Nelly Attar becomes first Arab woman to summit Makalu
Lebanese mountaineer Nelly Attar achieves a groundbreaking ascent of the world’s fifth-highest peak, overcoming Makalu’s steep pitches and knife-edge ridges.
Seven Summit Treks
Nelly Attar, a Lebanese mountaineer, has made history by becoming the first Arab woman to summit Mount Makalu, the world’s fifth-highest mountain, said expedition organizers.
Attar reached the 8,485-meter (27,838-foot) summit early Sunday morning, accompanied by her Nepali guide Dawa Sherpa. The pair, part of a Seven Summit Treks expedition, reached the top at 2:00 a.m. Nepali time and have since safely returned to base camp.
The Kathmandu-based expedition operator described the ascent as a “boundary-breaking” achievement in a social media post, highlighting that Attar and Dawa endured an intense 48-hour push to complete both the climb and the descent.
Located in the Mahalangur Himalayas southeast of Mount Everest, Makalu is renowned for its steep pitches and knife-edge ridges, making it one of the most technically demanding eight-thousanders.
Attar is not new to high-altitude climbing. An accomplished athlete and motivational speaker, she has previously scaled major peaks, including Mount Everest and K2.
This spring, Makalu is hosting nine expedition teams with a total of 79 climbers—61 men and 18 women—according to Nepal’s Department of Tourism.
In a tragic turn of events earlier this week, American climber Alexander Pancoe, 39, died at Camp 2 of Makalu during his summit attempt. Authorities have not yet released further details on the incident.
Nepal, home to eight of the world’s 14 highest mountains, draws hundreds of climbers each spring season, which typically runs from March to June.
