-Andrej

I was born in Kranj (Slovenia), and since I was a child the mountains have been my passion. I graduated in Sports at Ljubljana University and started an alpine career as a member of the Kranj Alpine Club.

In 1977, I climbed my first eight-thousander: it was a new route on Gasherbrum I. Some years later, a partner and I became the first Slovenians to ascend Mt Everest, also on a new route.

In fact, I’ve been at the top of Everest twice. The second time, I reached the summit with my wife Marija, and we were the first married couple achieving that.

Throughout my alpine career, I took part and even lead more than 20 expeditions in the Nepalese Himalayas. There, I climbed more than six peaks over eight thousand meters: two of them on new routes and three using pure alpine style. I also climbed in Patagonia, Pamir, USA, Caucasus and Scotland.

However, my major success was climbing a new route on Kangchenjunga, in alpine style and together with climber Marko Prezelj. After this, we won the prestigious mountaineering award Piolet d’Or.

I became a mountain guide in 1982 and I obtained my IFMGA license in 1997. I am also an instructor at the Slovenian Mountain Guide Association (SMGA).

I still live in Kranj with my wife and the youngest of our three children.

I'm now retired from guiding, but you can contact the following guides if you want to go on a mountaineering or climbing trip in Slovenia or in Switzerland:

https://www.explore-share.com/mountain-guide/martin-zumer/
https://www.explore-share.com/mountain-guide/nejc-marcic/