These Bold Nepalese Adventurers Climbed Everest Without Permits, Paraglided Down, Then Kayaked All the Way to the Sea

The ultimate descent.

The icy summit of Mount Everest, the crown jewel of the Himalayas, has captivated adventurers for generations. Reaching its peak is a monumental achievement in itself, testing the limits of human endurance and pushing the boundaries of possibility.

But for two Nepalese adventurers, Sano Babu Sunuwar and Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa, reaching the top was just the beginning. Their audacious 3-month quest, dubbed “The Ultimate Descent,” aimed to redefine the meaning of adventure by combining the iconic climb with an unprecedented descent – paragliding from the summit and then kayaking all the way to the Indian Ocean.

Inspired by seeing the first paragliders arrive in the Himalayas, Lakpa Tsheri Sherpa aspired to glide over the colossal peaks of his native Khumbu region. Following his third triumphant summit guiding expedition on Everest, he realized that paragliding from the summit would be a much smoother, quicker, and more elegant means of descending the mountain’s treacherous slopes.

In 2010, Lakpa attempted his first paragliding flight but crashed into a tree, damaging his glider’s wing. Seeking repairs and guidance, he traveled to Pokhara, a hub for paragliders, where he met Sano Babu Sunuwar, who repaired his glider. It was then that the two men sparked the idea of the Ultimate Descent.

The plan involved scaling the world’s highest peak, then paragliding down for an extended duration, biking to a confluence of streams into rivers, kayaking across the Nepali-Indian border into the Ganges River, and paddling all the way to the Indian Ocean. It was an unparalleled endeavor hallmarked by a blend of extreme sports, daring, and camaraderie.

There were a few caveats though. Babu, 28, lacked any climbing experience, while Lakpa, 39, had never kayaked and couldn’t even swim. They also didn’t have money or permits to climb Everest, let alone sponsors or expedition support. But these nuances didn’t deter them.

In April of 2011, the pair borrowed some basic gear and set off for Everest. The unforgiving elements at the mountain, notorious for its bone-chilling temperatures, treacherous terrain, and unpredictable weather, presented a constant challenge. They slept in other teams’ tents and used their logistical support.

Babu, who had never climbed, told National Geographic: “On Everest I felt a great deal of discomfort. It was hard to breathe. Lakpa told me, “You are Sherpa. Be strong.” I am not a climber, but this was a great dream of mine to climb Mount Everest. Lakpa had done this many times. He helped me a great deal.”

On May 21, they reached the summit and became the third party to paraglide down from there, establishing a new world record of 8,865 meters for free flight. With hearts pounding and adrenaline coursing through their veins, they launched themselves into the thin air with all of our mountaineering gear, including their crampons, and landed in their expedition suits.

“There was no running space, we got lift in the glider and just stepped off!” Lakpa told The Outdoor Journal. We had a lightweight glider, that would work at high altitude. We saw beneath us all the other climbers. We flew for around 45 minutes, and then we landed in Namche Bazzar.”

There, they entered the kayaking leg of the journey, which turned out to be the most dangerous part of the whole adventure. In the Class V rapids of the Kosi River, Babu found himself trapped in a huge whirlpool in their tandem kayak, while Lakpa drifted downstream.

“We crossed Grade 5 rapids, big drops, I had no training. And I couldn’t swim! I trusted Sunuwar like he trusted me on Everest,” Lakpa told The Outdoor Journal. “We kayaked non stop for 28 days. We took a little bit of food and supplies with us, but we would take it in turns to find more food, one of us would stay with the kayaks while one went into local villages in secret, so we didn’t draw any attention.”

Upon reaching the Ganges, they navigated in calm waters but through unfamiliar country. The surround land wasn’t too calm though: they were robbed at knifepoint and had to rely on fruit trees for sustenance.

“Sometimes whole villages would come down. We were robbed,” Babu told National Geographic. “They came with knives. We protected the camera, but gave them money. They left, but we paddled very fast. We could hear them coming with a motorboat. We found an island with tall grasses and hid. We slept in the kayaks the whole night.”

“We ate fruit from the trees, but the water was bad. We were not used to seeing dead bodies. In Nepal, we burn our dead. In India, they are put in the river. We would see two or three bodies a day,” Lakpa added.

In contrast, the living proved to be a wee bit too lively.

“In the mountains, all creatures move slowly. In India, all the animals and the people move so fast,” Lakpa said. They are not still. I did not like the bugs.”

Following an 850-kilometer journey, Lakpa and Babu eventually arrived at the Bay of Bengal. On June 27, they achieved the historic feat of becoming the first to descend from Everest’s summit to the Indian Ocean.

On the beach, some other kinds of animals awaited them. These moved much more slowly though, albeit they were equally terrifying.

“When we arrived on the beach, we were frightened. We were surrounded by giant red scorpions,” Babu said. “Later after showing pictures to friends, he would learn that these “scorpions” were in fact harmless crabs.”

The Ultimate Descent team garnered acclaim from the global paragliding community, while the Nepali media celebrated them as national icons. Western adventurers admired their boldness, simplicity, and minimal budget. Devoid of social media promotions, corporate backers, or expedition websites, they relied solely on the fundamental elements of adventure—vision, ingenuity, and friendship. In 2012, they were voted adventurers of the year by National Geographic readers.