Dubai Mum Becomes The First Ever Pakistani Woman To Climb 11 Of The 14 Highest Mountains In The World
Yesterday at 7.50am (9.35am Nepal local time), Sunday 5th May, Dubai Mum Naila Kiani, a worldwide leading high-altitude mountaineer, achieved another historic milestone by successfully summiting Makalu, the 5th highest peak in the world, and her 11th 8,000-metre mountain. Kiani’s latest triumph underscores her exceptional skill and resilience, solidifying her reputation as one of the world’s foremost mountaineers. The mountain has an elevation of 8,485 metres (27,838 ft), and Kiani is now also the first woman in Pakistani history to have climbed this mountain, representing her sheer endurance and determination.
During her 9-years in Dubai, Kiani has spent the last 3 years mountaineering, over which she has become the first ever Pakistani woman to achieve 11 of the world’s 14 highest peaks above 8,000 metres. Dubai as the “Land of Opportunities” has provided Kiani with the ideal environment to pursue her passion, finding the resources and support needed to embark on her journey to climb the world’s highest peaks. Her achievements serve as an inspiration to high-achievers across UAE, highlighting the limitless potential of the human spirit.
Her final summit push of Makalu took place across the whole of Saturday night before getting to the top on Sunday morning. The descent continued throughout the whole of yesterday as her team quickly descended through a snowstorm. The team had an unfortunate turn of events losing track of the route back due to the adverse weather conditions and could not find ‘camp 3’ that sits at around 7,500m. Eventually, at around 7pm Nepal time, the team located the camp and are reported to be seeking refuge away from the tough weather and getting some much-deserved rest.
Arguably Kiani’s most notable achievement is that she is the fastest ever Pakistani in history, in both the men’s and women’s category to climb 11 of the 14 highest 8,000-metre peaks, which she has done in just under 3 years. In recognition of her exceptional accomplishments, Kiani has recently been honored with the Sitara-i-Imtiaz, the highest civilian honor bestowed upon any female athlete from Pakistan.
In 2023, Kiani captured global attention by scaling 7 out of 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks in 6 months, an achievement made by only 10 mountaineers globally in the same year. In addition to her mountaineering achievements, Kiani’s diverse talents and dedication have garnered admiration worldwide. With a background in Aerospace Engineering from the University of London and her previous role as Associate Vice President at HSBC Middle East Bank, she has demonstrated remarkable versatility and determination in balancing her professional and personal pursuits. Notably, Kiani is also a competitive boxer and a devoted mother of two young children, embodying the spirit of perseverance and excellence.
