A Sleepless Everest Ascent Dedicated to Mothers Around the World
May 19, 2025, Russian television presenter Victoria Bonya stood atop the world’s highest peak, her emotions overwhelming her after 40 hours of continuous climbing. Her single expletive captured what words could barely express: it was incredibly hard.
But for the 45-year-old entertainer, model, and mountaineer, reaching the summit of Mount Everest represented far more than a personal achievement it was a spiritual pilgrimage to what she calls Chomolungma, the Divine Mother of Life.
From Television to the Mountains
Victoria Anatolyevna Bonya was born on November 27, 1979, in Krasnokamensk, Chita Oblast. Her journey to Everest began far from the mountains, in the world of entertainment and media.
After graduating from high school, she moved to Moscow and enrolled in the Faculty of Economics at the Moscow State University of Food Production, earning a degree in “Accounting, Analysis, and Auditing” while simultaneously pursuing modeling.
As a prize-winner of the “Beauty of Russia” contest, she represented Russia at the Miss Earth 2001 pageant in the Philippines. Her media career flourished when she graduated from the Faculty of Journalism at the Moscow Institute of Television and Radio Broadcasting “Ostankino” in 2004, specializing in “Television and Radio Journalism.”
By 2006, she was working on central television, and in 2011, she moved to Monaco.
But beneath the glamorous exterior of a television presenter, model, blogger, actress, and athlete, a different passion was stirring—one that would eventually lead her to the world’s most dangerous peaks.
The Call of the Mountains
Victoria became seriously interested in mountaineering approximately six years ago, drawn by what she describes as an inexplicable pull toward high-altitude climbing.
Her first major attempt came in 2022 when she planned to summit Manaslu in the Himalayas under the guidance of renowned climber Nirmal Purja , Mingma David Sherpa and other expert team of Sherpas and mountaineers.
However, this expedition was prematurely concluded due to adverse weather conditions and avalanches that resulted in several fatalities among climbers.
The experience could have deterred many, but for Victoria, it only strengthened her resolve. She encountered serious health issues during that climb, experiencing seizures, severe headaches, brain swelling, and losing mobility in her legs.
There was also another failed attempt when her group was caught in an avalanche that resulted in several deaths. Yet she persisted.
Building Toward Everest
Victoria’s mountaineering journey followed a methodical progression. In January 2023, she participated in an expedition to the Ojos del Salado volcano in South America. By August 28, 2024, she had reached the summit of Mont Blanc du Tacul at 4,248 meters.
Her breakthrough came on September 25, 2024, when she successfully summited Manaslu at 8,163 meters on her third attempt her first 8,000-meter peak.
In November, she climbed Ama Dablam, steadily building the experience and confidence needed for her ultimate goal. Throughout this progression, she documented every stage on social media, sharing both triumphs and struggles with her followers.
Preparing for the Ultimate Challenge
Victoria first spoke publicly of her desire to climb Everest in November 2024. The preparation was intense and comprehensive she began training in January 2025, focusing on physical conditioning, health assessments, and even undertaking preparatory expeditions.
She lost 10 kilograms, attended special training sessions, and followed a strict diet, all in preparation for the most challenging climb of her life.
Her approach to Everest was deeply spiritual. She prayed and meditated on the mountain before the climb, referring to it not as Everest but by its Tibetan name, Chomolungma. “In Tibetan tradition, Chomolungma is the Divine Mother of Life,” she explained.
“She cannot be conquered. She either accepts you or repels you. This is not a peak to be taken—it is a gate that opens.”
The First Attempt A Humbling Experience
On April 14, Victoria flew to Kathmandu, beginning her journey toward the world’s highest peak.
A few days later, she reported reaching 3,440 meters where acclimatization began. Almost immediately, she began experiencing symptoms of altitude sickness, complaining of swelling and leg pain.
On April 19, Victoria and her group headed to Everest Base Camp in Nepal at 5,000 meters, where she again felt unwell, suffering from severe oxygen deprivation. By the third day, her condition had deteriorated dramatically.
Her oxygen saturation levels dropped to a dangerous 50-55 percent. When she forced herself to go on a walk, she barely covered 200 meters, with her arms and legs feeling numb and her whole body weak.
The situation became critical. In the evening, her condition worsened to the point where she had to sleep with oxygen just to avoid lying awake all night feeling like she was dying. Doctors diagnosed her with a viral infection in addition to altitude sickness.
Despite covering 50 kilometers, Victoria made the difficult decision to pause her climb and was airlifted by helicopter back to Kathmandu to recover fully.
From Kathmandu, she shared updates revealing she had lost 5 kilograms during the ordeal. The mountain had tested her limits and found her wanting—but Victoria refused to accept defeat.
The Second Attempt
On May 2, feeling a surge of strength after her recovery, Victoria made the decision to return to Everest Base Camp and continue her ascent. This time, she was better prepared both physically and spiritually for what lay ahead.
The second attempt proved successful, but it came at an enormous cost. Victoria spent 40 hours on her feet without sleep before reaching the summit. The physical and emotional toll was immense, but she drew strength from an unexpected source a 60-year-old female climber who had managed to reach the top, becoming a source of motivation that convinced Victoria not to give up.
At the Summit A Spiritual Awakening
On May 19, 2025, at 8:00 AM, Victoria Bonya achieved her dream, becoming one of the relatively few people to stand atop the world’s highest peak. But her experience there was far from triumphant celebration it was deeply spiritual and sobering.
“At the summit, I cried,” she shared. “There were no words. Only gratitude. To my mother. To life. To the Earth. To the feminine nature that gives birth and carries the light.”
Her view from the top was tinged with the harsh reality of Everest’s dangers. “Many have died. Every day, a new corpse on the summit. We don’t even count the old ones,” she wrote. “The mountain is very tough. Very! Not for the faint of heart. But divinely majestic! I’ve fallen in love with it forever!”
Victoria made history by conducting the first-ever live Instagram broadcast directly from Everest’s Camp 2, sharing her journey in real-time with followers around the world.
The Deeper Meaning
For Victoria, the climb represented far more than personal achievement. She dedicated her ascent to her mother and, through her, to all mothers of the world, as well as to her entire line of women ancestors.
“Women, mothers—this is our inner strength. Never let anyone doubt you!” she proclaimed.
Her spiritual connection to the mountain was profound. “I felt her before the climb. In dreams. In meditation. In my heartbeat. She called me—and I went. With every step, I became lighter. With every breath closer to the essence. To that very source from which we all came.”
Victoria described feeling the mountain’s embrace: “I felt warmth on the mountain. It was like it was holding me. It’s hard to believe, but it was true.”
Confronting Critics and Reality
Even before reaching the summit, Victoria anticipated criticism. “As soon as I reached summit, the comments started pouring in: ‘Sherpas carried her on their backs,’ ‘It’s a paid summit,’ ‘It’s not a feat, but a tourist attraction,'” she noted.
Her response was philosophical
“People don’t belittle others out of malice. They do it to shrink the distance between themselves and those brave enough to push further. But the mountain doesn’t ask who you are, how many followers you have, or who paid for your expedition. At 8,848 meters, there are no filters. No brand will save you from altitude sickness.”
The Harsh Reality of High-Altitude Climbing
Victoria didn’t shy away from describing the brutal reality of Everest climbing. “On Everest, there is no ‘almost made it.’ There is only either you came down, or you stayed forever,” she observed grimly.
She witnessed the mountain’s deadly power firsthand: “I saw people who started to ‘drift’ already on the ascent. Lost gaze, lack of oxygen, a body that no longer obeys, a mind that detaches from reality. They move but they’re no longer here. They can’t be saved. At such altitudes, only you can save yourself.”
The presence of death on the mountain was constant: “Hundreds of bodies remain on Jomolungma. They become part of the route. You pass by—and you can’t help but look. And you can’t forget.”
Future Plans
Victoria’s successful Everest expedition represents just one chapter in her mountaineering story. She has announced plans to summit two more 8,000-meter peaks K2, known as the “killer mountain,” and the Himalayan peak Annapurna. She also plans to write a book about her climbing experiences and the lessons the mountains have taught her.
Her message to others is one of empowerment and possibility: “I climbed Everest not to prove anything, but to remember. That everything is possible. That the body is a temple. That the spirit is higher than the flesh. That the path begins where comfort ends.”
Victoria Bonya’s journey from television presenter to Everest summiteer represents more than a career change it’s a transformation of spirit. Her 40-hour climb to the top of the world was, in her words, “not my victory. It was a ritual of returning to the source. It was a climb toward her—toward the Woman, the Divine Mother, who is within each of us.”
For Victoria, Everest was never just a mountain to climb it was Chomolungma, the Divine Mother, a sacred space that either accepts or repels those who approach. Her successful summit stands as hope to the power of preparation, respect, and spiritual connection with the natural world’s most formidable challenges.
