In Nepal, The historic ascent was first achieved on June 3, 1950, by French mountaineers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal. The first successful ascent of Mt. Annapurna I’s 75th anniversary, a Diamond Jubilee is set to be observed from May 30 to June 5 (Jestha 16–22) at Annapurna Base Camp, located in Narchyang, Annapurna Rural Municipality-4, Myagdi. To mark the historic milestone, a delegation of 14 foreign guests, including family members of the first summiteer Maurice Herzog, has arrived.
Foreign Guests Arrive in Nepal For Annapurna Ascent
According to Annapurna Rural Municipality Chairperson Bharat Kumar Pun, the delegation, which arrived in Kathmandu on Thursday, includes Maurice Herzog’s son Matthieu and grandson Ethan Herzog. They are joined by six guests from France, three from the United Kingdom, five from India, and one from Italy, all of whom are attending at the invitation of the Government of Nepal. The group is scheduled to travel to Pokhara today and reach Narchyang on Saturday to take part in the official celebration events.
“Preparations for the Diamond Jubilee are in their final stage, and Prime Minister K.P. Sharma Oli will be the chief guest at the main ceremony,” Chairperson Pun stated. The Diamond Jubilee commemorates the first human footprint on any 8,000-meter peak, achieved by French mountaineers Maurice Herzog and Louis Lachenal on June 3, 1950, who summited Annapurna I (8,091 meters) without supplemental oxygen. This historic feat predates the first ascent of Mt. Everest by three years.
To honor this legacy, a series of events are being organized, including a grand marathon beginning from Annapurna Base Camp. The marathon, covering a challenging 30-kilometer trail, will offer cash prizes of NPR 50,000, NPR 30,000, and NPR 20,000 to the top three winners, respectively.
Prime Minister Oli is also expected to unveil statues of the first summiteers, Maurice Herzog, Louis Lachenal, and legendary Nepali climber Sonam Wangchuk Sherpa, at the Annapurna Base Camp. In addition, he will inaugurate an open-air museum established at the base camp and officially open the “Maurice Herzog Trail” connecting Narchyang to the base camp.
The Diamond Jubilee is being organized under the leadership of Annapurna Rural Municipality, with collaboration from Nepal Tourism Board, Nepal Mountaineering Association (NMA), Trekking Agencies’ Association of Nepal (TAAN), Annapurna Conservation Area Project (ACAP), and the local Tourism Development Committee.
As part of the festivities, a heritage and cultural parade will be held in Narchyang, showcasing traditional dances and costumes from all eight wards of Annapurna Rural Municipality. Foreign and Nepali climbers who have contributed to the promotion of Annapurna will also be honored during the main ceremony.
In a symbolic and historic gesture, the climbing equipment used by Maurice Herzog during the 1950 expedition will be officially handed over to the International Mountain Museum in Pokhara. The museum, operated by the Nepal Mountaineering Association, will also host the launch of the translated version of Herzog’s famous book “The Annapurna,” presented by the French Embassy.
Tej Gurung, a member of the Tourism Development Committee and a key promoter of the Annapurna Base Camp trail, shared that a stone plaque archive recording the names of past climbers is being prepared at the base camp to commemorate their contributions.
The Diamond Jubilee not only honors the courage and legacy of early mountaineers but also highlights the importance of Annapurna in the global mountaineering narrative, further boosting Nepal’s tourism and cultural pride.
