Whether scaling the world’s highest peaks or skiing to both the North and South Poles, Sheikha Asma Al Thani has made a habit of turning the impossible into reality. Making history and breaking records has become second nature to her. Earlier this week, she successfully reached one of the world’s most dangerous summits — Pakistan’s formidable Nanga Parbat — becoming the first Qatari woman to do so.
The 8,000-metre peak is infamously dubbed the “Killer Mountain” for its unforgiving terrain and tragic climbing history. Sheikha Asma shared on Instagram, reflecting on a journey that was anything but easy, marked by danger at every step. “I climb not just to reach summits,” she wrote, “but to return to what matters, to strip away the noise and reconnect with myself.”
While conquering the world’s mountains may sound like a full-time pursuit, Sheikha Asma is also a highly accomplished marketing professional. She serves as a member of the ANOC Marketing Commission and holds the position of Marketing Director at the Qatar Olympic Committee.
Sheikha Asma’s remarkable courage, resilience, and determination in conquering Nanga Parbat earned her high praise from the Prime Minister of Pakistan, who commended her as an inspiring role model for women and young girls worldwide. Her achievements have been especially celebrated for promoting gender empowerment through adventure and high-altitude sports.
In recognition of her outstanding accomplishments and dedication to showcasing Pakistan’s natural beauty, the Prime Minister officially appointed Sheikha Asma Al Thani as the Brand Ambassador for Pakistan’s Mountains and Tourism.
“In 2013, I found a letter that I had written to myself at the age of 14,” Sheikha Asma once shared. “I was overwhelmed by the power of writing my dreams down and felt a deep desire to accomplish more for the young girl I once was. Climbing a mountain became the next step, leading me to pursue my first summit of Kilimanjaro in 2014.”
The following year, Sheikha Asma joined a climbing mission led by her cousin, Sheikh Mohammed Al Thani, aimed at raising funds to build schools in the Gaza Strip. The nine-day expedition successfully raised 2 million Qatari riyals. During this journey, Sheikha Asma became one of the first Qatari women to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. It was a life-changing experience that ignited her passion for mountaineering — a spark that has since driven her to scale some of the world’s highest peaks, discovering not only the raw beauty of the mountains but also a deeper connection to the world around her.
What began as a simple wish on a bucket list has blossomed into a calling fulfilled. Sheikha Asma Al Thani has become a true legend and an inspiring beacon for generations of young women aspiring to become mountaineers.
Even though she began her mountaineering journey with a bold ascent — becoming one of the first Qatari women to climb Africa’s highest peak — Sheikha Asma Al Thani didn’t stop there. She has since become a trailblazing force for Arab women in high-altitude sports and a powerful symbol of female empowerment across the region.
Last year, Sheikha Asma made history as the first Arab woman and first Qatari to complete the Explorers Grand Slam — conquering the Seven Summits and reaching both the North and South Poles. Her climb of Carstensz Pyramid in Indonesia marked the final challenge in her extraordinary quest.
Following this remarkable achievement, she shared: “These achievements are not just personal milestones; they are about showing the younger generation that dreams are worth pursuing, no matter how impossible they may seem. I hope I can inspire them to believe in themselves, to push their limits, and to know that with persistence and determination, they can achieve greatness.”
Unstoppable, Sheikha Asma has continuously shattered barriers and inspired women with every step. In 2018, she became the first Qatari to ski the Last Degree to the North Pole, undertaking the feat alongside a diverse group of women to foster greater understanding between the Middle East and the West.
In 2019 and 2021, Sheikha Asma became the first Qatari woman to summit Aconcagua, the highest peak in South America, and Vinson, Antarctica’s tallest mountain, respectively. She also scaled Europe’s highest peak, Mount Elbrus, in 2021. In 2022, she conquered both Mount Everest and Denali, becoming the first Qatari woman to achieve these formidable feats.
Raising the bar ever higher, Sheikha Asma has set her sights on conquering the world’s 14 highest peaks — the famed eight-thousanders of the Himalayan and Karakoram ranges. To date, she has successfully summited nine: Manaslu (without supplemental oxygen) and Dhaulagiri in 2021; Everest, Kanchenjunga, and K2 in 2022; Annapurna in 2023; and Lhotse (also without supplemental oxygen) and the Killer Mountain, Nanga Parbat, in July 2025.
As Sheikha Asma continues her quest to conquer the world’s highest peaks, her journey has come to symbolise so much more than mountaineering. It’s a gentle yet powerful message to young women everywhere: believe in your strength, follow your passion fearlessly, and know that no dream is ever too high to reach.
