First Men To Conquer Everest: Everything To Know About Tenzing & Hillary’s Historic Climb

First Men To Conquer Everest: Everything To Know About Tenzing & Hillary’s Historic Climb

Tenzing Norgay was born in the Himalayan region in Tibet and grew up surrounded by mountains. He ran away as a teenager and settled in Darjeeling, India. Known for his strength, endurance, and climbing skills, he took part in several Everest expeditions before finally reaching the summit. As a Sherpa, he played a key role in helping climbers navigate the dangerous Himalayan terrain.

Sunanda SinghUpdated: Friday, May 29, 2026, 11:40 AM IST
First Men To Conquer Everest: Everything To Know About Tenzing & Hillary’s Historic Climb
First Men To Conquer Everest |

On May 29, 1953, two mountaineers made history by becoming the first people confirmed to reach the summit of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak. They were Tenzing Norgay, a skilled climber from Nepal, and Sir Edmund Hillary, a beekeeper and explorer from New Zealand. Their successful expedition marked one of the greatest achievements in the history of mountaineering. Mount Everest is 29,035 feet above sea level, and it is the highest point on the blue planet, Earth. The two, part of the British expedition, made their final assault on the summit after spending a fitful night at 27,900 ft.

Who was Tenzing Norgay?

Tenzing Norgay was born in the Himalayan region in Tibet and grew up surrounded by mountains. He ran away as a teenager and settled in Darjeeling, India. Known for his strength, endurance, and climbing skills, he took part in several Everest expeditions before finally reaching the summit. As a Sherpa, he played a key role in helping climbers navigate the dangerous Himalayan terrain.

His achievement brought global recognition to the Sherpa community and inspired generations of mountaineers. Tenzing Norgay and Sir Edmund Hillary are legendary mountaineers who became the first humans to reach the summit of Mount Everest. Talking about Tenzing, he was a Nepalese-Indian Sherpa mountaineer.

Who was Sir Edmund Hillary?

Sir Edmund Hillary was a legendary mountaineer, explorer, and philanthropist. Sir Edmund Hillary and Tenzing were part of the ninth British expedition, which was led by John Hunt. After becoming the first to conquer Everest with Tenzing, he did not stop there. In 1958, he led the Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, becoming the first to reach the South Pole by land vehicles since 1912. In 1967, he was among the first to successfully climb Mount Herschel in Antarctica, and in 1977, he completed a thrilling expedition, travelling by boat from the mouth of the Ganges River, Gaumukh in India, all the way to its source in the Himalayas.