In a remarkable display of endurance, devotion, and deep respect for the mountains, Nepal’s legendary mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa has once again made history by summiting Mount Everest for a record 31st time in May 2025. With this climb, Kami Rita has not only extended his own record for the most ascents of the world’s highest peak but also cemented his legacy as one of the greatest high-altitude climbers of all time.
Born on January 17, 1970, in the humble village of Thame in Nepal’s Solukhumbu region, a village that also produced the legendary Tenzing Norgay, Kami Rita grew up in the shadows of the Himalayas. His father was among the early generations of Sherpa guides after Everest was opened to foreigners in the 1950s, and his brother Lakpa Rita Sherpa also climbed Everest 17 times. Mountaineering, quite literally, runs in his blood.
The Everest Man: Kami Rita Sherpa
Kami Rita began his mountaineering career in 1994, summiting Everest for the first time during a commercial expedition via the Southeast Ridge route. Since then, his relationship with the mountain has evolved from that of a professional climber to a devoted spiritual trekker. Over the past 29 years, he has stood on top of Everest 31 times, a feat unmatched by anyone in the history of mountaineering.
But his climbing accomplishments do not stop at Everest. Kami Rita has scaled several other 8,000-meter peaks, including Cho Oyu eight times, Manaslu three times, and once each on Lhotse and K2, the second-highest mountain in the world. In total, he has completed 44 successful ascents of 8,000-meter peaks, an achievement that few can rival.
In interviews, Kami Rita has maintained that breaking records was never his goal. “I never thought about making records,” he once told. “I actually didn’t know that you could make a record. Had I known, I would have done a lot more summits earlier.” Despite this humility, his accomplishments speak volumes. His dedication, strength, and quiet reverence for the mountains have made him a revered figure not only in Nepal but globally.
For Kami Rita and the Sherpa community, Everest is not just a mountain, it is Chomolungma, a sacred deity. This belief profoundly influences his approach to climbing. “Months before I begin an ascent, I start worshiping and asking for her forgiveness because I have to put my feet on her body,” he explained. “Right before the final steps to the summit, others run to take photos but I bow my head again and ask for her forgiveness.” This deep spiritual connection sets Kami Rita apart, making his ascents more than physical accomplishments, they are acts of devotion.
Throughout his long career, Kami Rita has demonstrated extraordinary resilience. From enduring extreme conditions to helping countless climbers reach the summit as a lead guide, his experience is unparalleled. His guiding career spans more than two decades, during which he has not only summited Everest repeatedly but has also led and mentored younger Sherpas and foreign climbers, shaping the future of Himalayan expeditions.
His summit timeline reads like a diary of unwavering dedication:
- First summit in 1994.
- Multiple successful summits nearly every year since then.
- Notable double summits in 2019 and again in 2023, when he scaled Everest twice within days.
- In 2023, he claimed his 27th summit on May 17 and his 28th on May 23.
- In May 2024, he reached both his 29th and 30th summits.
- Finally, in May 2025, Kami Rita achieved his 31st summit, setting a new world record.
The consistency, precision, and safety with which Kami Rita has conducted these climbs reflect his mastery of high-altitude mountaineering. He has achieved all this while retaining humility and a profound respect for the natural world.
Despite his towering achievements, Kami Rita remains grounded. “I can climb for a few more years,” he said in an earlier interview. “I am healthy. I can go until I am 60 years old. With oxygen it’s no big deal, we were born in the Himalayas.” His strength is not just physical, it is cultural, emotional, and spiritual. His life is a testament to the strength of the human will and the power of tradition and heritage.
As the world celebrates this historic 31st summit, Kami Rita Sherpa continues to inspire not just climbers, but anyone chasing a dream against the odds. His story reminds us that greatness is often born in humility and sustained by passion, discipline, and purpose.
