KATHMANDU: Mountaineer Prakash Raj Pandey, currently pursuing a mission to climb the highest peaks of all seven continents, is set to depart for Indonesia to scale Oceania’s highest mountain, Carstensz Pyramid.

At a farewell program held at the Prime Minister’s residence in Baluwatar on August 10, Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli handed over Nepal’s national flag to Pandey and wished him success for a safe return. Pandey will leave for Indonesia on August 11.

Pandey has previously summited several major peaks, including Mount Everest, Manaslu, and Ama Dablam. He began his Seven Summits campaign in June 2024 with Mount Elbrus in Europe, followed by Africa’s Kilimanjaro in November 2024, and South America’s Aconcagua in February 2025.

UML leader Kailash Dhungel, also present at the program, praised Pandey as a source of pride for his home district Ramechhap and expressed hope for his continued success.

Originally from Tilpung, Likhu Tamakoshi-7, Ramechhap, Pandey now resides in Mahalaxmi Municipality-2, Lalitpur. Since beginning his climbing career in 2016 and summiting Everest in 2018, he has been actively pursuing high-altitude climbs and the Seven Summits project.

Pandey stated that, as with his previous expeditions, this climb aims to raise awareness about climate change. Supported by Makalu Outfit, he seeks to highlight the impacts of climate change both locally and internationally, calling for urgent action.

Carstensz Pyramid, also known as Puncak Jaya, is located in Indonesia’s Papua province and stands 4,884 meters high. The mountain is known for its challenging limestone pyramid shape and is one of the seven continental summits.

Following Indonesia, Pandey plans to climb North America’s Mount Denali, and then Antarctica, before returning to Nepal to raise the national flag again on Mount Everest. His campaign is supported by various municipalities, businesses, and organizations.