On May 17, 2026, two Sherpas made history on the world's highest mountain: Kami Rita Sherpa stood on the summit of Mount Everest for the 32nd time, and Lhakpa Sherpa for the 11th time. Both thus surpassed their own world records on the roof of the world.
The 2026 spring season on Mount Everest is already setting new standards even before the first summit successes: Nepal has with 492 climbing permits issued to climbers from 55 nations More permits than ever before have been issued. Because China has closed the ascent route on the Tibetan north side, all aspiring climbers are crowding onto the Nepalese south route this season. Local Sherpas feared dangerous bottlenecks after a 30-meter-high, unstable serac blocked the route through the Khumbu Icefall, delaying planned expeditions.
In the Himalayas, difficult moments constantly remind us of the strength of teamwork, unity, and determination.
Kami Rita Sherpa
Kami Rita Sherpa: 32nd summit success on Mount Everest
On May 17th at 10:12 AM, 56-year-old Kami Rita Sherpa stood on the summit of Mount Everest for the 32nd time. This surpasses his own world record from 2025, when he set the mark at 31 ascents.
Born in Thame, Nepal, Kami Rita first reached the summit of the world's highest mountain in 1994 at the age of 24. Since then, he has returned to Everest almost every year, sometimes even twice in a single season. His father was among the first professional Sherpa mountain guides, and his brother Lakpa Rita has summited the mountain 17 times. In addition to the Everest record, the "Everest Man" Kami Rita also holds the record for the most ascents of eight-thousanders, with a total of 43 successful summits. His closest competitor on Everest, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, has reached 30 ascents since May 18, 2026.
In a statement following his 32nd summit success, Kami Rita Sherpa explicitly dedicated the record to the entire Nepalese mountaineering community. He emphasized the work of the Sherpas and Icefall Doctors who, in this particularly challenging season, prepared the ascent route to the summit under difficult conditions. His conclusion: "This success does not belong to me alone. It belongs to Nepal. To every Sherpa who works quietly in the shadow of these mighty mountains. To every guide, porter, route setter, cook, and climber who keeps the spirit of Himalayan mountaineering alive."
Lhakpa Sherpa: "Mountain Queen" with 11 Everest summits
Just under 40 minutes earlier, he wrote Lhakpa Sherpas On the same day, history was also made. The 52-year-old Nepalese woman reached the summit of Mount Everest for the eleventh time on May 17, 2026, at 9:30 a.m. local time, further extending her world record as the woman with the most Everest ascents. She completed the climb from Camp 4 overnight, acting as a mountain guide for a client.
On May 18, 2000, Lhakpa Sherpa became the first Nepalese woman to reach the summit of Everest and return alive – a milestone that launched her extraordinary career. She achieved further summit successes in 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022, and now 2026. In 2023, she also climbed K2, the world's second-highest mountain.
Lhakpa Sherpa became known to a wider public through the Netflix documentary "Mountain Queen: The Summits of Lhakpa Sherpa" by director Lucy Walker. The film followed her on her tenth Everest expedition.
Lhakpa Sherpa also spoke out after her record-breaking ascent. She described this year's season as unusually crowded, with climbers of all experience levels. She noted that the summit structure had noticeably changed, reminding her of a cobra's face. Like Kami Rita, the "Mountain Queen" also expressed her gratitude to the Sherpas who prepared the route: "I have reached the summit of Everest for the 11th time! So many people were on Everest this year. Some incredibly experienced, others completely new to mountaineering. Thank you so much for your support – I couldn't have done it without all of you. My special thanks go to the Sherpas who established the route. They are the true heroes."
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Credits cover photo: Lhakpa Sherpa Instagram