Lawrence School girls scale Mt Kilimanjaro

New Delhi (IANS): Seven young girls from The Lawrence School, Sanawar, have scripted history by becoming the youngest female trekkers to conquer Africas highest peak, Mt. Kilimanjaro. The students were felicitated here on their return by global bicycle major Hero Cycles, the co-sponsors of the 11-day expedition.

Aged between 15 and 18 years, the students along with two women staff members of the school had set off on the expedition on August 7 after an intense training and preparatory programme.

Located in Tanzania, East Africa, the Kilimanjaro peak is at 5,895 metres above sea level. The peak of the dormant volcanic mountain stands at a climb of 4,900 metres above its base.

Speaking at the felicitation ceremony, the students shared their experiences on the arduous trek, the challenges they faced and how they saw them through. They also expressed a desire to continue their quest and undertake more such challenges in the future.

"We are immensely proud of the heroic feat achieved by these young girls. The strength and determination they displayed in completing such a difficult trek is truly remarkable and inspirational. We hope their achievement will inspire many more girls in India to follow their passion and break many a glass ceiling," said Pankaj M. Munjal, Chairman and Managing Director at Hero Cycles.

The expedition was led by Ajeet Bajaj, an alumni of The Lawrence School who himself is a well-known mountaineer and a Padma Shri awardee. Last year, he had scaled the Mount Everest along with his daughter.Mount Kilimanjaro is the world's highest free-standing mountain.