KATHMANDU: At least 11 climbers successfully scaled Mt Aconcagua (6,962 m), the highest peak in South America early this morning.

According to Mingma Gyabu Sherpa, Managing Director at Elite Himalayan Adventures, he along with co-founder Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja, climber Narbin Magar and actor Deeya Pun among others scaled the highest mountain in both the Southern and Western Hemispheres at around 2:40 am (local time).

“There were eight members and three mountain guides in the team,” Sherpa shared. According to him, he climbed the peak to promote ‘Visit Nepal Year - 2020’ campaign.

Before heading to Mt Aconcagua, Sherpa climbed Mt Manaslu (8,163 m), the world’s eighth highest peak, in nine days, appealing all stakeholders to make Visit Nepal 2020 a grand success. He also climbed Mt Ama Dablam last month.

Sherpa had climbed Mt Everest and Mt Lhotse in the last spring season. He scaled the world’s second highest peak guiding a group of international expedition to Mt K2. He also made it to the summit of Broad Peak after returning from Mt K2 in Pakistan. He also climbed Mount Elbrus (5,642 m), Europe’s highest peak this year.

Sherpa, who took part in Breathless Race and Everest Marathon in the last spring season, plans to complete all the highest mountains of each of the seven continents as well as all 14 of the world’s 8000-metre peaks.

Gurkha soldier Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja also holds a record of the fastest triple-header of the higher eight-thousanders. According to Guinness World Records, Purja had already set a new speed record successfully summitting Mt Everest, Mt Lhotse and Mt Makalu in just 5 days 3 hours 35 minutes in 2017.

Narbin Magar from Solukhumbu has already held a record of the youngest person from his community to successfully climb the world’s highest peak. He also scaled Mt Everest, Mt Elbrus and Mt Kilimanjaro – in three continents within 106 days. Magar says he aims to complete all seven summits within the next two years.