Double Amputee Conquers Seven Summits

Hari Budha Magar, a 46-year-old ex-Gurkha and British Army veteran, has achieved the unparalleled feat of completing the Seven Summits challenge, standing as the only double below-knee amputee to do so. His final ascent was Mount Vinson in Antarctica on January 7, 2026, a climb he described as treacherous.

Magar's remarkable achievement comes after losing both his legs in 2010 due to an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Despite this, he has scaled some of the world's most challenging mountains, including Everest in 2023. He has also faced critical moments, such as a near-fatal fall on Mont Blanc in 2019 where his ice axe saved him and his guide.

He scaled Mount Vinson using specially designed prosthetic legs for snow and ice, acknowledging the extreme risks involved, such as the possibility of falling kilometers down the mountain or suffering from extreme cold. During his Everest climb in 2023, he navigated the dangerous Khumbo Icefall and faced an oxygen shortage on his descent, with his guide giving him his own supply to save his life.

Magar, who was honored with an MBE in 2024 for his advocacy for disability awareness, has raised funds for five charities, including the Gurkha Welfare Trust. He expressed immense gratitude to everyone who supported him, emphasizing that his achievement was a collective effort with veterans, his family, and those who saved him in Afghanistan. He offers a message of hope, stating that anything is possible with determination.