Seif Saleh Alshunnar recently beat his bro Ali's existing document as youngest Emirati to climb up Africa's highest peak, Mount Kilimanjaro, at only 14 years of age. Standing at 5,895 metres over sea level, Kilimanjaro is the highest totally free standing mountain on the planet.

Seif's older two brothers had respectively held the title consequently, with Moawiyah Saleh Alshunnar at age 15 and a half and Ali Saleh Alshunnar at age 15 and 1 month

A Grade nine student at Jumeira Baccalaureate School (JBS) in Dubai, Seif has constantly taken an interest in a variety of sports and high endurance activities such as tennis, football, basketball, equine riding, and Flavor Soo Do (an Oriental martial art), in which he became a black belt at age 12.

Discussing his decision to climb up the monstrous mountain, Seif said: 2018 is the Year of Zayed, and I wanted to complete the challenge this year. Our leaders in the UAE always encourage us to push boundaries and to be the best. It is our duty to always do great things for them and for our country.

As part of friendly brotherly competitions, Seif wished to embark on the impressive journey to defeat his brothers' documents and so pressed his father to take him in early Summer season. Seif had also discovered a Foundation in the UAE called Little Wings Structure (supported by the Al Jalila Foundation) which is run by a renowned Pediatric Orthopedic Doctor who had formerly treated Seif. So, Seif thought that he might additionally use this journey to highlight the cause of this Foundation, which does amazing deal with children in battle torn countries and jurisdictions worldwide.

With these intentions in mind, Seif set off on his expedition where he and his father treked numerous thousand metres every day for numerous hrs daily, and outdoor camping in tents for 6 nights. They reached the summit, Uhuru Optimal, on 27th June, 2018.

He said: "It is amazing how many different settings (weather and fauna) you run into on the course, from a very positive environment and forest atmosphere at the base of the hill, to incredibly cool ice covered surface with reduced degrees of oxygen. This naturally made the last couple of days particularly difficult and tiring.

Seif highlighted that his largest satisfaction and joy was to hold the UAE flag at the highest point in Africa, at the optimal of Mount Kilimanjaro. "This was certainly a life changing experience and invoked a mix of feelings and emotions from pain and exhaustion to happiness and elation. The thoughts that go through your mind throughout the hours of walking are extraordinary making the trip itself one of the most memorable part of the entire experience."

" You learn how to conquer pain and tiredness by managing one's mind. Although I educated greatly for this exploration, it is as much getting rid of mental challenges as it is physical"

Seif most definitely recommends the journey to others but worries the have to be ready both literally and emotionally. He educated daily for months consisting of in Ramadan where, despitenfasting, he would still most likely to the gym daily. He also sought his brothers' suggestions from their experiences to ensure he was ready.