KATHMANDU: Polish mountaineer Piotr Jerzy Krzyzowski has been officially awarded a Guinness World Record for a feat he accomplished in May 2024, becoming the fastest person to climb Lhotse and then Everest without supplementary oxygen, completing the double summit in 1 day, 23 hours and 22 minutes.

The record, now formally certified by Guinness World Records, reads: "The fastest time to climb Lhotse then Everest without the use of supplementary oxygen is 1 day 23 hours 22 minutes by Piotr Jerzy Krzyzowski (Poland)."

Krzyzowski reached the summit of Lhotse — the world's fourth-highest mountain at 8,516 metres — at 2:38 pm on May 21, 2024. He then crossed via the South Col (Camp IV) and stood atop Mount Everest, the world's highest peak at 8,848.86 metres, at 2:00 pm on May 23, 2024.

The achievement was made under conditions that set it apart from nearly all high-altitude climbing records. Krzyzowski ascended both peaks without supplemental oxygen, without Sherpa assistance, and without descending to Camp 2 or Base Camp between the two summits — making it a landmark in minimalist, self-reliant alpinism.

The climb was completed as part of the SST Everest-Lhotse Expedition, organised by Seven Summit Treks, a leading Kathmandu-based expedition operator.

Chhang Dawa Sherpa, Expedition Director at Seven Summit Treks, described the achievement as showcasing "a new pinnacle of minimalist, self-reliant alpinism." 

With the Guinness recognition now confirmed, Krzyzowski's May 2024 ascent moves from a remarkable mountaineering feat to an officially recorded chapter in the history of high-altitude climbing.