What's not so well known is that Sir Edmund Hillary said thank you to the Sherpas who helped him by giving them a school.
And now 50 years on local kids are still getting the benefit.
Water and equipment
And after his successful climb he said he couldn't have done it without them.
New school
Back then Sherpa children had no school, so Sir Edmund helped set up a school for them - and it's the highest in the world.
As it's the only school around for miles some pupils have to climb for miles up rocky paths just to get to lessons.
As one Sherpa student, Ang Ngima Sherpa, 12, explained: "If I met Sir Edmund Hillary, I would say thank you for giving us education."
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