Meeting with Krzysztof Wielicki – world-famous Himalayan climber!
31 Oct 2025
We cordially invite you on November 17, 2025, at 5:00 PM for an incredible meeting with Krzysztof Wielicki!
Krzysztof Wielicki – climber, Himalayan mountaineer, Tatra mountaineer, and alpinist, was born on January 5, 1950, in Szklarka Przygodzicka. He was the fifth person in the world to conquer the Crown of the Himalayas and the Karakoram. He was the first person to conquer three of the highest peaks in winter ascents.
He began his mountain hiking adventure in the Scouts. It was there that his passion and love for the mountains was born, a passion that remains with him to this day. His university years included his first climbs in Sokoliki and his development under the guidance of, among others, Wanda Rutkiewicz.
He achieved his first international successes in 1973 during a base camp in the Dolomites, when, together with Bogdan Nowaczyk, he completed the first one-day ascent of the Via Italiano-Francese route to Puenta Civetta. This paved the way for subsequent expeditions to the Caucasus, Hindu Kush, and Parmir Mountains.
On February 17, 1980, Krzysztof Wielicki and Leszek Cichy, as members of a national expedition led by Andrzej Zawada, made the first winter ascent of an eight-thousander, Mount Everest. This marked the beginning of Polish winter achievements in the Himalayas.
Winter ascents of Kanchenjunga and Lhotse make Krzysztof Wielicki their first winter conqueror. He is a mountaineer who has made history with solo ascents of Broad Peak, Daulagiri, Shishapangma, and Gasherbrum II. His solo ascent of Nanga Parbat was observed from the meadows near the summit by Pakistani shepherds, the only witnesses to this feat.
In the early 2000s, a new chapter in Krzysztof Wielicki’s climbing life began, associated with organizing and leading high-altitude expeditions. Expeditions to K2, Nanga Parbat, and Broad Peak were filled with excitement, successes, withdrawals, and rescue operations. In 2018, during the first winter ascent of K2, he coordinated the rescue operation during which expedition members Denis Urubko and Adam Bielecki rescued Frenchwoman Elizabeth Revol, who was descending from Nanga Parbat after her summit expedition, during which Tomasz Mackiewicz died. For his achievements, he has received numerous awards, including the Knight’s Cross of Polonia Restituta, the Golden Ice Axe, the Super Colossus, and the Princess of Asturias Award. He has been a member of the Explorers Club since 2001.
Today, Krzysztof Wielicki is not only a Himalayan legend, but also an author and inspiration for future generations of climbers. A vibrant, passionate man, he feels most at home in the mountains—close to nature and friends.