Meet Freshta Ibrahimi, the Climber Set to Become the First Afghan Woman to Climb Mount Everest

14.10.2024 - 10:54 / cntraveler.com

In spring 2025, Freshta Ibrahimi aims to make history—by becoming the first Afghan woman to summit the highest peak in the world. Yet while climbing Mount Everest is a bucket list achievement for any serious mountaineer, for 32-year-old Ibrahimi, who already has a decade of climbing experience under her belt (having recently conquered Nepal’s Lobuche East), Everest represents more than just a physical challenge. She wants to wave a flag of hope for women living under an oppressive Taliban regime—and forge a path for them to one day follow suit.

Born in Iran to Afghan parents, who had relocated to Tehran while the Taliban were first in power, Ibrahimi grew up captivated by tales of Afghanistan’s challenging countryside terrain. “I remember my parents telling me that they made their own shoes because it was very difficult for them to go down to the city,” Ibrahimi says, describing how they fashioned wooden blocks and rubber for added grip in the snow. “The stories made me so interested in the mountains.”

The mountaineering seed was planted young. Then, in November 2001, political shifts brought the family back to Afghanistan, as US troops and NATO allies took power. Driven by patriotism and a desire to support their country’s recovery, Ibrahimi’s parents resettled the family in Kabul. Many gender-based laws had loosened, including the ban of education for women and girls, yet enough oppressive societal beliefs lingered for Ibrahimi to notice a stark shift in her day to day.

Freshta Ibrahimi during a climb

Moving from Iran to Afghanistan was a life-altering experience, she says: “I couldn't go out as much as I wanted. I kept being told that it’s not safe outside.” Still, even amongst the adversity, it didn't stop her budding love of sports and the outdoors as a young girl. “I discovered kite running in Afghanistan and I was the best,” she says, explaining how she even taught her brother. The dynamic was unusual—most young girls, says Ibrahimi, were expected to focus on domestic skills like cooking, and few would be permitted to play with boys.

As a teenager, she broke social norms again, aided by the shifting opinions within her family circle. “I think I was lucky at that time,” says Ibrahimi, who began to talk openly with her parents about pursuing educational ambitions. “When I reached the age my sister was when she got married, the support was there for the younger generation of women.” She attained a full scholarship to study at the American University of Afghanistan. Higher education became a catalyst for her life in the outdoors, connecting her with Afghanistan’s first female mountaineering group. Ibrahimi assisted with recruiting the teens from schools across the country while working as a project