Anglo-American University in Prague Klára Kolouchová
2000 Alumna
BA Business Administration
Klára Kolouchová, one of our 2000 Alumni, was from Prague, born and bred. She graduated from AAU with a degree in Business Administration and became a PR manager for various foreign companies. Equipped, as she once noted, with solid English and practical skills, she launched her professional career in London — a time during which she also began training for her first major mountain expedition to conquer some of the deadliest mountains in the world.
Sadly in July 2025, she passed away during her ascent of Nanga Parbat in Pakistan, one of the most demanding peaks in the world. She was 46 years old. Klára was a mother, a wife, an author, and one of the most accomplished Czech mountaineers of all time — a woman of courage, insight, and unwavering purpose.
Nicknamed ‘Hurricane’, this energetic fireball is famed for having tackled Mount Everest in 2007, becoming the first Czech woman to have conquered the 8,848m giant. However, her list of achievements doesn’t begin and end there.
In 2005, she climbed Aconcagua (6959m), Argentina, quickly followed in 2006 by Cho Oyu (8,201m), Nepal/China, the 6th highest mountain in the world. This huge effort was well worth the reward of being the second Czech to have successfully climbed Cho Oyu and this achievement further prepared Klára to tackle the great Mount Everest. This feat, while impressive in of itself, was conquered with Tashi Tenzing, a sherpa mountaineer whose maternal grandfather, Tenzing Norgay, made the historic first ascent of Everest in 1953.
After having spent a mountainous amount of time on her passion, Klára took a short break from ascending peaks to start a family and continue working life in a consulting firm while planning her next possible peak. The following successes of Mount McKinley (6,194 m n. m.) Alaska, and Mount Elbrus (5,642m), Russia, came in 2013 following a disappointing defeat of Mount Ama Dablam (6,812m), Nepal in 2011.
On her official website, she published information about her expeditions. In 2021, she tackled the 8,167 meter Mount Dhaulagiri with a team of international women, called “Woman Who Dare”. This ambitious expedition was in support of the Prayaas project directly in Nepal under the auspices of the Terre des homes foundation.
Beyond her mountaineering achievements, Klára was also a gifted communicator and public figure. Through her books, public speaking, and the documentary K2 vlastní cestou (K2: My Way), she shared her life story with humility, honesty, and a clear desire to uplift others. She remained closely connected to the AAU community, where her story continues to inspire both alumni and students alike.
We are proud of the legacy Klára leaves behind, reminding us that bravery is not only found on mountaintops, but also in the choices we make every day. The AAU community will always remember her strength and spirit, and we will continue to encourage new generations to follow their own path, just as Klára did.
We extend our heartfelt condolences to her husband Martin, her children Emma and Cyril, her family, and all who were touched by her extraordinary life.
May her memory be a blessing.
Quoted from News, ‘WOMEN WHO DARE’, Klára Kolouchová’s official WebsiteTranslated loosely, it means women who have the courage . The courage to stray, women who are not afraid to do things differently, to go against the flow, to push their boundaries, to fulfill their dreams and to live abnormally again!
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