Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay Sherpa reached the summit of Everest on May 29, 1953, as part of a British expedition. The duo's smiling statues were erected near the runway of Tenzing-Hillary Airport in Lukla, which includes access to Everest Base Camp.
Since the first ascent, more than 6,000 climbers have reached Everest (8,849 meters above sea level) According to the Himalayan Database, a database that lists all ascents made in the Himalayas in Nepal.