02/06/2026
Born into a family of subsistence farmers in a small village in Nepal with no running water, Purnima Shrestha was expected to follow a very different path in life.
As a young woman, she was expected to marry young, raise children, and stay close to home.
Instead, she chose something different.
At just 16, Purnima left her village and moved to Kathmandu alone to pursue an education. Years later, while covering the Everest Marathon as part of her journalism career, she became fascinated by the world’s highest mountain.
At the time, she had no climbing experience.
No money.
No athletic background.
But she had curiosity, determination, and the willingness to try.
Fast forward seven years, Purnima has now summited eight of the world’s 8,000m peaks and has become the first woman in history to summit Mount Everest three times in just 13 days 🏔️
Her story is more than a mountaineering achievement. It’s a reminder that some of the most extraordinary journeys begin with self-belief long before they begin on a mountain.
“People always make women feel weak,” Purnima said. “I want to tell other women that there’s nothing that limits us.”
Follow along for more Himalayan stories, mountaineering news, trekking inspiration, and all things Himalayas 🇳🇵✨
Source: [OutsideOnline.com](http://outsideonline.com/)
