Bouka Family Resumes Everest Quest Arabian Post

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Arabian Post Staff -Dubai

Antananarivo's Bouka family has returned to Mount Everest for a second summit attempt, a year after abandoning its push within roughly 250 metres of the top because of congestion, oxygen pressure, frostbite concerns and worsening conditions high on the mountain.

Led by entrepreneur Zouzar Bouka, with his sons Raïs and Raj-Alexandre, the expedition is seeking to raise the Malagasy flag on the world's highest peak and become part of a small but growing African presence in elite high-altitude mountaineering. The 2026 attempt comes during a crowded spring climbing season in Nepal, where hundreds of foreign climbers have secured permits despite higher fees and continuing debate over safety on Everest.

“This is about finishing what we began,” Zouzar Bouka said before the renewed attempt.“Everest demands humility and perseverance. Last year taught us hard lessons. This year, we return united as a family carrying our love for Madagascar with us every step of the way.”

Their 2025 expedition brought Raïs and Raj-Alexandre to about 8,600 metres, close to the summit at 8,849 metres, before the decision was taken to turn back. That choice, though emotionally difficult, reflected one of the central rules of high-altitude climbing: reaching the summit matters less than surviving the descent. Queues near the upper route, limited oxygen supplies and frostbite exposure can become fatal in the“death zone”, where the body deteriorates quickly and rescue options are narrow.

Zouzar Bouka, founder of Vision Madagascar, has framed the climb as a family project as much as a national one. He has described Everest as a test of merit, discipline and honesty, arguing that the mountain allows no shortcuts. The family has also presented the expedition as a message to young people in Madagascar and across Africa that ambition need not be limited by geography or inherited expectations.

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Raïs Bouka, a University of Southern California graduate, has emphasised the value of showing setbacks as well as victories. He said the second attempt was about perseverance and about not being afraid to face failure, adding that public journeys often focus on success while hiding effort, disappointment and difficult decisions. Raj-Alexandre Bouka has spoken of Everest as a lesson in trust, noting that climbers often rely on ropes fixed by others and guides whose judgement can decide whether an ascent continues or stops.

Their climbing record has expanded quickly since 2021, when the family began with ascents in Madagascar, including Pic Boby, one of the country's highest accessible peaks. They later climbed Kilimanjaro, Lobuche, Island Peak, Aconcagua, Ojos del Salado, Cotopaxi, Iliniza Norte and other summits across Africa, the Americas and the Himalayas. Raj-Alexandre has climbed on six continents and completed several of the Seven Summits, while Raïs has built experience across Madagascar, Africa, the Americas and Nepal.

Everest's spring season has again underlined both the draw and danger of the mountain. Nepal issued a record 492 permits for the 2026 season, surpassing the 478 permits granted in 2023. Each foreign climber pays a $15,000 permit fee after Nepal raised the charge from $11,000, yet demand has continued to climb. The number of people on the route is higher once guides, high-altitude workers, cooks, porters and support staff are included.

Fatalities have already marked the season. Several climbers and high-altitude workers have died across Nepal's Himalayan routes, including deaths on Everest linked to altitude sickness, a crevasse fall and medical emergencies. The Khumbu Icefall remains among the most dangerous sections of the southern route, with shifting seracs, widening crevasses and unstable ladders creating constant risk even before climbers reach the high camps.

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Nepal has been under pressure to tighten Everest rules after years of criticism over crowding and variable experience among paying climbers. A proposed legal change would require Everest applicants to have climbed at least one 7,000-metre peak in Nepal, though expedition operators have argued that comparable international peaks should also count. The debate reflects a broader tension between safety, national revenue and the livelihoods of Sherpa guides and mountain workers.

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