The story of Everest is a story of firsts. Here are the climbers who made history on the world's highest mountain.
Quick answer: Edmund Hillary of New Zealand and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa made the first confirmed ascent of Everest on 29 May 1953, with a British expedition led by John Hunt, via the South Col route from Nepal.
The first ascent, 1953
After decades of attempts, Hillary and Tenzing reached the summit at about 11:30 am on 29 May 1953. News reached Britain on the morning of Queen Elizabeth II's coronation. Earlier British expeditions in the 1920s and 1930s had attempted the mountain from Tibet; in 1924, George Mallory and Andrew Irvine disappeared high on the north side, and whether they reached the top remains a mystery.
Other great firsts
| Date | First |
|---|---|
| 16 May 1975 | Junko Tabei (Japan), the first woman, with Sherpa Ang Tsering |
| 8 May 1978 | Reinhold Messner and Peter Habeler, the first ascent without supplemental oxygen |
| 22 April 1993 | Pasang Lhamu Sherpa, the first Nepali woman; she died on the descent and is honoured as a national hero |
| 18 May 2000 | Lhakpa Sherpa, the first Nepali woman to summit and return safely |
| 19 May 2023 | Hari Budha Magar, the first double above-knee amputee |
Records today
Kami Rita Sherpa has climbed Everest 32 times and Lhakpa Sherpa 11 times, both records as of May 2026. See our news on Lhakpa Sherpa's 11th summit.
Follow in their footsteps
Trek to Everest Base Camp, or join our Everest expedition. Read more Everest facts.