HNS/AP KATHMANDU, DECEMBER 13
Two brothers, who are among Nepal's most famous Sherpa guides, set out today to scale the highest peaks on each of the world's seven continents, in a sweeping global trek that will take them across both the North and South Poles.
Mingma Sherpa and Chhang Dawa Sherpa have already climbed the 14 highest peaks in the world - every one of which is in Asia. Their youngest brother, Tashi Lakpa, who will join on the worldwide adventure, has climbed six of those peaks.
"We were the first brothers to climb all 14 highest mountains in the world and now we are setting out to climb the highest peaks in the seven continents and reach both the Poles to become the 'grand slam brothers of mountaineering' in the climbing community," Mingma told the Associated Press.
The three brothers plan to fly out of Nepal today to Antarctica to begin their journey by climbing Mount Vinson and then skiing to the South Pole.
Mingma said they plan to complete the trip within a year and are paying for their adventure with their own money.
The brothers have already scaled Mount Everest, which is the highest mountain in Asia. After Mount Vinson in Antarctica, they will have the top peaks of five other continents to scale, and then the North Pole.
According to Thaneswar Guragai, manager at Seven Summit Treks, the team will spend one month in Antarctica attempting to scale Mt Vinson and ski the last degree (the South Pole). If the team accomplishes the feat, it will be recorded as the first three siblings and the first Nepali team to do so.
Among the three siblings, Mingma and Chhang Dawa Sherpa have kept the Guinness world record for 'World's First Siblings to Climb All 8000ers'.
Tashi Lakpa Sherpa is an adventure specialist and one of the most experienced expedition leaders in the Himalayas.
He also holds the Guinness record for climbing Mt Everest at the age of 20 without using supplementary oxygen.
The brothers operate the Seven Summits Treks in Kathmandu, which is the largest expedition organiser in the country.
Most of the climbers on Mount Everest sign up with their company because of their experience and reputation as the most prominent outfitters on Nepal's mountains.
On Sunday, Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba handed over the national flag of Nepal to take on the Antarctica expedition to three brothers, with best wishes for a successful attempt.
A version of this article appears in the print on December 14, 2021, of The Himalayan Times.
