Who climbed Everest 7 times?

Very few mountaineers have summited the highest mountain peak, the “Mount Everest” multiple times. In fact, as of 2026, there are only about 7,269 people who have reached the summit of Mt. Everest at least once in their life. Among these, there are only a handful of people who have stood on the top of Everest seven or more times. Climbing Everest even once is an incredible feat but doing it seven times demonstrates exceptional skill, hardcore dedication, and incredible resilience.

How difficult is multiple ascents of Mount Everest? 

Each Everest climb is physically demanding, grueling and risky. The mountaineers who dare to climb the highest peak on the earth face the challenge of extreme cold, thin air, avalanches, and dangerous mountain crevasses. In fact, the normal success rate of Everest expedition or Everest climb is only around 50% to 60% on a given expedition. It means many attempts to climb Everest end without reaching the top of the peak.

Doing it seven times is a great feat in itself because it multiplies these difficult challenges. Each of these expeditions requires climbers months of difficult training, acclimatization, and a very high financial cost (tens of thousands of dollars per one round trip). In addition, the condition on the mountain changes every year, making it important for a climber to change their strategies repeatedly. There are only a very few numbers of experienced and fit climbers that manage to keep returning to this mountain safely.

List of Notable People who have climbed Everest more than 7 times?

7 Is a lucky number in most cultures but it’s just another number for these climbers who have climbed Mount Everest on multiple occasions. The table lists the most famous mountaineers who have climbed more than 7 times as of February 2026.

Name	Total Summits	Nationality	Role / Distinction	List of Summit Years (Ascents)
Kami Rita Sherpa	31	Nepal	World Record Holder (Most Ascents Ever)	1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009 (x2), 2010 (x2), 2012, 2013 (x2), 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 (x2), 2021, 2022, 2023 (x2), 2024 (x2), 2025
Pasang Dawa Sherpa	29	Nepal	Second Highest Ascents	1998, 1999, 2001 (x2), 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 (x2), 2008, 2009, 2010 (x2), 2011, 2012, 2013 (x2), 2016, 2017, 2018 (x2), 2019 (x2), 2022 (x2), 2023 (x2), 2024/25
Ngima Nuru Sherpa	24+	Nepal	Elite Guide (Multiple ascents)	2001, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 (x2), 2024 (List is approximate based on recent data)
Apa Sherpa	21	Nepal	“Super Sherpa” (Retired Record Holder)	1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011
Phurba Tashi Sherpa	21	Nepal	Retired Record Holder (multiple joint summits with Apa)	1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (x2), 2008, 2009 (x2), 2010 (x2), 2011, 2012, 2013
Kenton Cool	19	UK	Most by a non-Nepali	2004, 2005, 2006, 2007 (x2), 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Dave Hahn	15	USA	Most by an American	1994, 1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006 (x2), 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
Lhakpa Sherpa	10	Nepal	Most by a Woman	2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2022

Note: X2 on the table means successful climb of Mount Everest two times in the same calendar year.

Who climbed Everest 7 times?  

One notable climber who reached the summit seven times is Lhakpa Sherpa from Nepal. Unlike other fellow climbers who summited Everest more than seven times, she is the only lady climber to climb Everest successfully more than 7 times. She first summited Mount Everest in 2000 and went on to set a woman’s record in 2016 with her seventh Everest climb. 2016 was the first climbing season when a woman tackled the men’s record of 7 climbs for the first time.

Since then, brave lady Lhakpa has continued to climb Everest even more and by 2022 she climbed it for the tenth time. She still holds the world record for the highest number of times a woman has successfully summited Mount Everest. Lhakpa Sherpa’s achievement stands out against other fellow climbers because she was the first Nepali woman to summit Everest and proudly holds the most summits by any woman.

Meet the Legendary Woman Climber: Lhakpa Sherpa

Born in 1973, Lhakpa Sherpa grew up in a remote mountain village near Makalu Mountain of eastern Nepal.  After facing childhood hardships and coming from a humble background, she never got formal school education. She had to carry her younger brothers to school and back in her early life. She came from a humble background of a poverty-stricken family with 11 other siblings. Despite the hardships in life with grit and effort she made history on May 18, 2000, when she became the first Nepali woman to summit Everest and descend safely. Over the years to come Lhakpa continued to challenge herself and by 2007 she had climbed Everest six times already.

In May 2016, Lhakpa Sherpa achieved her seventh Everest summit, setting a new women’s world record. She also continued climbing mountains other than Everest. She continues to inspire millions of men and especially women with her heroic summits. She recently summited the second highest and technically difficult Mountain K2 in 2023 to continue breaking records. Before her K2 ascent she broke her own record in 2022 by summiting Everest for the tenth time and becoming first woman in history to reach double digits of Everest climb. Her story is remarkable, a dedicated climber who balanced family life (she worked part-time in the US) with intense high-altitude expeditions.

List of all 10 Everest Ascents by Lhakpa Sherpa

According to publicly available records of her summits, Lhakpa Sherpa reached Everest’s summit in the following years:

1. 2000 – First summit (First Nepali woman to do so from South Col).
2. 2001 – Second time.
3. 2003 – Third time; climbed with her sister Ming Kipa Sherpa.
4. 2004 – Fourth time.
5. 2005 – Fifth time.
6. 2006 – Sixth time.
7. 2016 – Seventh time (from the Tibetan side).
8. 2017 – Eighth Time.
9. 2018 – Ninth time.
10. 2022 – Tenth time; From South Col to become first woman to complete double-digit summit of Everest.

Major Challenges During Each Ascent 

Each climb by Lhakpa Sherpa had its own hurdles, for example, the 2015 earthquake in Nepal shut down Everest expeditions that year. However, this did not deter Lhakpa Sherpa to achieve the seventh climb of Mount Everest and she switched to climbing from the Tibetan side in 2016, She overcame the logistical hurdles. In general, her challenges included facing extreme cold, high winds near the summit, and the usual Everest crowding and bottlenecks of the late spring climbing season. Over the years, she climbed while raising children and working abroad in the US, which caused difficulties in balancing training and family. Despite all the hardships and demanding balance between responsibilities and climbing, she has gone on to create records.

Physical and Mental Preparation

Climbing Everest repeatedly requires exceptional conditioning and Lhakpa Sherpa has undergone months of high-altitude training for each season. Her preparations for climbing have often included living and training at altitude (trekking to 5,000+ meter camps beforehand), running or carrying weights for strength, and extensive climbing to stay technically ready for each season. Mental toughness is also the key and after each success, she had to regain confidence to change the environment in the high-altitude region of Everest each climbing season. Staying motivated through crowded climbs and harsh weather, while ensuring safety, requires confidence, focus and mental clarity beyond normal scale. Guides on Everest noted that Lhakpa was calm under pressure and experienced in making smart decisions on the dangerous section of the mountain.

Records and Achievements Beyond Everest

Lhakpa Sherpa’s accomplishments go beyond the summit count.

Lhakpa Sherpa’s Achievements

Category	Details
Mount Everest	Summitted 10 times (as of 2026); world record for most and first double digit summits of Everest by a woman.
K2 Summit	Successfully climbed the world’s second-highest peak on July 27, 2023.
BBC 100 Women	Named one of the world’s most influential women by the BBC in 2016.
Netflix Documentary	Her life story was featured in a 2018 documentary film.
International Award	Received India’s Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award in 2023.

How Lhakpa Sherpa Changed Himalayan Mountaineering 

Lhakpa Sherpa’s achievements have inspired a generation of female trekkers and climbers. For a person coming from a rural Sherpa background and achieving a huge achievement has brought attention to women’s role in high-altitude climbing in Nepal and the whole world. She has shattered stereotypes and showed that Nepalese women and women can lead major expeditions and set records. Her story has also raised awareness about the lives of Sherpa climbers, by pushing her own limits she has directly advocated for better support and recognition of Sherpa guides.

Comparison With Other Multiple -Time Everest Climbers

While Lhakpa Sherpa holds the women’s record, other climbers have summited Everest many times too. For example, Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa holds the overall record, with 31 Everest summits as of 2026. On the international side, American Ed Viesturs climbed Everest seven times in his career (he is known for climbing all 14 eight-thousanders). Other notable international climbers like Kenton Cool from UK and Dave Hahn from US who have summited Everest 19 and 15 times internationally have led major expeditions in the world. However, unlike Lhakpa, these climbers are men. The context is that, overall, only a few dozen people have reached the summit more than ten times, out of thousands who have ever summited. Reaching even seven summits places Lhakpa in a very elite group.

Why Climbing Everest Multiple Times Is Rare?

Climbing Everest successfully once is a feat but repeating it is an achievement very few can repeat. As stated before in this blog, 7269 have completed the Everest summit once but only few have been able to repeat it. The reasons why multiple summits are rare is given below in the table

Challenge	Why it is difficult
High Cost	Each trip costs tens of thousands of dollars for permits, gear, and guides.
Time Needed	Expeditions take several months of total commitment.
Physical Toll	Climbers face high altitude frostbite, extreme tiredness, & long-term health risks from multiple attempts
Mental Stress	It is hard to stay motivated while being away from family for months to face life and death situations in the mountains alone.
Crowds	Large groups of people trying to summit create “traffic jams,” which makes the climb highly dangerous.
Risk	Every climb involves a high level of personal danger and risk of injury.

Interesting Facts About the 7-Time Everest Climber (Lhakpa Sherpa):

• 7-Eleven to Everest: At the time of her 7th summit, Lhakpa was living in Connecticut, USA, and working part-time at a 7-Eleven store, balancing ordinary life with extraordinary mountaineering.
• Family of Climbers: Lhakpa’s sister Ming Kipa Sherpa summited Everest at age 15 (the youngest female to do so in 2003 and held the record before it was broken). Her late husband, Gheorghe, also summited Everest five times.
• First Nepali Woman: In 2000, when Lhakpa first summited, she became the first Nepali woman to ever reach the top of Everest.
• Historic Honors: She is the only Nepali woman to have received the Tenzing Norgay Adventure Award (2023) and the first woman to achieve the “Double Digit summit”.

Conclusion

Climbing Everest multiple times and achieving a double-digit summit is an extraordinary human achievement. Thus, Lhakpa Sherpa of Nepal is a living legend for achieving this as the first Nepali woman and later extending her record after each climb is a feat second to none. Her story is a living example of how courage, skill, and grit can easily defeat even the tallest mountain on Earth. Aspiring climbers can learn from her dedication to climbing carefully, respect the mountain, and always prioritize safety.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Who has climbed Everest the most number of times till date?

The record belongs to a Nepali climber Kami Rita Sherpa, who has completed the safe summit of Everest 31 times as of 2026 February.

2. Can anyone climb Everest multiple times?

Technically and in theory any experienced mountaineer who has climbed mountains over 8,000m could attempt Everest repeatedly. However, in reality the climbers who summit many times typically come from the Sherpa community. Another group of multiple time summit achievers are mostly seasoned international guides who have led multiple expeditions each year across the globe. Adequate training, high-altitude experience, and resources are important to try summiting the climb multiple times.

3. How much does it cost to climb Everest?

 It varies by the season, experience of lead guides and services, but most Everest expeditions cost tens of thousands of dollars per person (permit fees, guides, Sherpa support, equipment, etc.). Basic guided climbs may start around $40,000–50,000, while luxury climbs can exceed $100,000. Cost does not guarantee success or safety, so climbers must plan carefully.