Two Nepali Sherpa climbers break own records on Mount Everest
The remarkable achievements of the two climbers have become a moment of pride not only for Nepal’s mountaineering community, but also for the entire nation. Nepal’s Department of Tourism described the accomplishment as another historic chapter in the country’s long relationship with the Himalayas.
“This is another milestone in Nepal’s mountaineering history,” said Himal Gautam, spokesperson for Nepal’s Tourism Department, while speaking to international media on Sunday.
For decades, Sherpa climbers and guides have stood at the heart of Himalayan expeditions, often risking their lives to support climbers from around the world. The latest achievements by Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa once again highlight the extraordinary endurance, skill, and resilience of Nepali mountain guides who continue to dominate high-altitude mountaineering.
Kami Rita Sherpa, now 56 years old, first climbed Mount Everest in 1994 while working for a commercial expedition team. Since then, he has returned to the mountain almost every year, often guiding international clients through the dangerous Khumbu Icefall, high camps, and the extreme conditions near the summit. In several climbing seasons, he successfully summited Everest twice in the same year.
Despite global attention surrounding his repeated records, Kami Rita has consistently maintained a humble perspective about his accomplishments. After another successful ascent in 2024, he stated that he was “just working” and never intended to climb Everest merely to set records.
Meanwhile, Lhakpa Sherpa’s achievement carries profound historical significance for women in mountaineering. She first climbed Everest in 2000, becoming the first Nepali woman to successfully summit and descend the world’s highest peak. Over the years, she has become an inspiration for women climbers across Nepal and around the world, proving that determination and resilience can overcome even the harshest conditions on Earth.
Tourism officials believe the achievements of both climbers continue to inspire new generations of mountaineers and strengthen Nepal’s identity as the center of global high-altitude climbing.
“Their records give greater excitement to other climbers,” Gautam said. “Breaking records through healthy competition on Everest can help make climbing safer, more dignified, and better managed.”
Mount Everest, standing at 8,849 meters (29,032 feet), continues to attract climbers from across the world. What began with the historic ascent of Hillary and Tenzing in 1953 has since grown into a massive international climbing industry that contributes significantly to Nepal’s tourism economy.
According to Nepal’s Department of Tourism, the country issued a record 492 Everest climbing permits during this year’s spring climbing season, which runs from March through May. Since the first successful ascent more than seven decades ago, over 8,000 people have climbed Everest, many of them multiple times.
Among non-Sherpa climbers, British mountain guide Kenton Cool currently holds the record with 19 successful Everest summits, followed by American climbers Dave Hahn and Garrett Madison with 15 summits each. Both Kenton Cool and Garrett Madison are reportedly on Everest this season attempting to extend their own records.
However, the growing number of climbers attempting Everest each year has also renewed concerns about overcrowding on the mountain. Long lines of climbers near the summit, changing weather conditions, and the increasingly narrow climbing window have raised safety concerns among mountaineers and expedition organizers alike.
Even amid these challenges, the achievements of Kami Rita Sherpa and Lhakpa Sherpa stand as powerful reminders of Nepal’s enduring mountaineering spirit and the extraordinary legacy of the Sherpa community in the Himalayas.
