Margarita Moreno: The Colombian Who Silently Climbed Seven Summits
Without Anyone Noticing
In the early morning hours of May 24, 2025, at exactly 5:23 a.m., a 39-year-old woman from Bogotá stood atop the highest point on Earth.
Margarita Moreno become the first Colombian woman to complete the Seven Summits challenge one of mountaineering’s most prestigious achievements.
But this wasn’t just another summit for her. Hours later, she would climb Lhotse, the world’s fourth-highest peak, completing a rare double summit that only a handful of people have ever achieved.
What makes Margarita’s story even more remarkable is how quietly she accomplished this feat. While other Colombian women were publicly training for the same goal, Margarita had been silently climbing the world’s highest peaks since 2017, building her dream step by step without fanfare or major sponsorship.
The Beginning
Margarita’s journey to the world’s highest peaks began with love for sports and adventure this inner feeling taught her the importance of pushing her own limits and trusting her inner strength to overcome them. This early influence shaped not just her approach to mountaineering, but her entire philosophy of life.
Unlike many experienced mountaineers who rely on sponsors to finance their preparation, Margarita took a completely self-taught approach.
Her inner strength became a guiding force, inspiring her to develop her own unique training method that combines physical conditioning, advanced technology, mental discipline, and consistent spiritual practice.
Drawing additional inspiration from legendary mountaineers like Italian Reinhold Messner and Spanish climber Edurne Pasaban, Margarita developed an approach that went beyond just climbing mountains. For her, mountaineering became about personal transformation.
“More than climbing mountains, what I seek is to find myself in them,” she stated before setting off on what would become her most challenging expedition.
The Philosophy Behind the Climb
Margarita’s philosophy is rooted in preparation and mindset. “This continuous state lives with me, while my dreams keep changing and growing, ‘getting ready’ is the majority of the journey,” she explains. “Climbing a mountain or running a marathon is not only the time spent out there but the months of preparation and everything it takes.”
This perspective shaped the way she approached each summit. Her Instagram profile documents a journey marked by marathons, medals, and accomplishments from around the world each one contributing to her ultimate goal.
Yet, despite having already completed six of the Seven Summits, she remained remarkably private about her progress. It wasn’t until her Everest expedition that she began sharing updates publicly. Until then, she had quietly achieved each milestone without announcing her results to the nation, choosing instead to focus on the personal nature of her journey.
The mountaineering community played a key role in her journey. “Love and support in the mountaineering community is what makes it so special, sharing mountains with super humans is not only inspiring but a home away from home,” she said during her preparation.
The Silent Summit Journey
Since 2018, Margarita had been quietly climbing the Seven Summits the highest peak on each continent.
She also participated in polar expeditions, earning recognition as a prominent figure in international mountaineering. But she did all this while living in Europe, away from the Colombian mountaineering spotlight.
Everest and Lhotse
Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters, represents the ultimate test in mountaineering. Climbing via the southern route in Nepal– the same path taken by Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953 requires exceptional physical preparation, extreme adaptability, and emotional strength that very few can sustain.
Margarita’s final ascent took place in the infamous “death zone” between 7,900 and 8,000 meters, where oxygen is scarce, temperatures are extreme, and the margin for error is minimal.
The Khumbu Icefall, which she described as “the door to the mountain, beautiful yet terrifying. One of the most beautiful and dangerous places on earth,” was just the beginning of her challenge.
On the summit push while crossing the Khumbu icefall, a serac in the west shoulder collapsed creating an avalanche coming our way.
First we stared, then we ran down and found shelter. Fortunately, by the time it reached us it was a big cloud of snow and we waited for it to pass, no one got injured. JB captured this moment when we could see around again. A Kodak moment. Then we kept going up, to our destiny. She later share this Incident.
During sleepless nights in her first rotation, she would leave her tent to witness “the blue hour between giants, a shy moon and the cold hug of silence.” She became obsessed with the beauty of the place, noting that “there is no other place on earth like it.”
On May 24, 2025, accompanied by a French climber and two Nepali Sherpas, Margarita reached Everest’s summit with her team from Adventure Consultants. But her day wasn’t over. After descending to Camp 4, she prepared for an even greater challenge.
The Double Summit Lhotse
Hours after climbing Everest, Margarita climbed Lhotse on May 25 at 9:10 a.m., achieving what she called a “double eighthausander.” This rare accomplishment put her among a very small group of people who have climbed two of the world’s highest peaks in a single expedition.
“I had all the reasons to give up but I just couldn’t,” she said about the Lhotse climb. “Lhotse pushed me, drove me to mental places further away than Everest itself. We had the most beautiful view of the giant we climbed the day before and the mighty Himalayas. It was just us, no noise, no queues, a non-stop climbing pace on a straightforward ascent that was beyond magnificent.”
The Team Behind the Success
Margarita’s success wasn’t achieved alone. She consistently praised her team, particularly Sanduk Sherpa, whom she called her “brother for life.” She described him as having “a strength I’ve never seen before,” noting how he “cared for me at all times” and “made this possible.”
She also recognized Rob, the lead guide from Adventure Consultants and Jean Baptiste Chandesris (JBC Guide) , who played a important role in this process, along with the entire team of Sherpas, to whom we owe this success.
“Without Sanduk my experience would have been completely different and I’m forever grateful with him and with all the other Sherpas who put so much effort to make this climbing possible,” she said.
“Sherpas are the soul of the Himalayas, they carry our dreams in their back so we can have a chance of summit.”
She also thanked the friends who “filled with laughter and anecdotes my days in the Himalayas” and “alleviated the mental load that sometimes accumulated in my mind.” This mountain family, as she called them, provided the emotional support needed to push through the uncertainty and challenges of high-altitude climbing.
Personal Life and Support
Margarita’s personal life also drew attention when she mentioned her husband in her celebratory message. She is married to Paul Van Dyk, the renowned German DJ. The couple married in 2017.
Paul Van Dyk is one of the most influential figures in global electronic music, known for songs like “For an Angel,” “Duality,” and “Nothing But You.” He rose to fame with his 1997 album “Seven Ways,” which made him a standout in the trance subgenre. Throughout Margarita’s mountaineering journey, he provided unwavering support.
“Thank you my dear loving husband for being the light of my way and believing in me unconditionally,” she wrote in her tribute after the climbs.
The Emotional Summit
Standing atop Everest, Margarita’s emotions poured out in her social media message “This is an achievement for all of us. Thank you, God. To my team, who stood by my side like warriors until the end we did it, my love!
You’ve seen me for years building this dream through tough training. This is our summit we made it, Colombia! This is for the most beautiful country in the world! Your tricolor flag lit up the highest point on Earth and the wings of your flag spread wide, warming my soul and filling me with pride for being born in your land.”
Recognition and Impact
Margarita’s achievement generated reactions from public figures across Colombia. Colombian journalist Pirry, known for his passion for adventure sports, said
“Maybe we didn’t know who you were, Margarita, but now your name is synonymous with inspiration for millions of Colombians, and I want to tell you from the heart that at least from me you have all my respect.”
Tubarco News, a national media outlet, noted how her expedition adds to Colombia’s growing reputation in international mountaineering.
A Quiet Legacy
What makes Margarita’s story particularly inspiring is how she achieved this monumental feat without seeking attention or major sponsorship. While other Colombian women were publicly training for the same goal, she was quietly building her dream, peak by peak, step by step.
Her success has not only made history but also inspired other Colombian women to follow in her footsteps.
Margarita Moreno’s journey from a Bogotá native love for the adventure to becoming the first Colombian woman to complete the Seven Summits represents more than just a mountaineering achievement.
It’s a story of quiet determination, self-belief, and the power of dreams pursued with unwavering dedication.
Her tricolor flag now has touched the highest point on Earth, and her story continues to inspire countless others to pursue their own seemingly impossible dreams, no matter how high those mountains may seem.
