Sajid Sadpara summits world’s seventh highest mountain without supplemental oxygen

Renowned Pakistani climber Sajid Ali Sadpara on Saturday summited the world’s seventh highest peak  Dhaulagiri at 8,167 metres without oxygen or porter support.

On May 4 four Pakistani climbers began their expedition to climb Dhaulagiri, located in Nepal. Sadpara had reached the base camp of the peak on April 6 and had begun his rotation and climbed up to the Camp 3 and descended to the base camp. DAWN reported.

The feat, confirmed by the Alpine Club of Pakistan, marks Sadpara’s ninth 8,000m peak, all of which were climbed without bottled oxygen and were completely unsupported.

In a statement, Seven Summit Treks said the team successfully reached the summit starting at 9:35am on Saturday, marking the first confirmed ascent of Dhaulagiri in the Spring 2025 season.

The expedition team had previously fixed ropes up to 8,050m and launched their final summit push during a favourable weather window.

The team began their summit push from Camp IV at 6:15pm on Friday, making relentless efforts to reach the top while simultaneously securing the final section of the route by fixing over 350m of rope.

This year, Kangchenjunga has seen an impressive turnout, with nearly 70 international climbers and an equal number of Sherpas taking on the challenge.

“At just 29 years old, Sajid has displayed remarkable endurance, resilience, and dedication to high-altitude mountaineering,” the Alpine Club of Pakistan said in a statement.

His Dhaulagiri expedition was organised by Seven Summit Treks Nepal and Sabroso Pakistan, with technical gear sponsored by Kailas.

“[Sadpara] is the proud son of the legendary Muhammad Ali Sadpara, who tragically lost his life during a winter ascent of K2 in 2021. Carrying his father’s legacy with honour, Sajid has emerged as a powerful symbol of Pakistani mountaineering strength and global excellence.

Karrar Haidri, secretary of the Alpine Club of Pakistan, congratulated Sadpara, calling it “a historic milestone that reflects the strength and courage of Pakistani climbers on the world stage”.

“This is another proud moment for Pakistan and the mountaineering world!”