Over 3,643 Climbers Successfully Summit Manaslu in 70 Years Since First Ascent

The 70th anniversary of the Manaslu mountain ascent has been marked, during which more than 3,643 climbers have successfully reached the summit. On May 9, 1956, Japanese climber Tosio Imanishi and Indian climber Gyalzen Norbu achieved the first successful ascent of Manaslu. To commemorate this milestone, special events were organized in Gorkha and Pokhara, including the unveiling of statues honoring the first climbers.

Gorkha, April 13 – Manaslu, the eighth highest mountain globally and the seventh tallest in Nepal, has seen 3,643 climbers successfully summit over the course of 70 years. The inaugural ascent was accomplished on May 9, 1956, by Japanese citizen Tosio Imanishi and Indian citizen Gyalzen Norbu Sherpa, who scaled the 8,163-meter peak.

The first Nepali climber to reach the summit was Urken Shering Sherpa on April 22, 1973. To celebrate the 70-year milestone of Manaslu ascents, a special ceremony was held in collaboration with the Nepal Mountaineering Association and the Manaslu Conservation Area Project, organized by Chumanuvri Rural Municipality.

During the ceremony, statues of the first climber Tosio Imanishi and the first Nepali climber Urken Shering Sherpa were unveiled. Chief Minister of Gandaki Province Surendra Raj Pandey and the rural municipality chief Nima Lama honored the families of these pioneering climbers. Additionally, the Mountaineering Association launched a 3-D photo exhibition of Manaslu in Pokhara.