Lakpa Sherpa is the Managing Director of Expedition Base. He has been a mountain guide
for international clients since 1996. Lakpa comes from the Makalu region of Nepal. Lakpa’s guiding career began when he won a Sherpa Scholarship and completed the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute’s Basic and
Advanced mountaineering courses back in 1995.
Since this time, Lakpa has participated in numerous Himalayan expeditions, and has led
expeditions to and summited many peaks including Mt Everest, K2, Kanchenjunga, Lhotse, Annapurna,
Gasherbrums I and II, Makalu, Manaslu, Cho-Oyu, Ama Dablam (21 times), and the following
trekking peaks: Nerikha, Pachermo, Lobuche, Island Peak, Pisan Peak and Mera Peak to
name a few.
Lakpa is also well known for repeating Catherine Destiville’s 18 pitch waterfall ice climb on
Kwangde in 2006.
Lakpa is a founding member of the Kathmandu Sport Climbing Association and was the
winner of the Nepal National Rock Climbing Competition in 2004. He was previously a lead
instructor at the Alex Lowe Charitable Fund’s Khumbu Climbing Centre in Phortse, Nepal,
teaching Sherpas the skills required for mountaineering. Lakpa has performed many
search and rescue missions in Himalaya for many companies over the years, often being
one of the ‘go to’ people for advice and participation in such missions.
When he is available, he also leads treks for Expedition Base, including treks for school
children and clients with special needs, where special care is a must.
Lakpa was previously the managing director of another mountaineering and expedition
company in Nepal from 2009 until forming Expedition Base with new partner, Lhakpa Gelu
Sherpa, in 2017, with the support and input of his now wife, Chris. Lakpa also featured in international publication National Geographic magazine in November 2014. Lakpa is fluent in English, Tibetan, Sherpa, Nepali, Hindi and Urdu.