After Sirbaz Khan, Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani has successfully summited Mount Kanchenjunga (8,586 meters), the world’s third-highest peak, located on the border of Nepal and India. With this achievement, Kiani has become the only Pakistani woman to climb 12 of the world’s 14 mountains above 8,000 meters, marking a historic milestone in her mountaineering career.
Naila Kiani reached the summit at 6:00 am local time on Friday, according to Mingma G, a renowned Nepali climber and owner of Imagine Nepal. After raising Pakistan’s flag at the top, Kiani and her team began their descent to base camp.
The summit push began Thursday evening and continued through the night, with Kiani facing severe weather, intense snowfall, and sub-zero temperatures. Despite these challenges, she completed the climb, driven by determination and national pride.
“This summit is not just a personal milestone, it’s a message to every girl and woman in Pakistan and beyond: you are stronger than you think,” Kiani said during her descent.
Kiani’s accomplishment brings her closer to joining an elite group of fewer than 20 women worldwide who have summited all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter peaks. She has previously climbed Everest, K2, Broad Peak, Nanga Parbat, Gasherbrum I and II, Annapurna, Lhotse, Manaslu, Makalu, and Cho Oyu.
Secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, Karrar Haidri, congratulated Naila Kiani on becoming the first Pakistani woman to summit all 14 of 8,000-meter peaks, noting that her achievement cements her place in both national and global mountaineering history.