Dubai boy, 7, conquers Everest Base Camp and Annapurna Circuit in a year

In a rare accomplishment, Ivan Krasiukov, a seven-year-old Grade 2 student at Bloom World Academy (BWA), has completed both the Everest Base Camp (5,364 m) and Annapurna Circuit (Thorong La Pass, 5,416 m) treks within a year.

His achievement was verified and formally recognised this month by Spain-headquartered Official World Record (OWR) Europe as the youngest person to complete both daunting treks, two of the world’s most challenging mountain routes, in a single year.

Everest Base Camp at six

In April 2024, then six years old, Ivan became one of the youngest children ever to complete the 130-km Everest Base Camp trek. In April 2025, he summited Thorong La Pass on the Annapurna Circuit in Nepal – one of the highest walkable mountain passes on Earth.

A heroic journey with music and cheer

On both expeditions, Ivan was accompanied by his parents, Alla and Dmitrii Krasiukov, as well as a local guide and two porters from the Nepal Hiking Team.

“It was great to set out in the morning and start walking – we had a real team,” Ivan said. “And sometimes Krishna (one of the guides) would play music on his small speaker, and we’d walk like heroes from a cartoon. After all, they’re always going somewhere with cheerful music playing.”

Ivan’s father, Dmitrii, shared a heartfelt moment from the Everest Base Camp trek: “Finally reaching the endpoint of the route after 12 days, Ivan was genuinely upset and said that we should have chosen a longer trek, one that lasts 16 days. That’s when I realised it had all been worth it – we had perfectly guessed Ivan’s character.”

Training for the extraordinary

Ivan prepared for such challenges through regular athletics, swimming, parkour, and acrobatics training, building the strength, endurance and mindset needed for such extraordinary feats.
John Bell, Founding Principal of Bloom World Academy, said Ivan’s achievement reflects a sense of determination, resilience, and international mindedness from a young age. “His record is a testament to the strength of curiosity and perseverance, and we couldn’t be prouder to see a Bloom student making history on a global stage.”