Kathmandu [Nepal], May 17 (ANI): Nepal's Sherpa climber and guide Kami Rita on Sunday morning set a world record for summiting Mount Everest, for the 32nd time, a record number of times by a single person. He is 56 years old.

As per officials from the Department of Tourism overseeing the expedition in the high-laying Himalayas of Nepal, including Mount Everest, Kami Rita stood atop the world's highest peak for the 32nd time this morning.

'The Department of Tourism hereby informs that Nepali mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa successfully summited Mount Everest (8,848.86 metres) on May 17, 2026 at 10:12 a.m. (Nepal Standard Time), marking his 32nd successful ascent of the mountain. According to information received from the Department's field office stationed at Everest Base Camp, the ascent was completed during the Spring 2026 mountaineering season while leading an expedition operated by 14 Peaks Expedition,' the Department announced in a Press Release.

'Kami Rita Sherpa, born on January 17, 1970 in Thame, Solukhumbu District, is currently engaged as a mountain guide on Mt. Everest under Climbing Permit No. 70 issued by the Department of Tourism.' He first summited Mt. Everest in 1994. The Department of Tourism extends congratulations to Kami Rita Sherpa on achieving this historic milestone and acknowledges his contribution to promoting Nepal's mountaineering sector in the international arena.

The Sherpa climber has been scaling the mountains for over two decades. His mountaineering journey began in 1992 when he joined an expedition to Everest as a support staff member.

Since then, Kami Rita has fearlessly embarked on numerous expeditions, summiting Everest multiple times. His achievements extend beyond Everest, as he has also conquered other formidable peaks, including K2, Cho Oyu, Lhotse, and Manaslu. On Tuesday, Kami Rita also led a team of climbers to the top of the world's tallest peak.

A record number of climbers have received permits to scale the world's tallest peak despite the increased revenue as well as the ongoing crisis in East Asia, which has driven up flight fares.

Nepal, since last September, has hiked the royalty of the 8000ers. The Sixth Amendment of the mountaineering regulation released on February 3, 2025, also bars climbers from solo expeditions in all the 8000er peaks. The amendment in Rule 6 of the previous regulation has been amended to bar climbers from going on a solo expedition of the 8000ers.

The recently adopted changes also formally publicised the hike in royalty fee for the foreign climbers attempting to summit Mount Everest from the standard south route in spring to 15000 USD per person.

The spring season expedition, which sees a high influx of climbers in the Himalayan Nation from the month of March to May, used to be 11,000 USD. The new regulation has also increased the climbing royalty for the autumn season, running from September to November, to 7,500 USD from the existing 5,500 USD.

Similarly, the Winter expedition, which runs from December to February and the monsoon from June to August, has also been revised to 3,750 USD from 2,750 USD.

The updated provision has also incorporated the revised fees for the other 8000ers. The royalty of the spring expedition has increased by nearly twofold from 1800 to 3000 USD. The autumn fee now stands at 1500 USD from the existing 900 USD, while the winter and monsoon expedition has become dearer as it has been revised from 450 USD to 750 USD.

In regards to Nepali climbers, the royalty for the normal route in the spring season has doubled from Nrs. 75,000 to 150,000. Nepal in the year 2015 revised the royalty fee by switching from a group-based system to a uniform fee of USD 11,000 per climber for Everest's spring season via the normal route.

The cost for the expedition rises further when the weather is not favourable, as it normally lasts for only two weeks in a year.

Close to 7,000 mountaineers have climbed Everest from the Nepal side since Tenzing Norgay Sherpa and New Zealander Edmund Percival Hillary first set foot atop the world's highest peak in May 1953. (ANI)