A former yak tender born in Nepal, Tenzing Norgay knew there was more waiting for him in life. Apparently, he also knew it was waiting for him on Everest. That's why, while he was still in his teens, he moved to Darjeeling, India hoping to be hired as a porter by a British mountaineering expedition. That's how, in 1935, when he was only 19, he made his first attempt at Everest. Because he did so well on that first expedition, he was hired on for British Expeditions in 1936 and 1938.

During World War II (1939-1945) expeditions to Everest became scarce, but Norgay continued to climb in other places. He successfully climbed Nanda Devi, Tirich Mir, and Nanga Parbat

After the war, Nepal opened it's borders to foreigners allowing expeditions to begin on the south side of the mountain. In 1952, with his sites still on Everest's peak, Norgay accompanied a Swiss expedition to Everest, not as a sherpa but as a fellow climber. During that expedition, Norgay climbed to a height of 28,260 feet.

The following year, Tenzing Norgay along with Edmund Hillary, a mountain climber from New Zealand, were recruited by the British to co-lead an Everest expedition. On May 29, 1953 Norgay and Hillary made history by becoming the first people to set foot on the summit of Mount Everest. While Hillary was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II for his achievement, Norgay became a worldwide celebrity, and received honors from world leaders and heads of state. Norgay's achievement became not only a victory for himself, but for Asia as well.

Tenzing Norgay became the first Field Director of the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute a position he held for 22 years. In 1978, he wrote his autobiography called Man of Everest in 1978, describing his expeditions to Everest.