Nadhira Al Harthy

Nadhira bint Ahmed Abdullah Al Harthy (or Alharthy; Arabic : نظيرة بنت أحمد عبد الله الحارثي or الحارثية; c. 19 August 1978 – 30 July 2026) was an Omani civil servant and mountaineer. She was the second person from Oman, and the first Omani woman, to climb Mount Everest. Al Harthy also summited several other eight-thousanders, including Manaslu, K2, and Nanga Parbat.

Al Harthy was born in August 1978.^{[3] [failed verification ]} She went to Rustaq College of Education ^[4] and she had a Master's degree in Geography.^{[3] [5]} She worked for four years as a geography teacher^[4] before she became an Omani civil servant who worked for Oman's Ministry of Education.^[6]

In 2015, she brought a group of students to Tanzania to climb Mount Kilimanjaro as part of a project for the Ministry of Education. She tried to climb the peak, but was unable to do so because of altitude sickness.^[7]

In 2017, she set herself the goal of climbing the world's highest peak. She had met Khalid Al Siyabi, who was the only Omani person at the time to have climbed Everest, which he had done seven years earlier. He came to the ministry where she was director of citizenship, and she was inspired. She went to the gym each week,^[8] and began running and climbing mountains in Oman.^[3] In 2018, she took part in the 130km Ultra-Trail Mont Blanc. She ran the ultra-marathon, but had to drop out during the race due to injury.^[3] That year, she also attempted to climb Nepal's Ama Dablam, but was unsuccessful. Instead of being discouraged, the experience only strengthened her resolve to climb the world's highest peak.^[7]

Al Harthy was training under the guidance of her mentor, Khalid al-Siyabi, and for a long time, her ambition to climb Everest was a secret. She told her own family of the plan just two months before she set out.^[8]

In 2026, Al Harthy traveled to Pakistan as part of her attempt to complete the 14 Peaks Project, an effort to climb all 14 eight-thousanders. She announced that her Pakistan expedition would include attempts on Broad Peak (8,051 m) and Gasherbrum I (8,080 m).^{[1] [14] [15]}

On 30 July 2026, during the expedition, Al Harthy was caught in an avalanche on Broad Peak.^[16] On 31 July, the Alpine Club of Pakistan confirmed that she was along nine other climbers, including Nepalese climber, Nirmal Purja, who died in the avalanche.^{[17] [18]}

After her death, the Foreign Ministry of Oman publicly expressed condolences over Al Harthy's death and praise for her efforts to strengthen relations between Nepal and Oman.^[19]