KATHMANDU: Fura Diki Sherpa, the Solukhumbu mountaineer who made history in 2019 as part of the first widow pair to summit Everest, is preparing for one of her most ambitious challenges yet — a women's speed record attempt on Mt. Lhotse (8,516m) this spring, preceded by a plan to summit three peaks in under 24 hours.

In a social media post, Fura Diki announced she would first attempt to summit Island Peak, Lobuche East, and Pokalde — all located in the Khumbu region — within a single day before turning her focus to Lhotse, the world's fourth highest mountain. "It's a lifelong dream of mine to reach the summit of Lhotse, and I'm excited to be taking this step towards achieving that goal," she wrote.

The expedition carries multiple layers of purpose. Beyond the personal milestone, Fura Diki — who is working toward certification as a licensed professional mountain guide — said the climb is a campaign for women's empowerment, aimed at inspiring young Nepali women to break free from traditional barriers and take on leadership roles. She also hopes to draw international attention to climate change and glacial retreat in the Himalayas, and to promote Nepal's tourism globally.

"This time, I am climbing with a renewed and forward-looking purpose: to qualify and earn my certification as a licensed professional mountain guide, and to set a women's speed record on Lhotse — milestones that would make me one of the very few Nepali women to hold such distinctions," she wrote.

USNCA General Secretary Ang Dawa Sherpa said the association is making efforts to support her bid. The three-peak attempt is being supported by Khumbu Pasanglhamu Rural Municipality alongside Seven Summit Treks, Wild Yak Expeditions, 7 Summits Club, Dingboche Resort, Sunrise Lodge Phakding, and Pangboche Beyul Lodge. Her full Lhotse expedition is being sponsored by Elite Exped.

Fura Diki's mountaineering record in recent years speaks to her readiness for the challenge. In 2019, she and Nima Doma Sherpa became the first widow pair to summit Everest, a climb she undertook to honour the unfulfilled dreams of her late husband Mingma Sherpa, who died in the Khumbu Icefall during the 2013 Everest expedition. In October 2025, she led an all-women team to the summit of Himlung Himal, and in December 2025 guided a 16-member all-women team to the summit of Paldor Peak. She has also completed High Mountain Rescue Training and Rock Climbing Level I certification.