Kami Rita Sherpa Sets New Record with 30th Ascent of Mount Everest

Nepali Sherpa guide Kami Rita Sherpa has made history by summiting Mount Everest for the 30th time on Wednesday, setting a new world record. This remarkable achievement marks his second ascent in just 10 days.

Ordinarily, climbers take several days to reach the summit of Everest, making multiple ascents in a short period highly uncommon.

Kami Rita Sherpa, 54, accomplished this feat by climbing the 8,849-meter (29,032-foot) peak via the traditional southeast ridge route, as reported by Nepali tourism official Khim Lal Gautam.

On May 23, 2023, Kami Rita Sherpa, then 53, was photographed at the summit during his 28th climb, having already set a record with his numerous ascents.

Earlier this season, on May 12, Kami Rita completed his 29th ascent of Everest.

“He broke his own record… this marks his 30th ascent to the top of the world,” stated Gautam, head of the expedition monitoring and facilitation office at the base camp, in a post on the social media platform X.

Kami Rita first summited Everest in 1994 and has continued to do so nearly every year since, except for three years when the mountain was closed by authorities.

The only other climber approaching this record is another Sherpa, who has summited Everest 27 times, holding the second-highest number of ascents after Kami Rita.

Mountain climbing is a vital tourism activity in Nepal, providing significant revenue and employment. Nepal is home to eight of the world’s 14 highest peaks, making it a top destination for climbers worldwide.