Qatari royal targets Mt Everest to complete Explorers Grand Slam

KATHMANDU: A Qatari royal is set to scale Mount Everest, as she chases her dream of becoming the first woman from West Asia to complete the Explorers Grand Slam of climbing each continent’s highest peaks and reaching the poles.

Sheikha Asma Al Thani, a mountaineer and member of the Qatar Olympic Committee, arrived in Nepal’s capital Kathmandu on Thursday and is prepared to head to the Everest base camp.

She is expected to attempt to ascend the 8,848.86-metre mountain in mid-May, depending on local conditions.

If she succeeds, she will become the first woman from the Gulf country to summit the world’s tallest mountain.

Sheikha Asma first dreamt of reaching the skies in 2003 when she was just 14, writing “climbing mountains” on her wish list. At that time, no woman from the Gulf region had made it to Everest’s summit.

Years later, as she set out on conquering each peak to achieve the Slam, Sheikha Asma was questioned about her abilities from being able to climb to carrying mountaineering gear - only because she was a woman.

“These are the stereotypes people have with women and for me, it’s the idea that no matter what, we can achieve our dreams,” she told AFP.

The 31-year-old began her journey as a mountaineer in 2014 by summiting Kilimanjaro,

Africa’s highest peak.

She has since climbed Argentina’s Aconcagua, the highest mountain in the Americas, and went to the North Pole.

Sheikha Asma hopes her feats will inspire other female climbers to follow in her footsteps. “For me, my dream would be that I’m no longer the first woman of Qatar,” she said. “Not only mountains, but achieving their goals. It would make me feel very, very happy.”

Nepal has reopened its borders, but mountaineers must quarantine until they test negative for Covid-19. The country has so far issued 151 permits for various Himalayan mountains, including 72 for Everest.

Authorities in Nepal expect around 300 foreign climbers to attempt to summit the world’s highest mountain this spring season.

The Tibetan side of Everest continues to be closed to foreigners this year, adding more climbers on the Nepal side.

AFP Sheikha Asma Al Thani