Nepalese women set to conquer highest peaks in 7 continents

Seven young Nepalese women, who have embarked on adventurous mission to conquer highest peaks in world`s 7 continents, will set feet on fourth peak, Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) of South Africa.

Kathmandu: Seven young Nepalese women, who have embarked on an adventurous mission to conquer the highest peaks in world`s seven continents, are set to put their feet on the fourth peak, Mt Kilimanjaro (5,895 m) of South Africa. The seven women -- Shailie Basnet, Maya Gurung, Pemadiki Sherpa, Pujan Acharya, Chunu Shrestha, Nimadoma Sherpa and Asha Kumari Singh -- launched their campaign in May 2008 from Mt Everest (8848 m), the highest peak in the world, with an aim to promote Nepal`s ailing tourism industry and set a world record.

"Our aim is to build image of Nepal as the famous mountaineering destination in the world and to promote tourism of Nepal in all the seven continents," said team leader Shailee. "Three women climbers from Africa, including an African female icon, will also join the Nepalese expedition team during the journey to the Mt Kilimanzaro," she said. They have already climbed Mt Kosciuszko (2,228 m) of Australia and Mt Elbrus of Russia (5,642m), the highest mountain in Europe. They are heading towards South Africa on way to Mt Kilimanjaro to scale the peak on May 27-28 under the banner of the Seven Summit Women`s Team, which aims at setting a record by climbing all the highest peaks in the seven continents. So far, only 51 Nepalese male have climbed all the highest peaks in the seven continents and no Nepalese female succeeded in scaling all the seven peaks. The Summit Team will also help launch tourism campaign in South Africa, which is an emerging tourism market for Nepal, said Subhas Niraula, acting chief of Nepal Tourism Board, while bidding farewell to the seven women climbers at Nepal Tourism Board office in Kathmandu today. We want to learn from experiences of African Jungle Safari management and apply the forest management techniques of South Africa in Nepal, he added. PTI