Nepal’s Kami Rita Sherpa scales Mount Everest for 32nd time, extends world record

Nepal’s mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa made history on Sunday by breaking his own world record for the maximum number of ascents of Mount Everest as he scaled the world’s highest peak for the 32nd time.

PTI, May 17, 2026, Kathmandu : Nepal’s mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa made history on Sunday by breaking his own world record for the maximum number of ascents of Mount Everest as he scaled the world’s highest peak for the 32nd time.

The 56-year-old veteran climber, popularly known as 'Everest Man', reached the 8,848.86-metre peak (29,032 feet) at 10:12 am, according to the Department of Tourism here.

He was leading an expedition operated by 14 Peaks Expedition, it said.

The successful ascent was confirmed by the department’s field office stationed at Everest Base Camp, reported The Kathmandu Post.

Born in Thame village of Solukhumbu district in Koshi Province in January 1970, Kami Rita started his career as a professional mountaineer in 1992 and climbed Mount Everest for the first time in 1994.

The Department of Tourism congratulated Sherpa, saying his achievement reflects a significant contribution to Nepal’s mountaineering sector and its international profile.

Kami Rita had climbed Sagarmatha, as the peak is known in Nepali, twice each in 2023 and 2024. He scaled it for the 31st time on May 27, 2025.

Between 1994 and 2025, Kami Rita also scaled K2 and Mount Lhotse once, Manaslu thrice, and Cho Oyu eight times, all above 8,000 metres.

In a related development, Lhakpa Sherpa, also known as the 'Mountain Queen' and the first Nepali woman to summit Mount Everest, broke her own world record by completing her 11th successful ascent of the peak on Sunday.

She reached the peak at 9:30 am, the Department of Tourism said.

Prime Minister Balendra Shah congratulated them and said, “Such historic success can only be achieved through unwavering courage, rigorous self-discipline, and honest dedication to one's work.”

Mount Everest, Shah said in a post on X, “is not merely a geographical elevation; it is the supreme symbol of Nepal's self-respect, courage, patience, and Himalayan civilisation. On this glorious mountain today, Nepali climbers have once again written history.”

The prime minister lauded the contribution of the Sherpa community to Nepal's mountaineering history as “extraordinary and unparalleled.”

Calling the Sherpas “truly the unsung heroes of the Himalayas,” he further said, “Without their courage, knowledge, and labour, the glory of the mountains remains incomplete. I am confident that this supreme achievement of theirs will make Nepal's mountain tourism even more credible, prestigious, and attractive, while further illuminating Nepal's identity on the global stage.”

Kami Rita's peers congratulated him on the achievement too.

According to Ang Tshering Sherpa, past president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, “Kami Rita is not only a strong climber, but he also has good technical skill in the field of mountaineering.”

Without being a strong and dedicated climber, one cannot scale Everest 32 times, said Ang Tshering, who is also the immediate past president of Asian Mountaineering and Climbing Federation.

Kami Rita, Appa and Ang Rita belong to the same area of Solukhumbu district, which has produced many strong summitters.

Ang Rita set a world record by climbing Everest 10 times without supplementary oxygen, whereas Appa has scaled the highest peak in the world 21 times.

In 2024, Kami Rita and Padwa Sherpa both ascended it 29 times. However, after Padwa developed some health issues, he did not attempt ascent for three years, giving Kami Rita a chance to set another world record.

Mount Everest, northeast of Kathmandu, is situated along the Nepal-Tibet (China) border and can be climbed from both north and south sides.

It was first scaled on May 29, 1953, by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Sherpa guide Tenzing Norgay.

Official data shows that over 7,500 mountaineers have successfully scaled Mount Everest, while over 300 have lost their lives in the treacherous terrain either while climbing or descending.