Uzbek teen climbs Africa’s highest peak and addresses president
A 15-year-old girl from Uzbekistan, Asal Maksumova, has climbed Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, reaching Africa’s highest point at 5,895 metres above sea level.
At the summit, Maksumova unfurled the Uzbek national flag and recorded a video message addressed to President Shavkat Mirziyoyev. Footage of the achievement appeared on her Instagram account.
The teenager dedicated her climb to the 35th anniversary of Uzbekistan’s independence, celebrated on 1 September 2026.
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Maksumova also claimed to have become the youngest person from Uzbekistan to reach Kilimanjaro’s summit.
«I really hope my climb will inspire many young people to take on new challenges,» she said.
According to her Instagram profile, Maksumova had previously climbed mountains in Central Asia and participated in numerous marathons.
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What makes climbing Kilimanjaro challenging?
Mount Kilimanjaro is Africa’s tallest mountain and the world’s highest free-standing mountain. It is also one of the Seven Summits, the highest peaks on each continent.
Located in northern Tanzania, Kilimanjaro consists of three volcanic cones: Kibo, Mawenzi and Shira. Its highest point, Uhuru Peak, sits on Kibo at 5,895 metres.
According to the Tanzania National Parks Authority, reaching the summit typically takes five to eight days, depending on the route. Climbers must gradually adjust to the altitude to reduce the risk of altitude sickness.
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Although most routes do not require technical mountaineering skills, the ascent involves long hikes, steep terrain and extreme temperature changes. Climbers pass through tropical forests, moorland and alpine desert before reaching the freezing summit.
Kilimanjaro National Park has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987 and attracts tens of thousands of visitors annually.
