Yandy Núñez Takes the Cuban Flag to the Summit of Mount Everest

May 18, 2023

Mountaineer Yandy Núñez Martínez became this Wednesday the first Cuban to reach the summit of Everest, a mountain that has an altitude of 8,848 meters above sea level; located on the Asian continent, in the Himalayan mountain range.

Excited, Núñez shared an image on his social networks alongside those who managed to reach the top with him and dedicated his achievement to his grandmother, to Cuba and to all Cubans.

"I left Cuba and conquered the world. Long live Free Cuba", said Núñez upon reaching his goal in the morning of this May 17th, after more than a month and a half of difficult journey.

For its part, the travel agency Ascent Himalayas stated: "A historic moment was achieved by Yandy Núñez, a resilient climber from Cuba but who lives in Iceland. Yandy Núñez has made history as the first Cuban to conquer the summit".

It also congratulated the entire team "for their remarkable achievements and the unbreakable spirit they demonstrated throughout their journey. Each step, each challenge overcome, has led them to this unforgettable moment".

The Cuban began his ascent from Nepal at the beginning of last April. During all this time he was sharing images of important moments from the journey. In his posts he was encouraged and congratulated by his followers.

In 2021 the alpinist came close to reaching the top of Everest, but was unable to complete the route due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

After contracting coronavirus and having to abandon the trajectory, he assured that he would try again, that he would not give up on his dream.

Yandy Núñez, 33 years old, was born in Calabazar, Havana, and since 2015 has lived in Reykjavik, Iceland, where he discovered his passion for mountaineering. Encouraged by his wife, he began climbing small mountains. In 2017 he enlisted in the ranks of the Icelandic Rescue Team and there he learned rescue routines required for climbing and which also serve him in his work as a tourism guide in that country.

As far as is known, he is also the first Cuban to climb the 5,642 meters to the summit of Mount Elbrus, the highest mountain in Europe located south of Russia, near the border with Georgia.