The Nepalese serpa who miraculously survived for a week, alone on the frozen slopes of Everest, having spent three whole days in the depth of a glacial rift, told the French Agency how he tricked death.

"I am very happy to be back, I thought I would die there," said Dowa Serpa, who is now recovering in an apartment in Kathmandu, along with his family.

57-year-old Dowa Serpa was found alive on June 4 by chance, a short distance from the base camp of the planet's highest peak. The so-called "Hillary", by legendary mountaineer Edmund Hilary, worked as a cook in Camp 2 of Everest, for a small company organizing climbs to Everest, the Himalayan Traverse Adventure.

ALERT: Missing Mt. Everest tour guide was found miraculously alive above base camp after being missing for 6 days, as his family was always performing a funeral routine.

Hillary Dawa Sherpa was favored missing on May 29th after his clients reached base camp without him.

They... pic.twitter. com/GkwOe043U5— E X X A L E R T S (@ExxAlerts) June 4, 2026

His company asked to replace a mountain driver, although he has never set foot on top.

Dowa Serpa reached "Balconi", at 8,400 meters, on 28 May. After night fell, he began the descent, along with British climber Chris Thral, Polish Marius Kmielevski and mountain driver Pasang Kaji Serpa.

Chris Thral was the last man to see Dowa, while at an elevation of 7,900 metres. As Dowa explained, he was stalling because he had no oxygen and told Thral to continue the descent without him. "I told him to continue, that I would reach him. But when my oxygen ran out, I could no longer move my hands and legs. I stayed hung from the rope for about half an hour.".

Alone and exhausted, he managed, too late, to reach a scene and there found some pasta.

🏔️ Abandonné sur l’Everest, ce sherpa a survécu six jours dans des conditions extrêmes

pic.twitter. com/jahqi mpPpT— TF1Info (@TF1Info) June 19, 2026

"I ate them and found my courage again (...) Then, I went down to Camp 3, at 7,100 meters", where he spent the night listening to the deafening bursts of the wind.

"Hot water (...) I prepared some porridge and ate".

Meanwhile, the rest of the team had arrived at Camp 2 and informed the company. But the search and rescue operations were delayed.

Serpa said he had a satellite phone, but he failed to put it on. The batteries in his walkie-talkie had unloaded.

Dowa Serpa continued his course the next day and reached Camp 2, but again all the other climbers had already left. Once again, he was alone.

https://t.co/yjHs3JvVMk pic.twitter. Com/SY4GGyBqTe— AFP News Agency (@AFP) June 19, 2026

He estimated to continue to the Base Camp with an effort, however, while descending the Humbu glacier, a very difficult point of the route, fell into a crack.

"I slipped and fell, I stayed there for a long time" while at the same time holding a bag weighing 28 kg, containing eight empty oxygen bottles and customer sleeping bags. He let the weight fall after his hands got tired. Eventually, no longer having the power to remain hooked, he was allowed to fall. "I hit my head, but I fell to a flat surface", resulting in injury to the leg.

Looking in his pockets, he found frozen chocolate and lyophilised coffee inside. "I had cookies, chocolate and coffee in my pockets. I had no hot water, I was breaking the ice to cool my mouth.".

On June 3, six days after his adventure began, a helicopter was heard, but he was away, at the bottom of the crack. "I knew a helicopter arrived, I heard the noise, but I couldn't see it".

Two nights trapped in the crack
Dowa Sherpa stayed two nights trapped in the crack, unable to climb the prey, vertical slope. "I had nowhere to go. I was wondering if I'd live or die, I was just hoping someone would come and save me. But no one came. What saved me, was an avalanche".

The avalanche filled the crack with snow, allowing it to be caught from somewhere and crawled out. "It was very difficult, it took me an hour to hold the ice and hook up with the cramps", the special nails of mountain shoes. When I reached flat ground, I realized I would live.".

Dowa Sherpa found a guidance rope and followed it dragging down, until he reached near the Base Camp. There, on the morning of June 4, a group of Nepalese men found him cleaning Everest from the garbage left behind by climbers.

"I was delighted to see them, I made sure I would live".

He was transported by helicopter to Kathmandu, where doctors took care of his fracture to the thigh, his frostbite and dehydration.

Nepalese government launches investigation into the case
His incredible story spread joy to climbers and also rage to his family, for the rescuers' inability to locate him earlier. The Nepalese government is investigating the case.

When asked if he is ready to return to the mountain to work, Dowa Serpa assures that he will never again engage in climbing. "I will never come back. Maybe just for a hike," he said.