Nepalese mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa climbs Mount Everest 26th time, bests own record

A 52-year-old Nepalese mountaineer Kami Rita Sherpa has climbed Mount Everest for the 26th time, besting his own record he set last year.

Kami Rita Sherpa and his group of 11 Sherpa guides summitted the 8,848.86-metre peak at 6.55 pm local time on Saturday.

Rita scaled Mt Everest for the first time on May 13, 1994.

Besides Mt Everest, Rita has also scaled Mt Godwin-Austen otherwise known as K2, Mt Lhotse, Mt Manaslu and Mt Cho Oyu.

He also holds the record for most climbs over 8000 metres.

The Sherpas made the expedition to fix ropes along the trekking route, to help climbers ahead of the peak climbing season which starts in May.

Nepal has issued permits to 316 individuals to climb the peak this year.