Veteran Nepali climbers Kami Rita Sherpa and Lakpa Sherpa have once again rewritten Mount Everest history after breaking their own world records on the world’s tallest mountain.
Kami Rita Sherpa, widely known as the “Everest Man”, reached the summit of Mount Everest for the 32nd time on Sunday while guiding climbers for the 14 Peaks Expedition company.
The 56-year-old mountaineer already held the world record for the highest number of Everest summits before extending it again this climbing season.
On the same day, Lakpa Sherpa, known globally as the “Mountain Queen”, completed her 11th successful Everest ascent, strengthening her own record for the most summits by a female climber.
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Nepal’s tourism department congratulated both climbers for their “historic achievement”.
Nepali Prime Minister Balendra Shah also praised the climbers, saying they had “once again written history”.
“Such historic success can only be achieved through unwavering courage, rigorous self-discipline, and honest dedication to one’s work,” Shah wrote on X.
Kami Rita Continues Everest Legacy
Kami Rita Sherpa first climbed Everest in 1994 and has returned to the summit almost every year since then.
In several seasons, he climbed the mountain twice.
According to his personal website, Kami Rita was born in Nepal’s Solukhumbu region into a family deeply connected to mountaineering and guiding.
In 2018, he became the first person to scale Everest 22 times, surpassing the previous joint record held by other veteran Sherpa climbers.
His repeated ascents have turned him into one of the most recognised figures in global mountaineering.
Lakpa Sherpa also built a remarkable legacy over decades of climbing.
She first summited Everest in 2000, becoming the first Nepali woman to climb the mountain and return safely.
Her life story later inspired the 2023 documentary Mountain Queen, which explored her climbing career and struggles as a single mother.
Busy Everest Season Raises Safety Concerns
This year’s Everest climbing season has become one of the busiest on record.
Nepal has already issued permits to nearly 500 foreign climbers attempting the ascent. Most international climbers also hire Nepali Sherpa guides, who do not require permits.
Authorities and mountaineering experts have raised concerns about overcrowding and potential “traffic jams” on Everest routes.
The season also faced delays after a large and dangerous glacier section blocked part of the route from Everest Base Camp in Nepal.
Despite those risks, Nepal’s mountaineering industry remains a major source of tourism revenue and employment for local communities.
Sherpa climbers continue playing a critical role in Everest expeditions by fixing ropes, carrying equipment and guiding foreign climbers through some of the world’s most dangerous terrain.
Experts say the achievements of Kami Rita and Lakpa Sherpa highlight the extraordinary endurance, skill and experience of Nepal’s Sherpa mountaineering community.
Their latest records further cement their status among the greatest high-altitude climbers in history.
