Mountaineering initiative undertaken by three Nepali sisters, project aims to climb the highest peaks on each of the seven continents
Three girls have begun an historic trip in a hidden town high in the Himalayas Rolwāling at 13,779 feet, where dreams soar and the air is thin.
As the first three Nepali women from the same family to climb the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent, Nima Jangmu, Tshering Namgya, and Dawa Futi Sherpa have set their eyes on an unprecedented feat.
Their project, named “3 Sisters, 7 Summits,” began with a historic ascent of Mount Everest in May 2021. This achievement not only set a Guinness World Record but also marked the first step in their ambitious quest to redefine what’s possible for women in the male-dominated world of high-altitude mountaineering.
“We want to show girls in Nepal and around the world that they can dream big,” said Nima Jangmu Sherpa, 30, the eldest of the sisters. Her own mountaineering resume is already impressive, having climbed Nepal’s three highest peaks – Everest, Lhotse, and Kanchenjunga -in less than 25 days, a record that still stands.
The sisters hail from Rolwaling, that has produced an outsized number of climbers, including 15 certified IFMGA guides and 60 Everest summiteers. Their brother, Mingma G Sherpa, made headlines with his winter ascent of K2, considered one of the most challenging feats in mountaineering.
But the sisters are carving their own path. Tshering Namgya, pursuing a business degree, and Dawa Futi, the youngest, have both summited formidable peaks in preparation for their Seven Summits challenge. Their journey is as much about breaking cultural barriers as it is about scaling physical ones.
In our community, women are increasingly taking on leadership roles in mountaineering,” Tshering explained. “But there’s still a long way to go. We hope our project will inspire the next generation to reach even higher.”
The significance of their quest extends beyond personal achievement. In a country where women’s opportunities have historically been limited, the sisters’ ambition serves as a powerful symbol of change.
As they prepare for their next summit, the sisters are acutely aware of the eyes upon them not just from their village, but from women and girls across Nepal and beyond. Each peak they climb is a step towards a future where gender is no barrier to achieving one’s dreams, no matter how lofty.
The road ahead is long and fraught with challenges, both on the mountains and off. But for the Sherpa sisters, the view from the top of each summit and of what they represent promises to be worth every step of the arduous climb.
