Vilborg Arna Gissurardottir

Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir is an icelandic mountaineer and explorer. In 2017, she became the first icelandic women to summit Mt. Everest. In 2020, she led an all-women ski expedition known as the « seven wonder women », across Vatnajökull glacier, the Europe’s biggest icecap. In 2021, she crossed Greenland and later on during the year skied solo to the South Pole, becoming the youngest woman in the world to do so.

‟ When I was preparing for my polar expeditions, I realized how big the gender gap was and is still today. The determination of the ladies who skied to the South Pole ahead of me gave me the strength and inspiration to continue and fight for my dream”(Vilborg Arna Gissurardóttir).

I´ve always been driven by curiosity and the need to know what is hiding around the corner or what the views will be from the mountaintop I see on the horizon. That feeling only grew as I got older and when I started to read books from explorers, both from the old days and modern-day expeditions, I just knew in my heart that this was something I needed to experience. Coming from Iceland I grew up having strong female role models and I never doubted my abilities based on my gender. However, when I was preparing for my polar expeditions I realized how big the gender gap was and is still today. The determination of the ladies who skied to the South Pole ahead of me gave me the strength and inspiration to continue and fight for my dream, to become a polar explorer. 

In 2012, I crossed Greenland for the first time and later that year I skied solo to the South Pole. During that journey I became at the time the youngest woman in the world to do so. I´ve been exploring the world ever since, including climbing the 7 summits, climbs in the Himalayas and the Karakorum along with the polar regions.

I've also been fortunate enough to cross paths with other adventurous women who want to explore their possibilities and empower more women via the path of outdoors. One of the projects I´ve led along with my friend Brynhildur Ólafsdóttir is an all-women ski expedition across Vatnajokull Icecap in 2020. The expedition was a charity project to support women who were suffering from gynaecologic cancer and the year after we led 126 women to the highest peak of Iceland, Hvannadalshnúkur for the same charity.

Through my journeys around the world, I´ve also witnessed the gap in gender equality in different corners of the world. It's important that through our projects we carry the torch of womens and all genders rights. All of us are in this together and it doesn't matter if we are taking on big multi day expeditions or short trips, it's the message that counts. 

Languages spoken: English, Icelandic

Photo credit: lecerclepolaire