International Team Makes First 8,000-Metre Summit of Pakistan’s Summer Climbing Season
An international team of climbers has successfully reached the summit of Nanga Parbat (8,126 metres), marking the first successful ascent of an 8,000-metre peak in Pakistan during the 2026 summer climbing season.
The successful expedition included seven climbers representing China, Ukraine, Lithuania, Nepal, and Pakistan, while a separate six-member rope-fixing team prepared the route to the summit ahead of the final climb.
The expedition was organized by Seven Summit Treks, one of the world’s leading mountaineering companies.
International Team Reaches the Summit
The summit team included Tao Hu (China), Antonina Samoilova (Ukraine), Mindaugas Satkauskas (Lithuania), Dawa Sherpa, Dendi Sherpa, Lakpa Temba Sherpa (Nepal), and Abbas Ali Mehdi (Pakistan).
Before the summit attempt, the rope-fixing team successfully established a safe climbing route. The team consisted of experienced Sherpa climbers from Nepal, who completed the technical work required for the ascent.
Seven Summit Treks congratulated all members of the expedition, describing the climb as the first successful ascent of an 8,000-metre mountain in Pakistan during this year’s summer climbing season.
Italian Climbers Open New Route on K7
Meanwhile, a four-member Italian expedition completed a challenging new climbing route on the southeast face of K7 (6,934 metres) in Gilgit-Baltistan.
Although the team was forced to turn back approximately 350 metres below the summit due to unstable snow conditions and safety concerns, the climbers successfully completed a demanding 1,600-metre ascent over six days.
The expedition included Matteo Della Bordella, Mirco Grasso, Luca Ducoli, and Giacomo Mauri.
According to the team, they encountered steep ice walls, mixed climbing terrain, and difficult weather conditions before deciding that continuing to the summit would present unnecessary risks.
The climbers safely returned to base camp after completing the expedition and described the experience as one of the most memorable of their mountaineering careers.
Pakistan’s Climbing Season Underway
Gilgit-Baltistan’s summer climbing season generally runs from mid-June to mid-August and attracts mountaineers from around the world seeking to climb some of the highest peaks on Earth.
According to the Gilgit-Baltistan Tourism Department, authorities have so far issued 31 mountaineering permits and 39 trekking permits to foreign visitors for the current season. Permit issuance is expected to continue until August 1 as more international expeditions arrive in the region.
