You may have heard of Nims. The multi-world record-breaking mountaineer climbed all 14 of the world’s ‘Death Zone’ peaks in just six months and six days, an astonishing feat captured in the Netflix film 14 Peaks: Nothing Is Impossible. Born in Nepal, Nims had a distinguished 16-year military career before focusing on his mountaineering aspirations. He spent six years in the Gurkhas and 10 years with the UK Special Forces.
In 2021, Nims led the first winter ascent of K2 – a feat achieved without the use of supplementary oxygen. He holds 13 world records: six without supplementary oxygen and seven with. Nims has successfully summited 45 peaks above 8,000 metres; the highest number of summits by one individual (21 of those summits were without oxygen). He is on track to become the fastest person to ever climb all 14 peaks without oxygen.
Outside of his mountaineering achievements, Nims is dedicated to giving back to others. He is a Global Goodwill Ambassador for Nepal Tourism and founder of the charitable Nimsdai Foundation, which this year is building a Porter’s Lodge at Lobuche and returning to Everest to continue its Big Mountain Clean Up mission.
A keen entrepreneur, Nims has just launched his new apparel range, which is designed, developed and expedition-tested on the Big Mountains by Nims himself and his world record-breaking team. Nims donates 5% of all proceeds from across his brands (including Skydive Nimsdai, Nimsdai Store, Elite Exped, as well as all future film and book deals, speaking opportunities and brand endorsements) to funding the Foundation’s charitable work – helping to redefine what is possible through projects that inspire, educate and protect.
Nimsdai Purja in the field
Jose Mastajo
HIGH FIVE
1. Everest Base Camp
I only started my mountaineering journey in 2012. Being born in Nepal, people used to ask me if I had ever been to Everest. I was born in Chitwan, a lowland area, and I had never been, so in 2012, on a break from my Special Forces duties, I trekked to base camp. It was a life-changing moment. I knew I wanted to try my hand at climbing so I convinced my guide to teach me how to mountaineer ‘for real’ and we went on to summit the 6,119m Lobuche East peak together. I found I had a natural aptitude for climbing and being at high altitudes. But this is also why I say to people that it is never too late to chase your dreams.
2. Annapurna
Annapurna was the first mountain of the 14 Peaks mission in 2019, and it has a deadly reputation due to the high frequency of avalanches. I had just left my career in the military; I had put everything I had on the line to do ‘Project Possible 14/7.’ I planned to climb all 14 highest peaks in the world in seven months. I was struggling to find people to believe in me and also to find sponsors. Most people I spoke with thought it was impossible. I wanted to show the world that if you have a big dream and you work hard, you can achieve it. I also wanted to help champion the sherpas, porters and guides of the Nepal climbing community.
As I mentioned, Annapurna has a deadly reputation. Standing on the summit, I knew the clock was ticking. Throughout 14 Peaks, we helped rescue four people from the mountains. We often put our effort aside to help others, which is extremely important to me. Throughout my climbing career, I’ve rescued a number of climbers from other groups with my team. I received my MBE in 2018 for both rescue and mountaineering work (leading the Gurkha 2017 expedition to Everest). I am proud that people witnessed what I did with 14 Peaks, how I was able to climb multiple 8,000ers in a season, and hope that it inspires them to take on their own climbing challenges. This way of climbing – the #nimsdaistyle of climbing – had not been done before.
3. K2
The second-highest peak in the world, K2 is nicknamed the ‘Savage Mountain’ for good reason. Temperatures are freezing, the location is remote, and winds reach high speeds. It had never been summited in winter. I led the team without the use of supplementary oxygen in winter 2021. I have always worked hard to raise the name of the Nepali climbing community – they have helped adventurers achieve their dreams on big mountains for decades.
Together, with an incredibly strong Nepali team in 2021, we strode to the summit of K2 for the first time in winter, arm-in-arm, singing the Nepali national anthem. We wanted to ensure that by all walking to the summit together as a team that this was a first for Nepal. The climb was not about individual ego or glory but about the power of teamwork and inspiring people to achieve their own new possible. I was also proud to return to K2 last summer as part of my Big 5 in Pakistan challenge. I climbed all the highest mountains in Pakistan (G1, G2, Broad Peak, K2, and Nanga Parbat,) in a record-breaking 26 days – again without any supplementary oxygen.
Noor Salim
4. Everest, Lhotse, and Kanchenjunga
In spring 2022, I set two new world records without oxygen all while leading, guiding, and helping others to achieve their climbing goals. From 7 to 16 May, I set a new record for summiting the three peaks over 8,000m without oxygen – Everest, Lhotse, and Kanchenjunga – in 8 days, 23 hours, and 10 minutes and completed the Everest to Lhotse traverse without oxygen in 26 hours. I always lead from the front, so to be able to lead, make sure the whole exped was running smoothly, and all the clients were doing well, and accomplished it all without oxygen. It was a moment in which I knew I had progressed to the next level of my climbing evolution.
5. Everest
In 2023, my team and I were involved in the world’s highest rescue mission. We found the stricken climber, Captain Dipendra, on the South Summit of Everest; that’s still in the death zone where the body cannot survive long without oxygen. Together with my team, we administered oxygen to the climber, brought him down to Camp Four and delivered him into the care of his team. He was later medically evacuated to a hospital, where we visited him on our return to Kathmandu. Coming from a military background, leaving someone behind is not in my blood. I have always said my mission is not about me. It’s not about the ego. It’s about inspiring the world to dream bigger and work to make those dreams a reality – for people to go on to achieve their new possible.
