On the morning of April 7th, 2025, at approximately 09:09 AM local time, Warren Neil Eva became the first South African to stand atop Annapurna I, one of the most dangerous and revered mountains in the world.
Together with British teammate John Black, the pair launched their final summit push on April 6th as part of the 2025 Annapurna Expedition. While John made the tough decision to turn back in the early hours of the morning, Warren pushed on, successfully planting the South African flag on the summit at 05:30 SA time (09:09 Nepal time) — a monumental moment for South African mountaineering.
He was guided to the top by Kaji Sherpa 🇳🇵, whose expertise was instrumental in navigating the treacherous terrain of Annapurna I, which rises to a staggering 8,091 metres above sea level and ranks as the 10th highest mountain in the world.
This incredible feat adds to Warren’s growing list of achievements in high-altitude climbing, including the first South African ascent of K2 in 2022, widely regarded as the most dangerous mountain on Earth.
Why Annapurna I is So Formidable
Located in Gandaki Province, Nepal, Annapurna I is not just high — it’s historically one of the most lethal mountains to climb. With sheer faces, high avalanche risk, and notoriously unpredictable weather, Annapurna has long held one of the highest fatality-to-summit ratios among the world’s 8,000ers.
Only 365 climbers had stood on its summit before this expedition. Now, Warren Eva joins that elite group, forever etched into the history of South African climbing.
A Team of Courageous Climbers
Warren’s summit was part of a larger international push that saw several climbers reach the top on April 7th. Congratulations to the full list of successful summiteers:
- Warren Neil Eva 🇿🇦 (First South African)
Guide: Kaji Sherpa 🇳🇵 — 09:09 AM - Sunil Kumar 🇮🇳
Guide: Nima Tashi Sherpa 🇳🇵 — 10:15 AM - Narender Kumar 🇮🇳
Guide: Phurba Sherpa 🇳🇵 — 10:30 AM - Gurshimran Singh 🇮🇳
Guide: Pastemba Sherpa 🇳🇵 — 11:05 AM
Each climber showed extraordinary courage, grit, and perseverance — their efforts a testament to the human spirit in one of the most extreme environments on the planet.
More to Come
While Warren has already made history, the expedition isn’t over. Additional climbers from the team are on their summit push, and we’re holding thumbs for more success stories to follow.
We extend our heartfelt congratulations to Warren, John, and the entire support team for this landmark achievement — and thank them for representing the spirit of South African adventure with such courage and humility.
Stay tuned for more updates and reflections from Warren and the team as they begin their descent and return to base camp safely.
Well done guys.
Heh heh, interesting John has been recast as British for turning back on Annapurna instead of claimed as South African for summitting K2 (https://goodbeta.co.za/first-sa-ascent-of-k2/) XD