This Dubai Resident Became The First Lebanese Woman To Summit The 7 Highest Peaks And Ski To The South Pole

Farah Makhlouf

You know the cliche saying ‘you can do anything if you put your mind to it’? As cliche and overused as it is, it’s perfectly a true statement. Whether it’s a glass ceiling that you think is there or you doubt your ability to be the best at a sport, if you seek it out, you might actually succeed.

Well, this Dubai resident set out her goal to complete the Explorer Grand Slam challenge and is killing it so far! A little about this challenge: one must climb the highest mountain on every continent (that’s 7) and ski to the last degree of the North Pole and the South Pole.

Dubai resident Tima Deryan became the first Lebanese woman to reach the South Pole and the summit of Mount Everest

but the journey continues…

Tima told Lovin Dubai that only 71 people have completed the Grand Slam challenge and only 15 of them were women and none were arab women. So as she’s taking on this challenge, she is aiming to be the first Arab woman to complete it!

So far, Tima has climbed all 7 summits (including Everest) and skied to the South Pole

The highest mountains she climbed in Asia, South America, North America, Africa, Oceania and Antarctica are Mount Everest (8,850m), Aconcagua in Argentina (6,962m), Mount McKinley in Alaska (6,190m), Kilimanjaro in Tanzania (5,895m), Puncak Jaya in Indonesia (4,4884) and Mount Vinson in Antarctica (4,892m) respectively.

She returned from Antarctica within the last 10 days and she is on her way back to Dubai before completing her journey.

“In April, I plan to ski to the North Pole and complete the project,” Tima said

Antarctica was a month-long expedition. There, Tima scaled the highest mountain on the continent, Mount Vinson and skied to the South Pole.

It was no easy feat because as the temperature dropped to a good -42 degrees celsius and the wind picked up to 35 knots, she had to carry her own food, gas, fear and tent on a sledge which weighed 45kgs.

The team would ski for 8 to 10 hours each day and take 12-minute breaks every hour, enough to keep their bodies warm.

Her next goal is to ski to the North Pole and we wish her all the best in her endeavours!

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