Nepali Climber Kami Rita Sherpa summits Everest a record 29th time

Nepali mountain guide Kami Rita Sherpa has become the sole person to summit Mount Everest a record 29 times, breaking his own previous record of 28 ascents to the world's highest peak.

The 54-year-old climbing legend from Thame village reached the 8,848.86-meter (29,032-foot) summit, setting a new benchmark in the annals of Himalayan mountaineering.

Sherpa first scaled the treacherous peak in 1994 at age 24 and has spent nearly every climbing season since then expertly guiding foreign climbers to the top of the world's highest mountain.

Beyond his historic numbers on Everest, the veteran guide has also summited other formidable Himalayan giants including K2, Lhotse, Manaslu and Cho Oyu.

With its eight of the world's 14 highest peaks, Nepal remains a magnetic draw for both seasoned climbers and adventure seekers annually attempting to conquer its iconic mountains.