KATHMANDU: After scaling Mt Cho Oyu from the Tibetan side yesterday, former UK’s Special Forces member Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja today reached the base camp of the world’s eighth highest mountain in western Nepal to complete his 13th eight-thousander continuing the last phase of his ambition to speed climb the world’s 14 highest mountains in just seven months.

“I am now at the base camp of Mt Manaslu,” Purja (36) told THT this afternoon. Purja said that he along with the team members of Project Possible would attempt to reach the summit point of the 8,163-metre mountain on September 27.

Being part of the eight-member rope fixing team, Purja, the multiple-record-holder Nepali climber, made it to the summit of Mt Cho Oyu (8,188 m) completing his 12th eight-thousander in just five months on Monday morning.

Purja, who has spent 16 years in the British Army, plans to climb Mt Manaslu, Mt Cho Oyu and Mt Shishapangma by this November to complete his third phase of the Project Possible. In the last two phases, Purja had climbed 11 mountains above 8,000 m in just over four months.

As China has reportedly closed Mt Shishapangma this year, it’s still uncertain whether the Chinese authorities will consider Nepal’s request to let Purja-led team scale the mountain next month.

Purja, who quit a prestigious job in the British Army to break more boundaries and help others move forward in their lives, said he had already re-mortgaged his Hampshire home to collect the fund for the ‘Project Possible’.

Purja’s Summit Success:

• Cho Oyu – September 23
• Broad Peak – July 26
• Mt K2 – July 24
• Gasherbrum II – July 18
• Gasherbrum I – July 15
• Nanga Parbat – July 03
• Mt Makalu – May 24
• Mt Everest – May 22
• Mt Lhotse – May 22
• Mt Kanchenjunga – May 15
• Mt Dhaulagiri – May 12
• Mt Annapurna – April 23