Historic Achievement Puts Khan Among Global Elite of High-Altitude Climbers
Mountaineer from Pakistan’s Hunza Valley Sirbaz Khan has become the first Pakistani to scale all 14 of the world’s 8,000-metre peaks, a remarkable achievement accomplished by only a select group of elite climbers worldwide.
Khan completed his historic feat on Friday by summiting Shishapangma, an 8,027-metre peak in Tibet, without the use of supplementary oxygen.
The completion of this challenging series of climbs, referred to as the “eight-thousanders,” has solidified Khan’s position as one of the world’s most accomplished high-altitude mountaineers. His determination and skill have earned him widespread recognition, both in Pakistan and internationally.
Journey of grit and endurance spanning six years
Khan embarked on his journey to summit all 14 eight-thousanders in 2017, starting with the notoriously dangerous Nanga Parbat, standing at 8,126 metres. Over the years, Khan has conquered some of the world’s most formidable peaks, including K2 in July 2018 and Lhotse in May 2019, where he made history by becoming the first Pakistani to reach its 8,516-metre summit.
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In July 2019, Sirbaz Khan achieved another milestone by summiting Broad Peak (8,051 metres) without the use of supplemental oxygen, a practice that became a hallmark of his climbing style. His determination continued with a successful ascent of Manaslu in Nepal in September of the same year, making him only the second Pakistani to scale the 8,163-metre peak.
Khan’s momentum only grew stronger as he became the first Pakistani to summit Annapurna, one of the world’s deadliest mountains, in April 2021. The following month, he reached the top of Mount Everest, the world’s highest peak at 8,849 metres.
Khan continued his streak in 2021 by leading an all-Pakistani team to the summit of Gasherbrum II (8,035 metres) in July, followed by Dhaulagiri (8,167 metres) in October, becoming the first Pakistani to scale the latter. In 2022, Khan further solidified his reputation by summiting Kangchenjunga and Makalu, two formidable peaks he conquered in May, again as the first Pakistani to do so.
His 12th peak, Gasherbrum I, followed in August 2022, with Cho Oyu becoming his 13th in October 2023. Khan completed his historic journey on October 4, 2024, by summiting Shishapangma, marking the end of a six-year odyssey through the world’s highest and most challenging mountains.
Khan’s achievement of summiting 11 of these peaks without the aid of supplementary oxygen sets him apart as a master of high-altitude endurance. His accomplishment has earned him a place in mountaineering history, making him a national hero and a global inspiration for climbers everywhere.
