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Monika Witkowska (born 1966 in Warsaw) – traveler, mountaineer, sailor, writer, journalist and trekking guide. Member of the Kolosy Competition Chapter[1].
Monika Witkowska (Camp 1 on Broad Peak)
Life
She has lived in Warsaw since birth. She graduated from the Faculty of Management at the University of Warsaw and devoted her life to traveling - she visited approximately 180[2] countries on all continents, with most of the expeditions being independent backpacking trips. She combines her passion for traveling with mountain and sailing activities, skiing, diving, and is also involved in air sports (parachute jumping, motor gliding, paragliding). Monika writes books, guides and articles about her travels for many well-known Polish newspapers and magazines; she also talks about them during lectures and motivational speeches. As a guide, she leads trips around the world, including trekking in the Himalayas, Karakoram and Kilimanjaro.
Conqueror of four eight-thousanders, the Crown of the Earth and many other peaks. The second Polish woman, after Wanda Rutkiewicz, to reach the top of K2 - the most difficult of the eight-thousanders. As a mountaineer, she conquered the peaks of the two highest mountains on Earth, Mt. Everest and K2. As a sailor, she sailed around Cape Horn and also along the north-west Arctic route, from Greenland to Alaska. She was also the first person to circumnavigate Arctic Chukotka. In February 2024, together with Joanna Mostowska, they were the first people to traverse Deosai in winter, the second highest plateau on Earth[3].
In 2015, she was the 8th Polish woman to complete the ascent of the
Mount Vinson
, Elbrus, Carstensz Pyramid, Mont Blanc, Aconcagua and Mount Kosciuszko).
In 2022, she was the second Polish woman in history (after Wanda Rutkiewicz) to conquer K2.
She also reached the top of many other mountains, including: Matterhorn, Kazbek, Ama Dablam, Chimborazo and other six-thousand-meter peaks.
Since 1989 she has been a guide in SKPB Warszawa (Studenckie Koło Przewodników Beskidzkich - Student Club of
Beskidy Mountains Guides). Since 2009 she has been a member of the KW Warszawa high-mountain club[10]
.
Sailing achievements
She obtained her first sailing licenses at the Scout Water Center in Warsaw.
Later, she started sailing at sea in the Student Sailing Club of the Warsaw University of Technology.
The most significant cruises she participated in include:
in 1989/90 a 7-month cruise through the Pacific, the Panama Canal and the Atlantic on the sailing ship "Zawisza Czarny" (the cruise was awarded the Cruise of the Year 1989)
Etiopiain 2003, 2-month cruise on s/y "Stary" (13.49 m) on the route Valparaiso - Cape Horn - Polish Antarctic Station on King George Island - Falkland Islands/Malvinas (cruise recognised as the Cruise of the Year)
in 2010 – a 3-month cruise on the yacht "Solanus" (14.5 m) through the Northwest Passage (from Greenland to Alaska) - a cruise awarded with the second prize, Cruise of the Year and “Kolos” in the Sailing category[11]
in 2011 - a 3-month cruise on the s/y "Anna" (length 10.5 m) from Inuvik in northern Canada, around Chukotka and through the Bering Sea to Alaska - a cruise awarded with distinction in the "Kolosy" competition[12] and a nomination for the National Geographic Traveler Award[13]
in 2016 a month-long cruise on s/y "Phoenix" (9.5 m) around Cape Horn[14]
Work in the media
She took her first journalistic steps in 1990, collaborating with the editorial offices of "Żagle" and "Życie Warszawy". In the years 1996–2003, she managed the "Tourism" supplement in "Gazeta Wyborcza", and then became a journalistic freelancer, cooperating with dailies and periodicals such as (some of the titles no longer exist): "Podróże", "Voyage", "National Geographic Traveler”, “Poznaj Świat", "Kaleidoscope", "Kontynenty", "Obieżyświat", "Extremium", "Jachting", "Magazyn Góry", "N.P.M.", "SKI Magazyn", "Viva", "Twój Styl", "Wysokie Obcasy", tourist supplements of "Rzeczpospolita", "Dziennik" and "Puls Biznesu”.
Books
Literary festival, Zakopane 2019
She was awarded for her literary work, among others: The L. Teliga award (prize for sailing books)[15] and several times the Magellan Prize (prize for travel books)[16].
Witkowska's self-written reportage books include:
K2.Ostatnia Szansa, 2023, published by Monika Witkowska, Adam Rowicki
Moje Karpaty, 2022, published by Bezdroża
Broad Peak. Darowane życie, 2022, published by Słowne
Lhotse. Lodowa siostra Everestu, 2021, published by Bezdroża
Manaslu. Góra Ducha, Góra Kobiet, 2019, published by Helion
Góry z duszą, cz. 3. Szczyty marzeń, 2018, published by Burda Media
Horn na trawersie. Opowieści nie tylko żeglarskie, 2018, published by Bezdroża
Góry z duszą, cz. 2. Pasja i przygoda, 2016, published by Burda Media
Góry z duszą, cz. 1, 2015, published by Burda Media
Z plecakiem przez świat, 2015, published by Bezdroża
Everest. Góra Gór, 2013, published by Helion
Kurs Czukotka, 2013, published by Burda Media
Kurs Arktyka. Kurs Arktyka. Rejs przez przejście północno-zachodnie, 2011, published by Alma Press
Kurs na Horn. Dziennik z rejsu, 2009, published by Prószyński i S-ka GUIDES
Narty na Słowacji, 2009, published by Berlitz
Słowiński Park Narodowy, 2008, published by Multico
Dania, 2005, published by „Wiedza i Życie”
Books in which she is a co-author include:
Dzieci świata, 2011, Arkady
Ugryźć świat, 2008, G+J RBA/National Geographic
Między niebem a piekłem, 2004, G+J RBA/National Geographic
Wyprawy na koniec świata, 2004, G+J RBA/National Geographic
Świat na talerzu, 2004, G+J RBA/National Geographic
