Rescuers on Wednesday recovered the body of a famed American ski climber from the slope of Mt Manaslu, two days after she fell off near the peak of the world's eighth-highest mountain.

Hilaree Nelson, 49, was skiing down from the 8,163-metre summit with her partner Jim Morrison when she fell off the mountain on Monday.

Jiban Ghimire, managing director of Shangri-La Nepal Trek organised the expedition, said that the body was retrieved at around 6,000 metres on Wednesday morning.

The chopper landed at 6,500 metres and dropped three high-altitude Sherpa guides and Jim to search for the body.

“The body has been brought to the base camp. After completing necessary legal procedures, it will be airlifted to Kathmandu,” he said. “It may take at least three hours to complete the formality.”