KATHMANDU, MAY 27 (V7N) – Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa, 55, known as "Everest Man," achieved an unprecedented milestone on Tuesday, May 27, 2025, by reaching the summit of Mount Everest for a record 31st time. This remarkable feat comes more than three decades after his first ascent of the world's highest mountain.

"Massive congratulations to the legendary Kami Rita Sherpa on his 31st successful ascent of Everest, the highest number of ascents by anyone in history," announced expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks. The company added, "Kami Rita Sherpa needs no introduction. He is not just a national climbing hero, but a global symbol of Everest itself."

Sherpa first summited Mount Everest in 1994 while working for a commercial expedition and has guided clients to the peak almost every year since. Speaking a year ago after his 29th and 30th climbs of the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak, Sherpa stated that he was "just working" and did not plan on setting records. "I am glad for the record, but records are eventually broken," he told AFP in May 2024. "I am more happy that my climbs help Nepal be recognised in the world." Seven Summit Treks confirmed that he completed his 31st ascent on Tuesday as the leader of an Indian army team, not only reaching the summit himself but also guiding the remaining members of the team to the top.

Another Climber Sets Record for Multiple Summits in a Season

In related news, another Nepali climber, Tashi Gyalzen Sherpa, 29, returned to Kathmandu on Tuesday after achieving a new record: four summits of Everest in just 15 days, with his last ascent completed on May 23.

"I feel proud, it was a very difficult task but I made it a success," Gyalzen Sherpa told AFP upon landing in Kathmandu, where he was welcomed by his family and mountaineering fans. "Earlier, many pioneers have scaled the Everest many times, but not four times in one season."

These record-breaking achievements come as the spring climbing season nears its conclusion. Nepal's tourism department reports that over 500 climbers and their guides have successfully reached the Everest summit since the route opened, taking advantage of brief periods of favorable weather. The current season has also recorded the fewest number of deaths on Everest in recent years, with only two climbers, a Filipino and an Indian, having died at high camps.

Nepal has issued more than 1,100 permits for mountaineers this season, including 458 for Everest, generating over $5 million in royalties. The country is home to eight of the world's 10 highest peaks and attracts hundreds of adventurers each spring, when temperatures are warmer and winds typically calmer.

Earlier this month, British climber Kenton Cool, 51, successfully climbed Everest for the 19th time, extending his own record for the most summits by a non-Nepali. Himal Gautam, director of the Ministry of Tourism's mountaineering and adventure section, highlighted Kami Rita Sherpa's achievement, stating that it "has helped to take Nepal's mountaineering sector to the next height."

The climbing boom has transformed mountaineering into a lucrative industry since Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first ascent in 1953. Last year, over 800 climbers reached the peak of Everest, including 74 from the northern Tibet side.

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