Mountaineers: Shailee Basnet and Katja Staartjes
Gemma Cairney brings together two women who have climbed 8,848 metres to the summit of the world's highest peak, Mt Everest. They discuss the magic and danger of the mountain.
Shailee Basnet grew up in the shadow of the Himalayas in Kathmandu, but never thought of mountaineering herself. In her twenties she answered an advert for Nepali women to tackle Everest, and has never looked back. Shailee is now the leader of the first all-women team to successfully complete the Seven Summits Challenge - climbing the tallest mountain on every continent.
Katja Staartjes became the first Dutch woman to summit Everest in 1999, and has also done more dangerous climbs of over 8000 metres in Pakistan and Tibet. Katja says she loves putting everything she needs on her back, and setting off into the mountains. Her latest project is opening up the Western part of Nepal to trekking and tourism, by extending the Great Himalaya Trail.
Main image: Shailee Basnet (lhs) (credit Shailee Basnet); Katja Staartjes (rhs) (credit Katja Staartjes).
Last on
Clips
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Turning back with the summit in sight
Duration: 01:02
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Trying to think at 8000 metres
Duration: 00:40
Broadcasts
- Mon 11 Jan 2016 00:32GMT91热爆 World Service except News Internet
- Mon 11 Jan 2016 03:32GMT91热爆 World Service Americas and the Caribbean
- Mon 11 Jan 2016 05:32GMT91热爆 World Service Online, East Asia, Europe and the Middle East, UK DAB/Freeview & South Asia only
- Mon 11 Jan 2016 07:32GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia
- Mon 11 Jan 2016 18:32GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia
- Mon 11 Jan 2016 19:32GMT91热爆 World Service except Australasia & News Internet
- Sun 17 Jan 2016 01:32GMT91热爆 World Service Australasia
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