Nirmal ‘Nims’ Purja made history as the first person to successfully climb 50 mountains over 8,000 meters, inspiring the world with his courage, resilience, and dedication to service.
nvn news
Wed Jul 09 2025
British-Nepali mountaineer Nirmal “Nims” Purja has become the first person in the world to successfully climb 50 mountains over 8,000 meters. His latest climb was on July 3, 2025, when he reached the top of Nanga Parbat — one of the most dangerous peaks in the world.
Out of these 50 climbs, Nims has done 22 without using extra oxygen, a rare and difficult feat. He also carried a special flag during the climb to honor his time serving both the British Gurkhas and the UK Special Forces, celebrating the long friendship between Nepal and the UK.
Nanga Parbat is called the "Killer Mountain" for a reason. Nims said this was his most dangerous climb ever. He faced fierce winds over 65 km/h, slippery blue ice, and falling rocks that made the climb extremely risky. Still, his experience and determination got him safely to the summit.
Reflecting on the moment, Nims said he felt lucky and grateful. “For me, it's not just about reaching the top. It's about inspiring others to follow their dreams,” he said.
This season also brought sadness. Czech climber Klara Kolouchova, known for summiting Everest, K2, and Kangchenjunga, died while climbing Nanga Parbat with another group. Nims had met her during the filming of 14 Peaks, and she had looked up to him as an inspiration. He said she was more than a great climber — she was a loyal friend.
Nims is known for pushing the limits of what’s possible. In 2019, he climbed all 14 of the world’s highest peaks in just 6 months and 6 days — a record-shattering achievement. In 2021, he led the first successful winter climb of K2 with an all-Nepali team, without using oxygen.
His Netflix documentary 14 Peaks: Nothing is Impossible became one of the most popular adventure films on the platform and helped raise global awareness about Sherpas and mountain porters. It also gave a boost to Nepal’s tourism industry.
In 2022, Nims started the Nimsdai Foundation, which focuses on helping people through education, mountain clean-ups, disaster relief, and support for veterans. So far, the foundation has cleaned major mountains like Everest and K2, helped during natural disasters in Nepal and Pakistan, and started building a special resting place for porters in Lobuche.
Now, he is working on a project called the Hat-Trick Challenge, where he aims to climb the 14 highest peaks and the 7 Summits for a third time. This time, he’s funding the climbs himself so that all donations go directly to the Foundation’s projects.
In 2024, Nims became the fastest person to climb all 14 peaks without oxygen — doing it in just 2 years, 4 months, and 28 days. He is also the only person to have completed all 14 peaks both with and without oxygen.
Whether he’s testing gear, guiding climbers with his company Elite Exped, or working with his foundation, Nims is focused on lifting others up.
His message is simple: “Dream big, work hard, stay humble, and help others. Everyone has their own mountains to climb. If I can inspire just one person, then I’ve done my job.”
No comments yet
