Pakistan’s trailblazing mountaineer Samina Baig has done it again. The 35-year-old from a remote Hunza valley just became the first Pakistani ever to ski the final stretch to the South Pole – a brutal, wind-blasted challenge that tests every ounce of grit you’ve got.
On December 14, after days of hauling across endless ice, she reached the geographic South Pole. She was part of an international team put together by Elite Expeditions. They left Pakistan on December 2, touched down at Union Glacier on December 6, and pushed through the last degree – roughly 60 nautical miles of skiing in sub-zero hell.
In her own words on social media, Samina called the journey “one of the most challenging and meaningful experiences” of her life. She’s chasing the Explorer’s Grand Slam – summiting the highest peak on every continent and reaching both poles – and this milestone puts her firmly on the map.
A Journey Built on Years of Grit
Samina didn’t just wake up one day and decide to ski to the bottom of the world. She’s been stacking impossible achievements for over a decade.
Here’s a quick look at some of her biggest wins:
- 2013: First Pakistani woman to summit Mount Everest
- 2014: Completed the Seven Summits – the highest peaks on all seven continents
- 2022: Conquered K2, Pakistan’s savage 8,611-meter beast
- 2023: Teamed up with Naila Kiani to become the first Pakistani women to top Nanga Parbat
She’s also put two previously unclimbed peaks on the map – one renamed Samina Peak, the other called Koh-i-Brobar, or “Mount Equality.” That name says everything about what drives her.
What She Said After Reaching the Pole
Straight from Samina’s heartfelt post:
“Every step has taught me patience, resilience, and the power of belief… Carrying the flag of Pakistan and my Ismaili flag across mountains, continents, and polar ice has been the greatest honour of my life.”
She thanked her Shimshal community for funding the trip, her family, fellow climber Nirmal Purja (yeah, the guy from 14 Peaks), and the entire expedition team. Without them, she says, none of this would’ve happened.
Her message to other women – especially back home – is clear: dreams take time, but they’re always worth the fight.
Why This Matters for Pakistan
While Namira Salim holds the record as the first Pakistani to reach both the North and South Poles (and earned a Tamgha-i-Imtiaz for it), Samina’s feat is different. Skiing the last degree is raw, human-powered endurance – no planes dropping you at the doorstep. It’s a whole other level of tough.
For a country that’s produced some of the world’s toughest high-altitude climbers, Samina’s latest chapter adds serious pride to the story.
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