How Kabita Nepali Danced from Stage to 8000m Peaks
When Kabita Nepali stepped onto the stage for a performance just a few months ago, few could have imagined that the same graceful feet would soon be climbing the world’s highest peak. Yet on May 18, 2025, the celebrated dancer and performer stood atop Mount Everest, adding “mountaineer” to her already impressive résumé.
Under the bright lights of Kathmandu’s premier venues, Kabita has long mesmerized audiences with her dynamic movements and artistic expression. But this spring, she traded sequins for snow gear, stage makeup for UV protection, and the applause of audiences for the whistle of high-altitude winds.
Her journey to Everest began like her dance career with a passion that couldn’t be contained. Born in the small town of Patharkot in Nepal’s Sarlahi District, Kabita’s love for movement manifested early. As a toddler, she once broke a television screen trying to join the dancers she saw performing inside, a story she now recounts with laughter but which points to her innate drive to perform.
In 2018, Kabita shot to national fame when she won “Boogie Woogie,” Nepal’s first international franchise dance reality show. Competing against 3,000 participants and emerging as the champion, she won both the coveted title and a cash prize of Rs 2.5 million. This victory transformed her life, opening doors to performances, music videos, and eventually, film.
Her debut film “Eklo” marked another milestone in her artistic journey. The film has been making waves internationally, participating in the Cannes Market under the prestigious Cannes Film Festival this year—a remarkable achievement for a Nepali film and for Kabita as a performer.
But even as her artistic career flourished, Kabita’s adventurous spirit sought new challenges. Inspired by other Nepali women who had climbed Everest before her actresses Nisha Adhikari and Diya Pun among them she began training for her mountain expedition.
Working with Elite Expeditions, the company of renowned mountaineer Nirmal Purja, Kabita undertook rigorous training to prepare for the extreme conditions of high-altitude climbing. For months, she balanced film promotions, dance performances, and intensive physical conditioning.
The expedition itself was grueling. From the Khumbu Icefall to the punishing climb through the Death Zone, Kabita faced challenges that tested her resolve. Yet on May 18, 2025, she reached the summit of Mount Everest at 8,848 meters at 9:33am, standing literally on top of the world.
Most would consider this achievement enough, but Kabita wasn’t finished. Just one day later, on May 19 at 8:57am, she summited neighboring Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest peak at 8,516 meters an extraordinary DOUBLE 8000m SUMMIT accomplishment that has left the mountaineering community in awe. Climbing both the highest mountain in the world and the fourth highest within a 24-hour period speaks volumes about her exceptional physical and mental fortitude.
After her historic achievement, Kabita reflected on her journey with profound insight “This journey wasn’t just about summits, this is for the dreamers, the doers and those daring to rise above limits. And the most important I didn’t conquer it, I became more because of it. I grew as a person, I learned and I found pieces of myself I never knew were missing.”
Her dual summits represent more than personal success; they symbolize the breaking of barriers for Nepali women. In a society where women in performing arts still face scrutiny, Kabita has displayed that passion and determination can overcome societal constraints whether on stage, screen, or summit.
In an Instagram post celebrating her achievement, Kabita acknowledged the important role of her sponsors
“Big dreams need bold support. Thanks to sponsors for believing in this journey, for fueling my every step and for helping turn dreams into summits. We climbed this together.”
Her impressive feat was sponsored by Mahindra Nepal by Agni Group, RedBull Nepal, Panchankanya, Hotel Marriot Kathmandu, KGH Group, Sagarmatha Lumbuni Insurance, and Nims Dai Store led by Nirmal Purja.
With over 50 music videos to her credit, a flourishing career as a fitness model and performer, a film at Cannes, and now two 8,000-meter peaks climbed, Kabita Nepali stands as an inspiration to young Nepalis everywhere. Her journey from stage to summit proves that with dedication, the sky or in this case, the summit is not the limit but merely another stage for human potential.
For the dancer who once broke a television trying to join the performers inside, the world has become her stage from the spotlights of Kathmandu to the breathtaking heights of the Himalayas.
