Nelly Attar is rewriting the rules of what Arab women can achieve in the world of extreme sports. This year, she made history by becoming the first Lebanese to conquer the five highest mountains on the planet — Everest, K2, Kangchenjunga, Lhotse, and Makalu. Her climb of K2, known as the deadliest peak, also marked her as the first Arab to reach its summit. With over 40 major peaks across five continents already under her belt, Nelly is now chasing the ultimate prize: summiting all 14 of the world’s 8,000-meter giants.
What started as a casual goal at the beginning of the year rapidly turned into an epic quest. After conquering Everest, K2, and Lhotse — the first, second, and fourth tallest mountains — Nelly set her sights on Makalu and Kangchenjunga, the fifth and third highest, respectively. “I thought it would be amazing to complete the top five this year,” she says. “Makalu was the initial plan, but then Kangchenjunga came together too.”
Her training routine reflects relentless grit and clever adaptation. Long before serious sports infrastructure existed in the region, Nelly was building her endurance by hiking through sand dunes and climbing tower staircases in Saudi Arabia’s desert heat. To prepare for freezing altitudes, she incorporated ice baths to toughen her nervous system and build cold resilience. On the hardest weeks, she pushed herself to train 15 hours daily across multiple sessions, targeting strength, endurance, and recovery. “Suffer now, summit later — that mindset got me through the toughest hours,” she admits.
Nelly Attar’s achievements are a bold statement about ambition, resilience, and the power of pushing limits.
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