KATHMANDU, NOVEMBER 26

A 30-year-old woman from Lithuania scaled Mera Peak becoming the first deafblind woman to scale the 6,476-metre mountain.

According to Himalayan Ski Trek and Adventure, Pakenaite Karoline, who is both deaf and blind, scaled Mera peak on November 22 as she was guided by Susan Thapa and Mingma Tenzing Sherpa. 'As a part of her training for Mt Everest, she scaled Mera Peak,' expedition organiser said.

After climbing Mera Peak, the climber shared: 'That was the hardest thing I have ever done, and I would not have made it without Mingma Tenzing Sherpa and Susan Magar Thapa. We skipped acclimatisation due to a small weather window, so I was battling high-altitude sickness. I was sleepy, weak, and struggling to stay awake. At one point, in tears, my guides stopped me to look east toward Everest, reminding me of my purpose. The seven-hour uphill climb pushed me to my limits, but it taught me perseverance and trust in my team. When we finally reached the summit, it felt unreal. I'm just an ordinary person with big dreams, and this success was only possible because of my incredible guides from HST Adventures,'

By climbing mountains, Karoline said she wanted to raise awareness about Usher syndrome and deafblindness. 'Many assume that blindness is black and white but there's complexity and possibility. I aim to challenge societal perceptions and inspire others to overcome limitations.'

Karoline's goal is now to become the first deafblind person to summit Everest. 'Since trekking to EBC in 2023, I've trained through milestones like the UK's National Three Peaks Challenge in 24 hours, the London Marathon, and now Mera Peak. Mera Peak was also an opportunity to start building rapport with my Everest guides, understanding each other's strengths and how to work together. Next, I plan to summit Mount Kenya, complete an ultramarathon in Scotland, and return to Nepal to climb a 7000m peak like Himlung or Manaslu - each step preparing for Everest while raising awareness and inspiring others to embrace challenges,' she shared.