Renowned mountaineer Samina Baig has achieved yet another historic milestone by becoming the first Pakistani to ski to the South Pole, further strengthening her legacy as one of the country’s most accomplished adventurers.
Samina Baig was part of an international expedition organised by Elite Exped, which departed from Pakistan on December 2. The team reached Union Glacier in Antarctica on December 6, after which Baig began her demanding ski journey. She successfully arrived at the South Pole on December 14, completing a feat never before accomplished by any Pakistani.
In a Facebook post, Baig said she felt “deeply grateful and humbled” after reaching the final degree of the South Pole, calling it a major step in her quest to complete the prestigious Explorer’s Grand Slam. She described the journey as one of the most challenging and meaningful experiences of her life.
“This ski journey has never been accomplished by any Pakistani before. It has been incredibly demanding, and it is still difficult to put into words what this achievement means to me,” she wrote.
Reflecting on her journey, Samina Baig highlighted more than a decade of achievements, from summiting Mount Everest in 2013 and completing the Seven Summits to climbing K2 and Nanga Parbat, and now reaching one of the most remote locations on Earth. She said each expedition taught her patience, resilience, and the importance of belief.
“Every step was about trusting the dream, staying committed through uncertainty, and moving forward even when the path seemed impossible,” she said.
Baig expressed hope that her accomplishment would inspire others, especially women, to chase their dreams regardless of the challenges. She added that carrying the Pakistani flag and her Ismaili flag across mountains, continents, and polar ice has been the greatest honour of her life.
She also thanked her community for funding the expedition and acknowledged the support of her team, family, fellow climber Nirmal Purja, and Elite Expeditions, saying the journey would not have been possible without their encouragement and trust.
Hailing from the remote village of Shimshal in Gilgit-Baltistan, Samina Baig became the first Pakistani woman to scale Mount Everest in 2013. She is also the first Pakistani to complete the Seven Summits, including Everest, Kilimanjaro, Denali, Mont Blanc, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Vinson, and Puncak Jaya.
In earlier milestones, she climbed the virgin peak Chashkin Sar in 2010, later named Samina Peak, and conquered another previously unclimbed summit, Koh-i-Brobar (Mount Equality), in 2011. In 2022, she successfully summited K2, and in 2023, she and Naila Kiani became the first Pakistani women to climb Nanga Parbat, the world’s ninth-highest mountain.
With her latest achievement at the South Pole, Samina Baig continues to inspire Pakistan and the world by pushing the limits of human endurance and determination.
