
Nepal’s Tourism Department has described both climbers’ accomplishments as a major moment for the country’s mountaineering sector.
Spokesperson Himal Gautam told AFP that “this is another milestone in Nepal’s mountaineering history,” adding that their achievements inspire other climbers and promote safer, better-managed expeditions through “healthy competition”.
The latest milestones come during one of Everest’s busiest climbing seasons on record. Nepal has issued 492 permits for Everest expeditions this year, with hundreds of climbers and support staff currently stationed at base camp.
The growing number of climbers attempting the mountain has also renewed concerns over overcrowding on Everest, especially if changing weather conditions shorten the climbing window in the coming days.
