Princess Asma Al Thani of Qatar successfully summited Mount Makalu (8,485 meters) on Saturday morning at 6:00 AM Nepal time, adding another remarkable achievement to her already historic mountaineering record. This summit marks her eighth ascent of an 8,000-meter peak, further establishing her as one of the most accomplished climbers from the Arab world.
Qatari Princess Asma Al Thani
According to Mingma David Sherpa, Co-Founder of Elite Exped and a record-holding mountaineer himself, Princess Asma reached the summit of Makalu alongside an experienced guiding team. She was accompanied by IFMGA guide Tenji Sherpa, along with Sherpa guides Pasang Nuru Sherpa and Dachhetar Sherpa.
Princess Asma began her mountaineering journey in 2017 and has since emerged as a global symbol of women’s empowerment and adventure. She holds the distinction of being the first Qatari national to summit Everest, K2, and Ama Dablam. Her list of successful climbs includes Everest, K2, Lhotse, Kangchenjunga, Dhaulagiri, Annapurna-I, Manaslu, and now Makalu eight of the world’s fourteen highest mountains.
Her achievements go beyond climbing alone. In 2024, she became the first Arab woman and the first Qatari to complete the prestigious Explorers Grand Slam a challenge that requires climbing the highest peak on each continent and skiing to both the North and South Poles. She completed this feat on October 11, 2024.
In another historic milestone, Princess Asma became the first Arab climber to summit an 8,000-meter peak without supplemental oxygen when she reached the top of Mount Manaslu in Nepal. Her completion of the Seven Summits Everest (Asia), Kilimanjaro (Africa), Denali (North America), Aconcagua (South America), Elbrus (Europe), Vinson Massif (Antarctica), and Carstensz Pyramid (Oceania) adds to her elite profile in the world of adventure sports.
Through her expeditions, Princess Asma Al Thani continues to break barriers, challenge stereotypes, and inspire young people especially women to pursue their dreams in outdoor and extreme sports. Her passion, courage, and resilience have not only uplifted Qatar’s profile in global mountaineering but have also paved the way for future generations of Arab adventurers.
