The Manaslu Expedition organized by Imagine Nepal has once again achieved a remarkable feat, with a 100% summit success rate. Manaslu, the eighth-highest mountain in the world, standing tall at 8,163 meters above sea level, is located in the west-central part of Nepal, in the Mansiri Himal range of the Nepalese Himalayas.
Since 2016, Imagine Nepal has been organizing the Manaslu Expedition with a high success rate, garnering admiration from alpinists worldwide. However, the most notable achievement occurred in 2021 when the expedition team, led by MingmaG, developed a new route to reach the true summit of Manaslu. The group opened an alternative way from the fore summit, traversed a slope, steeply climbed up to the actual summit, and named the route “The Rolwaling Diversion”. The opening of this new climbing route captured attention globally and raised questions about the mountain’s true summit.
In 2023, Imagine Nepal assembled a team of 24 climbers from different nationalities, including 2 Nepalese climbers and 24 Sherpas. All climbers successfully reached the true summit of Manaslu, each at different dates and times. The majority of the climbers were from China, with a total of 14 clients. Other participants hailed from Pakistan, Canada, Finland, Nepal, the USA, and France.
Before the Manaslu Expedition, Imagine Nepal’s Sherpa team, who had previously fixed the ropes on Everest and Lhotse, were assigned to fix the summit route of Manaslu in 2023 under the management of the Expedition Operators Association of Nepal (EOA). The team completed the rope fixing from the base camp to Camp IV. The Elite Expedition team of Sherpas fixed the final part of the route to the summit on September 18 following the “Rolwaling Diversion,” a route set by MingmaG and the team in 2021. Mr. Kilu Pemba Sherpa, Lakpa Tamang, and Mr. Pasang Ngima Sherpa were responsible for repairing the fixed line from the base camp to the summit.
The summit success stories of the Manaslu Expedition 2023 are inspiring and diverse. Here are some notable achievements:
September 20:
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- – Mr Wang Zhong from China, supported by expert Sherpas from Imagine Nepal, Mr Tamting Sherpa, and Mr Pasang Ngima Sherpa, successfully summited Manaslu at 1:50 pm NPT. The team utilized a clear weather window to seize the opportunity and reached the summit earlier than planned.
September 21:
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- – Ms. Anni Penttila from Finland and Mr. Pang Zhinan from China, along with their respective Sherpas Ngima Nuru Sherpa and Ang Dawa Sherpa, reached the summit at 5:38 a.m. They were followed by Tracee Metcalfe from the United States, who achieved her ninth successful ascent of one of the world’s highest peaks when she reached the top at 5:53 a.m. with Thundu Sherpa.
- – Ms Naila Kiani, a Pakistani mountaineer, became the only Pakistani woman to conquer most of the 8000-meter peaks. On September 21, at 7:56 a.m., she successfully reached the summit of Manaslu, accompanied by experienced Sherpa Dawa Jangbu Sherpa. With this accomplishment, Ms Kiani has now conquered 9 out of the 14 highest mountains in the world.
- – Mr Sirbaz Khan from Pakistan reached the summit without supplementary oxygen at 6:26 a.m. Shortly after, Justin Daniel Aniballi from Canada and Pasang Namgyal Sherpa scaled the peak at 6:32 a.m. Ms Xhu Molan from China and Angdu Sherpa reached the summit at 6:42 a.m. As the last climbers for that day, Ms. Ling Yangping from China and Sonam Tashi Sherpa also made it to the summit at 9:53 a.m.>
September 22:
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- – Between 6:56 am and 8:50 am NPT, a Chinese expedition led by MingmaG from Imagine Nepal reached the summit of Mt. Manaslu. The team, consisting of 7 members from China and 7 Sherpas: MingmaG, Guan Kailun & Ningma Dorjee Tamang; Gao Yang & Lakpa Sherpa; Liu Yongzhong & Jit Bahadur Sherpa; Hai Ning & Pema Chhiri Sherpa; Chao Yang Lai & Dawa Gyalje Sherpa; Lin Zhiyong & Ngima Nuru Sherpa; Lin Kaining & Lhakpa Tenzing Sherpa, achieved this remarkable feat. Notably, MingmaG climbed without the use of supplemental oxygen.
September 25:
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- – Pasang Lhamu Sherpa Akita, a renowned Nepali mountaineer, made history as the first woman in Nepal to become a mountaineering instructor. She was also among the first Nepali women to reach the summit of K2. Accompanied by Sherpa climber Mr Phurba Gyaljen from Imagine Nepal, Pasang successfully climbed the Manaslu fore summit and repeated the climb to the true summit of Manaslu.
September 27:
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- – The last team from Imagine Nepal reached the summit of Manaslu. The climbers who made it to the summit on this day include Rousen Jiao and Nima Nuru Sherpa at 5:32 a.m., Liu Yingan, Dawa Tenzing Sherpa, and Lakpa Tendi at 6:10 a.m., Himal Khatri and Bis Bahadur Gurung at 7:18 am, and Su Jiangfa and Angdu Sherpa at 7:15 am.
- – Pemba Gyalje Sherpa from Nepal set a new speed record on Mt. Manaslu. He climbed from the base camp at 7 p.m. on September 26 and reached the summit at 7 a.m. on September 27, 2023. Pemba accomplished this feat without the support of supplemental oxygen, surpassing the previous speed record of 13 hours set by Francois Cazzanelli in 2019.
