Samina, also known as Samina Khayal Baig, is a proud Pakistani mountaineer who has set an example for many young girls who are ambitious and passionate about their goals. Hailing from Shimshal Valley in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, she is the first Pakistani woman and the third Pakistani to have climbed Mount Everest. Samina also has the honor of being the youngest Muslim woman to climb Everest at the age of 21. She is also the first Pakistani woman and first Muslim to climb all Seven Summits.
To start with, Samina climbed the 6,000 m high Shashkin Sar peak in 2010, after which the peak was renamed as Samina Peak. In 2011, she climbed Koh-i-Brobar. She started her training in mountaineering at the age of 15. Baig has also worked as a mountain guide and expedition leader, taking expeditions to peaks in the Karakoram and Hindu Kush ranges. Since 2009, she is a professional mountaineer.
Samina has a passion for mountaineering and her work is steered by her philosophy of gender equality in her climbing spree. She reached the summit of the 8,848 m high Mount Everest on May 19, 2013. She is the first youngest Pakistani woman who made the entire nation proud by climbing the highest mountain in the world, Mount Everest
Samina also attempted to climb the world’s second highest mountain, K2, in 2015. However, her mission remained unaccomplished due to an injury that forced her to abandon her bid to summit the mountain.
SEVEN SUMMITS
Mount McKinley and Mount Elbrus
She has also lifted the Pakistani flag on all the seven summits that surely be one of her biggest achievements. She reached there along with her brother Mirza Ali. In 2014 they went to Russia, where they summit the highest mountain in America, Mount McKinley. Afterward, they went to Alaska, where they reached the top of Mount Elbrus.
People got to know about their achievement where they lifted the flag of Pakistan at the peak and captured the picture. Later they posted that picture on social media, and people couldn’t stop praising.
Carstensz Pyramid
In 2014, they reached the highest mountain in Indonesia and set another record.
Mount Kilimanjaro
The same year they also summited another highest mountain in Tanzania and made the nation proud once again.
Mount Vinson
Mount Vinson is also the highest mountain in Antarctica that both siblings successfully summit. They had a team of 5 members along with them.
Aconcagua
In 2013, they once again climbed another mountain in Argentina. It is the most significant mountain in South America. It has a height of approximately 6,961 meters.
K2 EXPEDITION
In June 2021, Samina Baig again started her journey along with 2 mountaineers. They started their journey from Shigar intending to return successfully. Previously, Ali Sadpara, along with his team, couldn’t complete the mission and lost the battle due to poor weather conditions.
Since 2009, she is serving as a professional climber and trains people passionate about this field. She has also functioned as a brand ambassador appointed by Special Communication Organization. Samina has truly lived her dream of becoming a mountaineer instead of letting it go. There is a long list of achievements that she obtained in the past years.
Samina, the first Pakistani female mountaineer to summit Mount Everest, is now determined to wave the green flag on the 8,611-metre-high K2.