WE ARE OFTEN CAPABLE OF FAR MORE THAN WE BELIEVE'

Mum of four and near-legendary mountaineer, Nikol Kovalchuk is redefining what's possible - one peak at a time

- Nikol Kovalchuk

Nikol Kovalchuk's journey into mountaineering didn't begin with ice axes or altitude: it started with curiosity and movement. Her early years were filled with outdoor adventures, and what began as a series of casual hikes soon evolved into increasingly demanding hill climbs.

After successfully climbing Everest, Nikol challenged herself to complete the Seven Summits - the highest peaks on each continent. But while tackling her second 8,000m climb - Nanga Parbat, in Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan - she set her sights on an even greater challenge. ‘Everest was monumental, but Nanga Parbat changed me spiritually’, she reflects. ‘That mountain stripped me down and built me back up. I made a promise to myself on that climb: if I reached the summit and came down safely, I would devote myself to completing all 14 of the world’s 8,000m peaks.’