70 Years Since the First Ascents of Manaslu and Lhotse, Special Commemorative Events Planned
The 70th anniversary of the first successful ascents of two significant peaks in the history of global mountaineering, Manaslu and Lhotse, has been marked. Nepal is preparing to host a series of special ‘Platinum Jubilee’ events throughout 2026. The Nepal Tourism Board and the Nepal Mountaineering Association have announced that they will jointly organize these programs. Kathmandu, 16 Baisakh.
On this occasion, Nepal plans to celebrate the milestone with a year-long ‘Platinum Jubilee’ program. These events, organized collaboratively by the Nepal Tourism Board and the Nepal Mountaineering Association, will not only commemorate the historic achievement but also promote Nepal as a premier global tourist destination. The press conference saw the presence of diplomatic representatives including Maximilian Ritzmann from the Swiss Embassy and Purba Kayastha from the Japanese Embassy.
Both Manaslu and Lhotse were first successfully ascended in 1956. Manaslu was first conquered on May 9, 1956, by a Japanese expedition team along with Nepali climber Urkien Chiring Sherpa. Meanwhile, Lhotse was first climbed by Swiss mountaineers Ernst Reiss and Fritz Luchsinger. In honor of this historic accomplishment, three statues will be constructed and unveiled to commemorate the pioneering climbers. Bodhraj Bhandari, the second vice president of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, shared that distinguished mountaineers and their families will be specially honored during the Platinum Jubilee celebrations.
Sunil Sharma, Acting Director of the Nepal Tourism Board, emphasized that the program is directly linked to promoting tourism. Nima Lama, Chairperson of Chumanuwri Rural Municipality, highlighted Manaslu’s historic significance and noted that over 3,000 climbers have summited the peak to date. Furgelje Sherpa, President of the Nepal Mountaineering Association, stated that the Platinum Jubilee represents a historic achievement not only for Nepal but for the global mountaineering community as well. This milestone is expected to further strengthen Nepal’s reputation as a world-class mountaineering and trekking destination.