Raha Moharrak, born around 1986, made history as the youngest Arab and the first Saudi woman to climb Mount Everest. Her journey to this monumental achievement was paved with earlier climbs, including Kilimanjaro, Mount Vinson, Mount Elbrus, Aconcagua, Kala Pattar, Pico de Orizaba, and Tajamulco.
Raha was born in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, as the youngest of three children to Hassan Moharrak. She pursued her education at the American University of Sharjah, where she earned a degree in visual communication. Currently, Raha is furthering her education by pursuing an MBA with a specialization in Women’s Leadership at Synergy University Dubai Campus. She now resides in Dubai, where she works as a graphic designer. Reflecting on her journey, Raha has mentioned that convincing her family to allow her to climb was as challenging as the climb itself.
In February 2013, Raha reached the summit of Aconcagua, the highest peak in Argentina. However, her most significant achievement came on May 18, 2013, when she successfully reached the summit of Mount Everest from the Nepalese side. She was part of a team that included 34 other mountaineers and 29 guides. Among her four-member expedition team, named Arabs with Altitude, were notable individuals like Mohammed Al Thani from Qatar’s royal family, the first Qatari man to summit Everest, and Raed Zidan, the first Palestinian man to accomplish the feat.
Raha’s achievements go beyond just personal accolades. She has often expressed that her accomplishments are less about being the first and more about inspiring others to follow in her footsteps. This mindset was further demonstrated in 2017 when she successfully climbed all Seven Summits, making her the first Saudi woman to achieve this remarkable feat.
