Everest's busiest season ever: a record 1,008 summits in spring 2026
Nepal's Department of Tourism has confirmed the most successful Everest season on record — including 274 summits in a single day.
Key facts
- Spring 2026 set an all-time Everest record: 1,008 summits from the Nepal side.
- Nepal issued 492 permits to climbers from 55 countries — the most ever.
- 274 people reached the top on a single day — also a record.
- Kami Rita Sherpa summited for a record 32nd time, aged 56.
The spring 2026 season on Mount Everest broke every crowding record on the books. By the time the fixed ropes came down in late May, Nepal had logged a record 1,008 successful summits from the south side and issued 492 climbing permits — more than in any previous year — to mountaineers from 55 nations.
One big reason for the squeeze: China kept the Tibetan north side largely closed, funnelling the world’s Everest hopefuls onto the Nepalese south route. On the busiest morning, 274 climbers stood on the summit in a single day — the most ever — stacking the Hillary Step and the summit ridge with queues.
A 32nd summit for Kami Rita
The season’s headline belonged, again, to Kami Rita Sherpa. On 17 May the 56-year-old guide from Thame reached the top for a record 32nd time, extending his own world record. His nearest rival, Pasang Dawa Sherpa, logged his 31st — between them, 63 ascents of the world’s highest mountain, a measure of how completely the Sherpa community carries the climbing economy.
| Metric | 2026 | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Total summits (south side) | 1,008 | All-time high |
| Climbing permits issued | 492 | All-time high |
| Summits in a single day | 274 | All-time high |
| Countries represented | 55 | — |
What this means for trekkers
A clarification we make every season: trekking to Everest Base Camp is not climbing Everest. The 1,008 summits and the $15,000 climbing royalty apply to expeditions going above Base Camp. As an EBC trekker you need only the two trekking permits — Sagarmatha National Park plus Khumbu Pasang Lhamu, about NPR 5,000 total. See our EBC permit guide.
Our take
A record climbing year means a busy, buzzing Khumbu in spring — full lodges in Namche, Dingboche and Gorak Shep, and helicopters constantly overhead. If you want the Everest atmosphere at its liveliest, spring is electric; for quieter trails and the same big views, walk in late autumn instead.
Either way, book teahouses and Lukla flights early — a record season fills the best lodges and flight seats fast. Our 14-day Everest Base Camp trek bundles permits, Lukla flights and an experienced Sherpa guide, so the logistics are handled.
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珠峰纪录季的另一面：五人罹难与一场高海拔清理行动
珠峰打破纪录的2026年春季——1,008次登顶——也带来了清醒的反思：五人罹难，一场由军方主导的行动正从山上清理遗体和数以吨计的垃圾。