Naila Kiani summits world's 3rd tallest mountain to become first Pakistani woman to ascend 12 peaks of over 8000m
- By Web Desk -
- May 23, 2025
Pakistani mountaineer Naila Kiani summited Kanchenjunga, the world’s third-tallest mountain in the Himalayas, to become the first Pakistani woman to climb 12 peaks above 8,000 meters (26,247 feet).
Kanchenjunga is located on the border between Nepal and the Indian state of Sikkim.
“This is far more than just a climb—it is a monumental milestone in the history of Pakistani mountaineering and a moment of immense national pride. With just two peaks left, Naila stands on the threshold of joining a global elite of only 17 women to have conquered all 14 eight-thousanders,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a statement.
Read more: Naila Kiani summits Makalu to become first Pakistani woman to ascend 11 peaks of over 8000m
In 2023, she became the second Pakistani woman to climb Mount Everest. It was earlier achieved by Samina Baig in 2013.
Kiani is a Dubai-based Pakistani banker, an amateur boxer and a mother of two daughters.
She is an aerospace engineer, having studied at the University of London, and has held a prominent position as an Associate Vice President at the HSBC bank.