Pakistan’s most accomplished female mountaineer, Naila Kiani, has set out on her next major expedition, aiming to summit the world’s third-highest mountain, Kangchenjunga.
The 8,586-meter-high peak, located in Nepal, is the latest challenge in Kiani’s remarkable climbing career. She has begun her journey towards the mountain’s base camp, which she is expected to reach after a demanding seven-day trek.
Kiani is determined to summit Kangchenjunga by the end of this month. If successful, it will mark her 12th ascent of a peak over 8,000 meters—an extraordinary feat that would further cement her legacy as Pakistan’s leading female high-altitude climber.
She is currently the only Pakistani woman to have conquered 11 of the world’s 14 mountains above 8,000 meters, making her an inspiration for aspiring adventurers and a national symbol of resilience and determination.