Star mountaineer Samina Baig reaches final degree of South Pole in historic expedition

Pakistani mountaineer Samina Baig has successfully skied to the last degree of the South Pole, adding yet another historic achievement to her adventure milestones.

She was part of an international expedition organised by Elite Exped. The team departed from Pakistan on December 2, reached Union Glacier on December 6, and Baig completed the journey on December 14.

In a post on her Facebook page, Baig said she was deeply grateful and humbled to have successfully skied to the last degree of the South Pole, describing it as part of her pursuit of the Explorer’s Grand Slam.

She said the ski journey had never been achieved by any Pakistani before and called it one of the most challenging and meaningful experiences of her life, adding that it was still difficult to put the experience into words.

“From standing on the summit of Mount Everest in 2013 to completing the Seven Summits, the highest mountains on each continent, from climbing K2 and Nanga Parbat to now reaching the South Pole, this journey has taken me across the highest mountains and the most remote places on Earth,” Baig added.

“Every step along the way has taught me patience, resilience, and the power of belief.”

She further wrote that the journey, though difficult, “has been about trusting the dream, staying committed through uncertainty, and continuing to move forward even when the path feels impossible”.

The mountaineer expressed hope that her efforts would remind others, particularly women, that dreams are worth pursuing, regardless of how long they take.

“Carrying the flag of Pakistan and my Ismaili flag across mountains, continents, and polar ice has been the greatest honour of my life. I remain grateful for every opportunity, every lesson, and every person who walked this path with me,” she said.

Baig expressed gratitude to her community members for funding the expedition and thanked her team, her family, fellow mountaineer Nirmal Purja and Elite Expeditions for their support.

“Without their trust, encouragement, and kindness, this journey would not have been possible.”

Namira Salim is Pakistan’s first astronaut and also the first Pakistani to reach both the North and South Poles. Got the Tamgha-i-Imtiaz back in 2011 for her adventure stuff.

Samina Baig is from this tiny village called Shimshal. In 2013, she became the first Pakistani woman to climb Everest. She’s also the first Pakistani to do the Seven Summits — Everest, Kilimanjaro, McKinley, Mont Blanc, Elbrus, Aconcagua, Vinson, Puncak Jaya, all of them.

In 2010, she climbed this peak nobody had climbed before, Chashkin Sar, now it’s called Samina Peak. Next year, she did another untouched peak, named Koh-i-Brobar or Mount Equality.

In 2023, she and Naila Kiani became the first Pakistani women to summit Nanga Parbat, the ninth-highest mountain in the world. And in 2022, she also conquered K2, getting there just a few hours before Kiani.