Sophie Bayat, daughter of Bayat Group’s Sam Bayat, has made a remarkable achievement in mountain climbing by successfully summiting Kilimanjaro, one of Africa’s highest peaks.
At just 11 years old, Sophie Bayat has become one of the youngest Canadians to reach the summit of Kilimanjaro, a grueling seven-day climb that reaches an altitude of 5,895 meters above sea level. Sophie accomplished this achievement with her father by her side, who praised her determination and resilience throughout the journey.
The climb began on February 1st, as Sophie and her father entered the Kilimanjaro National Park. According to Sam Bayat, they followed the Machame route, which offers more time for acclimatization to the harsh weather conditions. The duo set up camp higher than the Barafu camp, which is the last camp before climbers attempt the final summit push on the Southern Circuit routes.
After a challenging climb through cold weather conditions, Sophie and her father set out for the summit on February 7th at 11:30 PM. They reached the Uhuru peak just before sunrise, a moment that will be etched in Sophie’s memory forever. Despite the freezing temperatures, Sophie did not develop any sign of altitude sickness, such as nausea, headaches, or shortness of breath.
Sam Bayat, Founder, and CEO of Bayat Group, expressed his immense pride in his daughter’s accomplishment. He added that Sophie’s success had made the entire Bayat family proud.
An article by Mark Whitman also mentions that Sean Burgess, a renowned Dubai Guinness record holder and a part of Sophie’s climbing team, said, “Kilimanjaro is a huge physical and mental challenge that requires determination, discipline, and strength of body & mind. To reach the summit as an adult is a big achievement; however, for Sophie, as an 11-year-old, it is an astonishing accomplishment, and one very few people her age have achieved. As the team leader, what was most impressive was not just that Sophie summited, but she did so by leading from the front, without any complaining, and maintaining a positive attitude throughout the 7 days on the mountain. She’s a truly remarkable young lady, and I can’t wait to see what she does next.”
According to Sam Bayat, Sophie is also planning to climb the 7 summits, which include the tallest mountain on each continent. He says, “Sophie’s next challenge: Mt. Elbrus in Russia is a beautiful and challenging mountain for all avid adventurers and a logical next step after Kilimanjaro for those attempting the Seven Summits or Volcanic Seven Summits mountaineering challenges. Our next is the Mount Elbrus expedition. June 24th till July 1st. This will be her 2nd in the list of 7 summits to conquer!”
Following are the 7 summits Sophie plans to climb (including the one she did this month):
- Africa: Kilimanjaro: Done February 2023
- Europe: Elbrus June 24th, 2023 already, dates are locked in
- North America: Denali December 2023
- Asia: Everest October 2023
- Australia: Kosciuszko by the last quarter of 2024
- Antarctica: Vinson by the end of 2024
- South America: Aconcagua Winter 2024
Sophie’s accomplishment inspires young people worldwide, showing that anything is possible with hard work, determination, and a positive attitude. Her father hopes her journey will encourage more young people to embrace adventure and explore the world around them.
We can’t wait to see her next summit, especially considering how Mt. Elbrus is more difficult. It involves increased height than her previous summit. In addition, it’s more energy-consuming as the cold and snowy summit requires wearing snow boots and crampons. Compared to climbing a rocky path as you do on Kilimanjaro, negotiating potentially soft snow and hard ice is far more complex. Let’s see how Sophie tackles the challenges of climbing Mt. Elbrus next!