May 18, 2023
KATHMANDU – A Nepali sherpa has scaled Mt Everest for a record 27th time, breaking his own previous record set last year.
Kami Rita Sherpa, 53, scaled the 8,848.86-metre mountain on Wednesday morning, his expedition organiser Seven Summit Treks said.
“This morning at 8:30 am, Kami Rita successfully summited Mt Everest for an incredible 27th time,” said Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks.
On May 14, Pasang Dawa Sherpa reached the summit of the world’s highest peak for 26th time, equalising with Kami Rita.
His mountaineering journey began in 1992 when he joined an expedition to Everest as a support staff member.
Between 1994 and 2023, Kami Rita has summited Everest 27 times, K2 and Lhotse one time each, Manaslu three times and Cho Oyu eight times.
This spring, the Department of Tourism has issued permits to 478 fee-paying individuals, the highest permits issuance on record, to climb Everest.
A climbing permit for Everest costs $11,000 for foreigners. But climbers end up spending between $40,000 and $90,000 to climb the mountain.