Chasing peaks, conquering Everest: The relentless journey of Nurunnahar Nimni
From Chandranath Hill to the roof of the world, Nurunnahar Nimni's journey is a story of persistence, sacrifice and an unyielding love for the mountains
From the quiet hills of Chandranath to the freezing silence of Mount Everest, this is not just a story of reaching the world's highest peak, but one of years of persistence, gradual transformation, and an enduring inner journey shaped by mountains across South Asia.
Before Everest ever became a destination, it existed as a feeling — first experienced in the modest hills of Sitakunda, later deepened in the rugged terrain of Bandarban, and slowly refined through journeys across Bhutan, Sikkim, and Nepal.
This love for mountains led Nurunnahar Nimni on a quest to conquer Mount Everest, making her the first Bangladeshi woman to summit in 14 years and only the third woman from the country to have done so.
To learn more about her journey, I had the fortune of sitting down with her. Here is her story.
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The roots
While studying at university, Nimni was an avid traveller. During holidays, she would head to the hills of Bandarban. Being a North Bengal girl from Rangpur, the hills of far southern Bandarban held the strongest pull.
"So, my attraction towards the hills took me to various remote areas of Bandarban and other places," Nimni said.
After graduating, she entered professional life, but her urge to travel never faded. As her finances improved, she expanded her horizons and ventured abroad — first to Bhutan, then Sikkim, and eventually Nepal.
Nepal instantly captured her imagination. After trekking to Everest Base Camp and seeing Everest up close, she felt an irresistible urge to go beyond simply looking at the mountains.
"I could see the mountains, but I couldn't touch them. After coming close to the mountains, I wished I could go a little further, just to touch them a little, which led me to take mountaineering training," she said.
She completed mountaineering training at the Himalayan Mountaineering Institute in Darjeeling in 2022.
A rocky road forward
In 2023, Nimni joined an expedition to the 6,000-metre peak Pachermo. The attempt ended in failure.
"It felt like the mountain did not accept me. I had been chasing it for so long, but it pushed me away."
Instead of discouraging her, the setback strengthened her determination.
"After that, from 2024, every season in Nepal, I went to the mountains and tried to summit peaks each and every time."
Over the following years, she steadily progressed through increasingly difficult climbs, eventually reaching the point where both she and her mentor believed she was ready for Everest.
The greatest test came at Camp IV, around 8,000 metres above sea level in the so-called Death Zone.
"When I reached there and saw that I was still healthy and functioning despite the harsh weather, I felt confident. At that moment, I thought: if I have come this far, I can complete the remaining 844 metres."
Overcoming challenges
People often ask Nimni whether she was afraid. Her answer is simple: "If I were afraid, I wouldn't go."
During her descent between Camps III and IV, she noticed what appeared to be a climber peacefully resting.
"'Look, he is sleeping so comfortably,' I told my Sherpa. He replied: 'He is not sleeping. He is dead.'"
Encountering a dead body on the mountain left a lasting impression.
"It's like going fishing. Some people catch fish, some don't. Sometimes accidents happen. Some just remain in the hills forever, while lucky ones like me get to come back."
Near the summit, she faced another serious challenge. Her crampon — the spiked attachment under a mountaineering boot used for traction on ice — suddenly broke.
"When it broke, I felt I could not summit anymore because without it I could not move forward. I thought I might have to return."
Her Sherpa managed to secure it temporarily with thread, allowing her to continue the climb.
Breaking barriers
"I am the third-ever Bangladeshi woman to summit Everest. I am not proud of being third. I wish I had been the 300th or 3,000th woman. I want many more women to come after me."
According to Nimni, one of the biggest challenges for aspiring female climbers is overcoming family resistance and prevailing social attitudes about adventure and risk.
Financing is another major obstacle. Her Everest expedition cost around Tk 60 lakh, making sponsorship essential.
"Without that, even thinking about Everest becomes difficult today."
She credited her Sherpa guides as indispensable to the success of the expedition.
"They know where it is safe to move, where you can stop, and where you cannot. Without them, reaching the summit would not be possible."
Sacrifices and support
"I took two months off from work," Nimni said when asked about the sacrifices she made.
In the months leading up to Everest, she structured her entire life around training. Her days revolved around exercise, gym sessions, yoga, strict dietary discipline, and preparation for the climb.
Pubali Bank PLC fully sponsored the expedition.
"If you talk about Pubali Bank, they supported me in everything. My colleagues were also very supportive."
She said her colleagues managed her responsibilities during her absence and encouraged her throughout the journey.
At the summit
Standing atop Everest at around 5:24 am, Nimni found herself surrounded by a view she had never imagined.
"While going there, the sun was rising in front of me. My right side was the sunrise, and my left side was the whole world. I was actually watching the beauty of the world."
A previous summit attempt had been delayed due to bad weather, making the final moment even more meaningful.
"When it finally happened, I just thought I had reached it. I haven't lost anything."
Yet the summit also took her back to where the journey began: Chandranath Hill in Sitakunda.
"When I visited the hills of Sitakunda, I felt very good. It was the first time in my life I was seeing hills. When we reached the very top of Chandranath Hill, I felt like I was standing on the peak of Everest.
"And when I finally stood on the peak of Everest, my feeling was the same — exactly the same joy, the same happiness."
