Born and raised in Saudi Arabia, Lebanese mountaineer Nelly Attar has begun her 50-day journey on Monday with the goal to become the first woman in Lebanon and the Middle East to reach K2, the world’s second-highest mountain.
Founder of MOVE, Saudi Arabia’s first dance studio, Attar left her career in 2017 as a mental health professional to focus on expeditions.
She was awarded the Female Fitness Influencer of the Year GCC 2019 by Sports 360; Entrepreneur of the Year Nominee by the British Council (KSA); and Top Muslim Women in Sports.
The Lebanese mountaineer also successfully climbed Mount Everest in 2019 and had climbed 15 peaks around the world before setting her goal for K2.
At 8,611 meters, K2 is known as the Savage Mountain and is considered the most dangerous to climb in the world because of its terrain and harsh weather.
Less than 20 women around the world have summited K2 and, for every 5 people reaching the top, one had died in the attempt.
K2 lies in the Karakoram range, in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan, and partially in the China-administered territory of the Kashmir region included in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County of Xinjiang
During an interview with Arab News, Nelly Attar said that she has been thinking about climbing K2 for the past 3 years. It was but after her father died last year that she had the urge to initiate her dream now on the first anniversary of his death.
It is worth mentioning that this is not the first time a Lebanese woman dares the extreme challenge of the world’s mightiest mountains. Back in 2020, the Lebanese Champ Joyce Azzam Challenged The Explorers Grand Slam after passing the Challenge of the Seven Peaks in 2019.
These Lebanese female mountaineers are living proofs that Lebanese women are as equal to men in what they can achieve.
