Nepal's Sherpa climber Kami Rita makes history by climbing Mount Everest for the 30th time

Nepali Sherpa climber and guide Kami Rita Sherpa achieved a new world record on Wednesday (May 22) by climbing atop Mount Everest for the 30th time, marking the highest number of ascents by a person. The announcement was made by officials from the Department of Tourism, who monitor expeditions in Nepal's high Himalayas, including Mount Everest.

"This morning at 7:49 am, Kami Rita Sherpa broke his own record he had set just nine days earlier. This marks his 30th ascent to the top of the world," Khimlal Gautam, Chief of the Expedition Monitoring and Facilitation Field Office confirmed, as cited by ANI news agency.

This is his second ascent of the season, following his first on May 12. Kami Rita, originally from Thame village in Solukhumbu, Nepal, works as a Senior Guide at Seven Summit Treks.

The 54-year-old Sherpa climber has been scaling mountains for over two decades.

He began his mountaineering career in 1992 as a support staff member on an Everest expedition.

Since then, Kami Rita has undertaken various expeditions, summiting Everest multiple times.

His achievements extend beyond Everest to include other formidable peaks such as K2, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Manaslu. Kami Rita also led a team of climbers to the top of the world's highest peak.

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Record-setting expedition

At the end of May, Kami Rita Sherpa left Kathmandu with a group of about 28 climbers. He has been guiding climbers up Mount Everest. Kami Rita holds the record for the most ascents of Mount Everest in its 71-year climbing history.

Pasang Dawa Sherpa, also from Solukhumbu, climbed Mount Everest for the 27th time last year but is currently taking a break and resting at home.

Nepal charges foreign climbers $11,000 for Mount Everest permits, but the total cost of climbing ranges from $40,000 to $90,000.

Costs can go up if the weather is bad, as the climbing season usually lasts only two weeks each year.

Nearly 7,000 climbers have reached the summit of Everest from Nepal since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Edmund Hillary first did so in May 1953.

(With inputs from agencies)