The region’s residents continue to impress. Naila Kiani, who has lived in Dubai for 8 years, has just become the first person this year to summit Mount Everest.
Checking in at the peak at 8:02 am on May 14, 2023, she marked a personal milestone in her climbing career, having successfully scaled five of the world’s 8000m+ peaks in a span of two years.
Kiani is an intriguing figure in the climbing world. A mother, a banker, a boxer, and a mountaineer, she began climbing just in 2021, seven months after the birth of her second daughter. Now, she has added another feather to her cap as the leading 8000m+ Pakistani woman mountaineer and a noted name in the MENA region’s mountaineering circles.
Her climbing record, starting with Gasherbrum II and now Everest, shows a steady and focused ascent. With sights already set on Lhotse, standing tall at 8,516m, it seems her journey is far from over.
Earlier this year, she had a successful run at Nepal’s deadly Mount Annapurna, despite the challenging weather and a fatality rate of 20%. Then, after a brief break spent celebrating Eid with her family in Dubai, Kiani was back in Nepal to take on Everest.
Upon reaching the top, Kiani expressed her delight, thanking her family, friends, the mountaineering community, and sponsors for their support. In her words, she hopes her achievement inspires more women to follow their dreams.
“This is a dream come true for me, and I am grateful for the support and encouragement of my family, friends, mountaineering community and sponsors. I hope my achievement inspires more women to pursue their dreams and break barriers,” says Kiani.
Kiani’s achievement has not gone unnoticed, with fellow mountaineers and adventurers around the world acknowledging her steady progress in the climbing world.