Kathmandu, 7 Nov: Climbing Mount Everest is itself a journey filled with risk and challenges. In the 72 years since the first human footsteps reached its summit, countless records have been set. From climbers who have scaled the peak dozens of times to those who have lost both legs, individuals with various physical disabilities—including visually impaired climbers—have reached the top of Everest, proving to the world the power of human courage and determination.
Every year, new records are added to Everest’s long history of achievement. Now, in the upcoming spring season, another new record is in preparation—this time by a differently abled foreign woman climber determined to demonstrate her courage and break barriers.
Deaf-Blind Lithuanian Woman Preparing to Conquer Everest
Thirty-year-old Karolina Pakenaitė, originally from Lithuania and currently living in the United Kingdom, has both hearing and visual impairments. She is affected by Usher Syndrome, a genetic condition that causes progressive loss of hearing and sight. Before losing her eyesight completely, Karolina is striving to fulfill her lifelong dream of viewing the world from the top of Mount Everest.
As part of her preparation, Karolina recently completed the ascent of Mount Himlung (7,126 meters) in the Manang region and has now returned to Kathmandu. Her mission is to inspire people with disabilities across the world by showing that “nothing is impossible.”
She said,
“Over the past decade, my hearing and vision have gradually deteriorated. Since the age of 19, my ability to hear and speak has been weakening, but I am preparing to climb Everest to prove that we, too, are capable—just like anyone else. Nothing is impossible; we just have to make it possible. I want to encourage people with disabilities worldwide to step outside their homes and face life with courage.”
Karolina emphasized that her successful climb would be a message to others with disabilities—that physical limitations never make a person weak. She has already summited Mera Peak (6,476 meters) in 2024 as part of her Everest preparation and says that her inner passion will calm only after she successfully conquers the world’s highest peak.
Her Everest expedition is planned for the spring of 2026. According to tourism entrepreneur Prabhat Adhikari, who is assisting her,
“If Karolina succeeds in climbing the world’s tallest mountain, it will inspire anyone with a disability to believe that they can achieve their dreams. She has come to Nepal with that purpose, and we are working to help her realize her dream along with others like her.”
According to the Department of Tourism, by 2022, a total of 7,226 people had successfully climbed Mount Everest. Over the years, numerous records have been set on Everest, including those of:
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The world’s first woman climber
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The first Nepali woman climber
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Differently abled climbers
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Climbers who lost both legs
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Couples who got married on the summit
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The oldest woman climber
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Women who climbed from both north and south routes
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The largest climbing team
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The first Nepali journalist to summit
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The oldest climber
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Climbs without supplemental oxygen
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Skiing from the summit
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Staying 21 hours on the peak
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HIV/AIDS-affected climbers
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The fastest and most frequent ascents
All of these remarkable feats continue to make Mount Everest a symbol of human endurance, resilience, and the spirit of possibility.
