Who Has Climbed Everest 7 Times? The Inspiring Story of Lhakpa Sherpa - By Trekkers Nepal

Who Has Climbed Everest 7 Times? The Inspiring Story of Lhakpa Sherpa​

Standing atop Mount Everest even once is a dream most people will never achieve. But climbing it seven times or more? That's a league reserved for the truly extraordinary. As of 2026, only about 7,269 people have ever reached Everest's summit — and just a handful have done it seven or more times.

Why Multiple Everest Summits Are So Rare​

Every Everest expedition is a battle against nature at its most extreme — bone-chilling temperatures, oxygen-thin air, deadly avalanches, and unpredictable weather. The overall success rate per expedition sits at just 50–60%, meaning failure is more common than success. Add in costs of $40,000–$100,000+ per climb, months of preparation, and serious physical risk, and it becomes clear why repeating this feat is almost unheard of.

The Woman Who Did It 7 Times — And Then Some​

Among the elite few, Lhakpa Sherpa stands out as the most remarkable. Born in 1973 in a remote Nepali village near Makalu, she grew up in poverty with 11 siblings and never received a formal education. Yet on May 18, 2000, she made history as the first Nepali woman to summit Everest and descend safely.

That was just the beginning.

By 2016, Lhakpa had reached the summit seven times — breaking the women's world record. What makes this even more extraordinary is that between expeditions, she was living in Connecticut, USA, working part-time at a 7-Eleven store, raising children, and training simultaneously.

She didn't stop there. In 2022, she summited for the 10th time, becoming the first woman in history to reach double-digit Everest summits — a record no other woman has matched.

Her 10 Historic Summits at a Glance​

Year	Milestone
2000	First Nepali woman to summit Everest
2003	Climbed alongside her sister Ming Kipa Sherpa
2016	7th summit — broke women's world record
2022	10th summit — first woman with double-digit summits
2023	Successfully climbed K2, the world's 2nd highest peak

A Legacy Beyond the Summit​

Lhakpa's achievements extend far beyond altitude records. She was named among BBC's 100 Most Influential Women (2016), received India's Tenzing Norgay National Adventure Award (2023), and her life story was featured in a Netflix documentary in 2018.

Her journey has shattered stereotypes about women in high-altitude mountaineering and brought global recognition to the Sherpa community's unmatched contribution to Himalayan climbing.

The Bigger Picture​

While Lhakpa holds the women's record, Kami Rita Sherpa leads the all-time list with an incredible 31 Everest summits as of 2026, followed by Pasang Dawa Sherpa with 29. Among international climbers, UK's Kenton Cool leads with 19 summits.

Yet Lhakpa's story carries a unique human element — resilience against poverty, gender barriers, and personal hardship — that makes her achievement resonate on a deeply personal level for millions worldwide.

Everest doesn't just test your strength — it tests your soul. Lhakpa Sherpa has proven that with courage and commitment, even the world's highest peak is no match for the human spirit.