A team of Nepali and American climbers has claimed the first recorded ascent of Lumbo Himal, a previously unclimbed 6,250-metre peak in Nepal's remote Gorkha district, opening a new route in one of the country's least explored mountain regions.

The expedition, organised by Himalaya Summit Club, said four climbers reached the summit on June 22 after establishing a route up the mountain's south-west face following several days of exploration and technical climbing.

The team comprised Nepali guides Tul Singh Gurung, Sujal Gurung and Aash Bahadur Gurung, along with American climber Eric Mathew Soo. According to the expedition organiser, the summit marks the first documented ascent of Lumbo Himal, in Dharche Rural Municipality on the northern edge of the Manaslu Conservation Area, south of the Ganesh Himal range.

Unlike Nepal's popular commercial climbing peaks, Lumbo Himal lies in an isolated valley without settlements, tea houses or established trekking routes. The approach required an expedition-style journey through remote terrain before the team established a base camp at 4,150 metres and a high camp at 5,049 metres.

Tul Singh Gurung, who planned the expedition, said the team selected the south-west face after assessing snow, rock and ice conditions. The route included loose scree, mixed rock and ice, steep sections reaching up to 85 degrees, exposed traverses and crevasses. Around 400 metres of fixed rope were installed during the ascent.

According to Gurung, the summit push began at 4:00 a.m. on June 22 from high camp. After roughly 12 hours of climbing, the team reached the summit at about 4:00 p.m. before descending through the night and returning safely to high camp around midnight, completing nearly 20 hours of continuous climbing.

Gurung, who heads the National Nepal Mountain Guide Association (NNAGA), which represents Nepali guides certified by the International Federation of Mountain Guides Associations (IFMGA), said exploratory climbs remain important despite the growing commercialisation of Himalayan mountaineering.

"This ascent represents the true spirit of exploration at a time when most Himalayan peaks have already been climbed," Gurung told Everest Chronicle.

According to Gurung, Lumbo Himal is suitable only for climbers with previous experience on technical 6,000-metre peaks because of unstable rock, steep ice and long, exposed climbing sections.

The expedition also observed local Gurung traditions before the climb by conducting a mountain blessing ceremony, reflecting the community's long-held spiritual connection with the surrounding peaks.

Nepal, home to eight of the world's 14 mountains above 8,000 metres, continues to attract climbers seeking new objectives beyond its famous commercial routes.

While most major Himalayan summits have been climbed repeatedly, first ascents of unclimbed peaks have become rare.

Nepal, which has more than 1,300 peaks above 6,000 metres, still offers hundreds of unclimbed summits and thousands of unnamed ridges suitable for exploration. To encourage such ventures, the government has waived climbing royalties for 97 peaks in Karnali and Sudurpaschim provinces for two years in an effort to boost tourism and local economies in remote mountain districts.