Records & People
Konstantin Smirnov says his guide walked away near Makalu’s summit in May 2026. He survived, lost five fingers, and filed criminal and civil cases in…
By Dawa Sherpa · Jul 22, 2026
Konstantin Smirnov spent nearly two days alone above 7,700 metres on the world's fifth-highest mountain, without his guide, without supplementary oxygen, and without anyone at base camp knowing exactly where he was. He survived. He did not keep his fingers…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
He says his guide left him behind at around 7,900 metres on the descent, between 6:30 and 7pm on 9 May. The pair had reached the summit at about 10:45am that morning. "When I woke up I was shocked to discover that my guide had left me to die high on the…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
The operator disputes his account, and the disagreement is about whether the client could be moved. The company says Smirnov refused to descend with Gurung, and that Gurung continued down immediately to alert base camp rather than abandoning him. It also says…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
He is pursuing two separate cases, one criminal and one civil. The criminal complaint, accusing Gurung of attempted murder, was filed at the Sankhuwasabha District Police Office. The civil case went to Kathmandu's Consumer Court, reportedly seeking around…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Whatever a Nepali court decides about intent, one thing is not in dispute: a client on a paid, guided 8,000 m expedition lost every finger on one hand. Cases like this are rare. They are not unheard of. They are exactly why the Nepal Mountaineering…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Almost nobody reading this is attempting an 8,000 m summit, and the lesson still applies at every altitude. The vast majority of our clients trek to base camps or climb well-guided, lower-risk peaks such as Island Peak or Mera Peak with fixed guide ratios and…
Travel Himalaya Nepal · News
Plan your trek
NMA-certified guides · permits sorted · 5,000+ treks since 1998.
$2850 pp
Free guide
Permits, costs, seasons and routes — the essentials we send every traveller, plus a free, no-obligation trip quote.
↑ Swipe up
Read the full report and grab the free Nepal Trek Insider Guide — or ask our Pokhara team for a tailored, no-obligation quote.
Read more & get the free guide Plan my trip — free quote Browse Makalu Base Camp Trek — 18 Days