KATHMANDU, Aug 5: Two mountain climbers breaking a world record by scaling 14 mountains in three months have received a grand welcome at Tribhuvan International Airport today.

Cristin Harila of Norway and Nepali guide Tenjin (Lama) Sherpa successfully climbed the second-highest mountain in the world, Mt K2, on July 27.  

Minister of State for Culture, Tourism and Civil Aviation, Sushila Sirpali Thakuri, welcomed the climbers at TIA in the course of returning to Nepal after successfully climbing Mt K2.

Representatives of the Tourism Ministry, Department of Tourism, Nepal Mountaineering Association and different organisations related to tourism and climbers were present at TIA on the occasion.

Government representatives and tourism entrepreneurs welcomed the world record climbers playing cultural musical instruments, said Association Chairperson, Nima Nuru Sherpa. 

Harila and Sherpa had successfully climbed Mt K2 (8611 meters) in Pakistan at 10:45 am on July 27, according to Seven Summit Treks Company.  With this, they have set a record by scaling 14 mountains higher than 8,000 meters in the world in three months, said the Managing Director of the Company, Mingma Sherpa. 

Earlier, climber Nirmal Purja had climbed the 14 mountains of the world above 8,000 meters in six months and six days in 2019.  Harila and Sherpa had set a target of climbing 14 peaks above 8,000 meters within four months. 

Harila had already become the first woman climber to make the fastest climb of 14 mountains above 8,000 meters in one year and five days. 

Both- Harila and Sherpa have successfully scaled Mt Everest, Kanchanjangha, Lotshe, Makalu, Dhaulagiri, Manaslu, Cho Oyu, Sishapangma, Nagma Parbat, Gasherbrum-II, Gasherbrum-I, Broad Peak and Mt K2. 

A programme will be organised by Nepal Tourism Board to congratulate and honour the record-holder climbers today itself, according to the Association.