A veteran Nepali mountain guide has shattered his own world record by conquering Mount Everest for the 32nd time, officials announced Sunday.
Kami Rita Sherpa, 56, successfully reached the world’s tallest peak at 8,849 metres (29,032 feet) on Sunday morning, breaking the record he established just last year. The experienced guide was leading clients from the 14 Peaks Expedition company during his historic climb.
Nepal’s Department of Tourism praised the Sherpa for reaching this “historic milestone” and recognized his significant role in advancing mountain tourism in the region.
According to an official statement, he arrived at the summit at 10:12 a.m. (0427 GMT) on Sunday. The same statement noted that a Sherpa woman named Lakhpa, 52, completed her 11th successful ascent to the peak, establishing the record for most climbs by a woman. Additional details about the expeditions were not provided.
Kami Rita hails from Thame village in Solukhumbu district, the same birthplace as Tenzing Norgay. Norgay, alongside New Zealander Sir Edmund Hillary, became the first climbers to successfully reach Everest’s summit in 1953.
The record-holder first conquered the mountain in 1994 and has continued climbing annually, with exceptions only in 2014, 2015, and 2020 when expeditions were suspended for various reasons. During some years, he managed to reach the summit multiple times.
Since Norgay and Hillary’s pioneering achievement, more than 8,000 climbers have successfully scaled Mount Everest, with many completing multiple ascents.
Among climbers who are not Sherpas, British guide Kenton Cool holds the record with 19 successful climbs, followed by American mountaineers Dave Hahn and Garrett Madison, each with 15 ascents. Both Cool and Madison are currently on Everest attempting to break their own records.
For many Sherpas native to the Solukhumbu district where Everest stands, serving as guides for international climbers on Everest and neighboring peaks represents an essential source of family income.
Officials have granted 492 climbing permits for Everest during this March-May climbing season, though three Nepali climbers have lost their lives on the mountain this month.
