Kami Rita Sherpa safely arrived at the base camp on Monday morning, a day after he stood atop the summit of the world’s highest peak for the 29th time, breaking his own record.
The 54-year-old was greeted by a cheering crowd of climbers, colleagues, and representatives from the Department of Tourism, who adorned him with garlands and vermillion. “I would like to thank everyone for their love and support,” he said.
Expressing gratitude on behalf of the government authorities, Khimlal Gautam, chief of the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office at the base camp, adorned Kami Rita with a garland and Tibetan Khada.
“Kami Rita exemplifies the courage, resilience, and excellence of Sherpas. He has successfully guided hundreds of climbers to the summits of various peaks, including Everest. The entire nation takes pride in his accomplishments,” said Gautam, who is also a two times Everest summiteer.
Tourism Minister Hit Bhadaur Tamang also joined the celebration over a WhatsApp video call, extending his congratulations for Kami Rita’s extraordinary feat.
Kami Rita reached the summit of Mount Everest for the 29th time at 7:25 a.m. on Sunday while leading an expedition organized by adventure operator Seven Summit Treks. He plans for a second ascent later this month after a few weeks of rest, extending his lead over fellow climbing guide Pasang Dawa Sherpa who trails him with 27 summits.
Born in the foothills of Everest to the ethnic Sherpa community, Kami Rita began his career as a porter before becoming a climbing guide. Since his first successful ascent in 1994, he has scaled Everest almost every year, often twice every season.
According to the Department of Tourism, at least 414 climbers have obtained permits to climb Everest from the Nepal side.
