Nepalese Sherpa Kami Rita scales Everest for 31st time, breaks own record

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Famed Nepalese Sherpa guide Kami Rita has scaled Mount Everest for the 31st time, breaking his own record for the most successful ascents of the world's highest peak.

The 55-year-old climber leading stood atop the 8,849-meter summit at around 4 am on Tuesday under stable weather conditions, according to Mingma Sherpa, chairman of Seven Summit Treks, the expedition organiser.

He was guiding a team of the Indian Army Adventure Wing Everest Expedition, led by Lieutenant Colonel Manoj Joshi.

This new feat cements his status as the record holder for the highest number of ascents to the top of the world a record that no one else has come close to, the Kathmandu Post newspaper quoted Mingma as saying.

Kami Rita is safe and stable after his summit. He has started his descent and is on his way back to base camp, he added. As always, Kami has demonstrated his unmatched skills and professionalism on the mountain. We are immensely proud of his achievement and the legacy he continues to build.

In the last two years, Kami Rita scaled Mt Everest twice each season taking his successful summits count to 30.

Kami Rita developed a deep passion for climbing from a young age and has been scaling mountains for over two decades, Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Expedition Director at Seven Summit Treks, said.

His mountaineering journey began in 1992 when he joined an expedition to Everest as a support staff member.

According to Dawa, between 1994 to 2025 Kami Rita also scaled K2 and Mt Lhotse one time, Manaslu thrice, and Cho Oyu eight times.

Hundreds of climbers attempt to climb Mount Everest from the Nepali side each year.

Everest was first climbed in 1953 by New Zealander Edmund Hillary and Nepali Sherpa Tenzing Norgay.