Renowned Nepali mountaineer Lakpa Sherpa, widely known in the global climbing community as “Makalu Lakpa,” has once again etched his name into Himalayan history by summiting Mt. Makalu (8,485m) for a record ninth time on Saturday at around 5:00 am Nepal time. With this latest ascent, he has further extended his own world record for the highest number of successful climbs on the world’s fifth highest peak, reinforcing his unmatched familiarity with one of the Himalaya’s most technically demanding mountains.
The summit push was part of an expedition organized by Seven Summit Treks Pvt. Ltd., which confirmed that a total of three climbers and seven Sherpas reached the summit during the successful climb. The summit team included German climber Johannss Lau and Pakistani mountaineer Sajid Ali Sadpara, supported by experienced Sherpa climbers, including Mohan Singh Tamang and others from the expedition team. The group has since begun its descent toward Base Camp under stable conditions.
Makalu Expedition Marks Key Phase in Busy Spring Season
This latest achievement is part of an intense and ambitious spring climbing campaign for Lakpa Sherpa, who is attempting three 8,000-metre peaks in a single season. Just two weeks earlier, on April 18, he successfully summited Annapurna I (8,091m) as part of an expedition led by 14 Peaks Expeditions Pvt. Ltd., marking the first major step in his current high-altitude project.
With Annapurna I and Makalu now behind him, Lakpa Sherpa has shifted focus to Mount Everest, which he aims to summit within the same season. If successful, he will complete three of the world’s highest peaks in just a matter of weeks, an extraordinary feat even by global elite climbing standards.
Record-Breaking High-Altitude Career
Lakpa Sherpa’s mountaineering record is among the most extensive in the world. His achievements include nine ascents of Makalu, four ascents of Manaslu, three of Lhotse, two of Cho Oyu, and successful climbs of Everest, Dhaulagiri I, Kangchenjunga, and Annapurna I. In total, he has summited eight of the world’s fourteen 8,000-metre peaks, having already completed all such peaks located in Nepal.
Beyond the 8,000-metre giants, he has also climbed Ama Dablam seven times along with other challenging Himalayan peaks such as Putha Hiunchuli and Himlung Himal. Over his career, he has participated in more than 22 expeditions above 8,000 metres and over ten additional expeditions in the 6,000–7,000 metre range, establishing himself as one of Nepal’s most experienced high-altitude climbers.
From Yak Herder to Himalayan Record Holder
Born on November 27, 1986, in Walung of Sankhuwasabha district, Lakpa Sherpa grew up in the shadow of Mt. Makalu itself. His early life was spent herding yaks and cattle in high alpine pastures, unaware that the mountain dominating his horizon would one day define his identity.
He entered the world of mountaineering at the age of 15, working as a porter for a French trekking group heading toward Makalu Base Camp. The experience was physically demanding and emotionally challenging, but it marked the beginning of his lifelong connection with the mountains.
His first 8,000-metre summit came in 2010 when he climbed Manaslu as part of a South Korean expedition. The following year, he joined Seven Summit Treks, where he steadily progressed from climbing Sherpa to expedition leader and rope-fixing team chief, building a reputation for reliability in extreme alpine conditions.
Guinness Record and Defining Makalu Moments
One of the defining highlights of his career came in 2022 when he climbed Mt. Makalu three times within just 16 days, including one ascent without supplemental oxygen. This extraordinary achievement earned him a Guinness World Record and placed him among the most active high-altitude climbers in modern Himalayan history.
That season was also marked by life-threatening incidents, including a fall of nearly 300 metres on an icy slope, from which he survived and helped rescue fellow climbers. Despite the dangers, Lakpa has consistently emphasized that human life and teamwork outweigh personal records in the mountains.
A Trusted Leader in Himalayan Expeditions
Beyond his summits, Lakpa Sherpa is widely respected as a rope-fixing specialist and expedition leader. In autumn 2025, he led rope-fixing operations on Mt. Dhaulagiri I, opening the route for climbers under joint expeditions between Seven Summit Treks and 14 Peaks Expeditions. His technical expertise and leadership are considered vital to safe climbing operations on some of the Himalaya’s most dangerous routes. He often describes Makalu as his “home mountain,” reflecting a deep emotional and spiritual connection built over decades of repeated ascents and survival in extreme conditions.
With Makalu and Annapurna I successfully completed this season, Lakpa Sherpa’s attention now turns toward Mt. Everest, the final objective in his ambitious spring campaign. A successful Everest ascent would complete a rare triple-peak achievement in a single season, further elevating his status among the world’s most active high-altitude climbers. Having already climbed eight of the world’s fourteen 8,000-metre peaks, Lakpa Sherpa now stands on the threshold of completing the full set, with only peaks in China and Pakistan remaining.
Lakpa Sherpa’s ninth ascent of Makalu is more than a record, it is a continuation of a lifelong journey shaped by resilience, technical mastery, and deep respect for the mountains. From a young yak herder in Sankhuwasabha to one of the world’s most accomplished high-altitude climbers, his story reflects both the human spirit of endurance and Nepal’s enduring legacy in global mountaineering. As Lakpa Sherpa moves toward Everest this season, the world’s attention remains fixed on a climber who continues to redefine what is possible in the death zone above 8,000 metres.
