Nepali Sherpa climber and guide Kami Rita Sherpa has once again etched his name in the annals of mountaineering history, achieving a remarkable feat with his 30th summit of Mount Everest, setting a new world record for the highest number of ascents by a single person.
Department of Tourism officials overseeing the expedition in the Himalayas confirmed that Kami Rita reached the summit of the world’s highest peak for the 30th time on Wednesday morning, surpassing his own record set just nine days earlier.
“At 7:49 am, Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own record he had set just nine days earlier. This marks his 30th ascent to the top of the world,” stated Khimlal Gautam, Chief of the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office.
This latest achievement comes as Kami Rita’s second ascent of the season, following his first successful summit on May 12. Hailing from Thame village in Solukhumbu, Nepal, the 54-year-old Sherpa climber has been working as a Senior Guide at Seven Summit Treks, leading numerous climbers on expeditions to conquer the world’s highest peaks.
Kami Rita’s mountaineering journey began in 1992 as a support staff member on an Everest expedition, and since then, he has fearlessly scaled numerous peaks, including K2, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Manaslu.
Earlier this week, Kami Rita also led a team of climbers to the summit of Mount Everest, showcasing his leadership and expertise in guiding expeditions in the challenging Himalayan terrain.
His record-setting accomplishment adds another chapter to Nepal’s mountaineering legacy, with close to 7,000 mountaineers having climbed Everest from Nepal since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and Sir Edmund Hillary’s historic first ascent in May 1953.
While Nepal charges $11,000 USD for permits to climb Mount Everest, the total expenses for foreign climbers range between $40,000 to $90,000 USD. Additionally, the cost of expeditions increases when unfavorable weather conditions limit the climbing window to just two weeks annually.
Kami Rita’s remarkable achievement serves as a testament to the indomitable spirit and resilience of Nepali mountaineers, further solidifying their reputation as some of the world’s most skilled and accomplished climbers.