Nepali mountaineer Prakash Raj Pandey, who has embarked on a mission to climb the highest peaks of all seven continents, has successfully summited the highest mountain in South America.
Pandey informed that he successfully climbed Mount Aconcagua in Argentina on Thursday, February 6. After the ascent, he also received an official certificate verifying his achievement.
At 7:50 AM local time on Thursday, Pandey hoisted the Nepalese national flag, adorned with the moon and sun, at the summit of Aconcagua, which stands at 6,961 meters. He shared via video call that he is expected to return to Nepal by next Wednesday.
As part of his mission to conquer the highest peaks on all seven continents, Pandey departed for Buenos Aires, Argentina, on January 21, carrying the national flag presented to him by then-Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli.
This marks Pandey’s fourth summit in the prestigious Seven Summits mountaineering challenge and his 11th successful climb overall. He has been pursuing this mission since 2022, accompanied by record-holding climber Chatur Tamang.
Previously, Pandey and Tamang successfully summited Mount Elbrus, the highest peak in Europe, located in Russia. He has also conquered Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak in Tanzania, as well as Nepal’s Mount Manaslu, known as the “Killer Mountain,” and the technically demanding Ama Dablam.
Despite its lower altitude, Pandey described the Aconcagua climb as highly challenging due to its rapidly changing weather conditions, making it as difficult as scaling Mount Everest. Along with the Nepalese flag, he also had the honor of hoisting the flags of Nepal Scouts and Rotary International, representing these organizations.
Pandey mentioned that he used his expedition as an opportunity to raise awareness about climate change, engaging in discussions with local stakeholders. He highlighted that climate change is causing significant and unforeseen challenges for Nepal and other countries with rich biodiversity and unique geographical features.
He expressed confidence that his expedition would contribute to strengthening diplomatic relations between Nepal and Argentina while also promoting Nepal as a key destination for adventure tourism in South America.
Looking ahead, Pandey aims to climb Denali, the highest peak in North America, as his next goal in the Seven Summits challenge. Having first climbed Mount Everest in 2018, Pandey plans to complete the Seven Summits challenge by eventually returning to Nepal and concluding his journey with another ascent of Everest.
