Tuesday, May 27, 2025 - Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa reached the summit of Mount Everest for a record 31st time on Tuesday, May 27, reinforcing his legendary status in the world of mountaineering more than 30 years after his first successful ascent in 1994.
The 55-year-old, widely known as “Everest Man,” led an Indian army
expedition to the 8,849-metre (29,032-foot) peak, marking another milestone in
his unmatched career as a high-altitude guide.
“Massive congratulations to the legendary Kami Rita Sherpa on his 31st
successful ascent of Everest, the highest number of ascents by anyone in
history,” said Seven Summit Treks, the expedition organiser. “Kami Rita Sherpa
needs no introduction. He is not just a national climbing hero, but a global
symbol of Everest itself.”
Despite his record-breaking feats, Sherpa has long played down personal
accolades. Speaking to AFP in May 2024 after his 29th and 30th climbs, he said,
“I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken. I am more happy
that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world.”
Sherpa began climbing Everest as part of a commercial expedition, and has
since scaled the mountain nearly every year, becoming a central figure in
Nepal’s mountaineering industry.
The spring climbing season has seen several record-setting climbs. Tashi
Gyalzen Sherpa, a 29-year-old Nepali mountaineer, completed four summits of
Everest in just 15 days, returning to Kathmandu on Tuesday after his final
ascent on May 23.
“I feel proud, it was a very difficult task but I made it a success,”
Gyalzen Sherpa told AFP. “Earlier, many pioneers have scaled the Everest many
times, but not four times in one season.”
This season, more than 500 climbers and guides have summited Everest,
according to Nepal’s tourism department, with only two reported fatalities, a
Filipino and an Indian climber, making it one of the safest years in recent
history.
Nepal has issued over 1,100 mountaineering permits this year, including
458 for Everest alone, generating more than $5 million in revenue. The country,
which boasts eight of the world’s ten highest peaks, remains a top destination
for climbers each spring due to favourable weather conditions.
British climber Kenton Cool also set a personal milestone this season,
reaching the summit for a record 19th time — the most by any non-Nepali
climber.
Himal Gautam, director of mountaineering and adventure at Nepal’s Ministry
of Tourism, praised Kami Rita’s achievement, saying, “Kami Rita Sherpa’s record
ascent has helped to take Nepal’s mountaineering sector to the next height.”
Since the historic first ascent by Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay
Sherpa in 1953, Everest has become a symbol of endurance and ambition, and its
climbing industry continues to fuel Nepal’s global recognition and economic
growth.
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