Renowned climber Nirmal Purja has climbed Mount Makalu, marking his fourth successful summit of the fifth highest peak in the world.
Sharing a post with a video on social media platform X on Tuesday, Purja said that he had climbed without oxygen and without acclimatization.
With this summit, Purja has further solidified his world record for the most successful ascents of peaks above 8,000 meters. It marks his 45th summit of an eight-thousander, 21 of which were achieved without the use of supplemental oxygen.
Climbing guide Kami Rita Sherpa comes in a distant second with 38 ascents of eight-thousander peaks.
“NEVER let anyone tell you that you are not possible. Believe in your dreams, keep working hard, keep pushing those limitations!” Purja wrote on X.
A former British Army soldier, Purja gained fame with his record ascent of 14 peaks above 8000 meters in six months and six days in 2019, a feat showcased in the Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible.
In 2023, Norwegian climber Kristin Harila and Nepali guide Tenjen Sherpa ‘Lama’ broke Nimsdai’s record by summiting all 14 eight-thousanders in just 92 days.
On Monday, at least twelve climbers, including Sherpas from Seven Summit Treks, successfully summited Mount Makalu, according to the expedition organizers.
The successful summiteers include seven Nepali climbing guides and five foreign climbers: Shima Afsari and Afsaneh Hesami Fard from Iran, Graciela Flor Cuenca Blas from Peru, Ahmad Mohammad Mousa Bani-Hani from Jordan, and Alessandra Kate Pepper from Australia.
Tashi Sherpa, Lakpa Tenji Sherpa, Phurba Dorchi Sherpa, Mingtemba Sherpa, Ngima Wangdak Sherpa, Tawa Chhiri Sherpa, and Yangji Sherpa were Nepali climbers who summited the peak while guiding their clients.